Felt the need for a little rant about my favorite sport and some things being said by one of my favorite people in the sport. I watched some of the old fights before Dana White took over the UFC, when it was a bit of an outlaw type sport and loved it. It was tough to really keep up with it because it was impossible to see unless you were there or was lucky enough to know where to find it on television.
Once TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) hit, I was so into the “new” UFC, I wished I was younger and tougher to even give it a shot, but like most common sense dudes, you decide to enjoy watching other dudes beat the fuck out of each other. Since season 1 of TUF exploded the sport of Mixed Martial Arts, mostly the UFC, into one of the hottest sports in the world, I fit into that perfect customer of Dana White and even other leagues that try to compete with them. I watch as many fights as I can because I love the competition. It’s much more entertaining to me than people hitting a golf ball or tennis ball, hell, even baseball. I put it right up there with football and maybe even with basketball.
Anyhow, I’m FAR from some meathead douche bag that walks around with my chest bowed out like some people are claiming the common MMA fan to be. I’m a father of almost 4 kids and happily married. Have a business I love and I’m pushing 40 years old. Sure, these fights are full of testosterone, but it’s a guys guy sport, what do you expect?
I have a lot of favorites in the sport, but surprisingly one of my top favorites is the color commentator who does most UFC fights, Joe Rogan. I think he’s a funny fucker and he not only knows the sport of MMA, but he also trains in it. Then throw in the fact he does stand up comedy and he has that voice that sounds like he’s screaming in your face and I just think he’s one of the great faces of the sport.
I follow Joe Rogan on Twitter and noticed today he said he’s getting messages about this post on his blog about shirts the UFC fans wear and how they pose in pictures with their favorite fighters. Now, if you don’t follow Joe, this will probably come across much more harsh than it might for me because Joe is just a harsh, opinionated dude that has lots of comedic value to most of what he says.
Here’s my beef with what he’s saying. While he’s basically saying unless you wear Tapout clothing, it sucks, he’s turning the public opinion of that type of clothing against ALL companies that make it. I completely agree some of the shirts are WAYYYY over the top with gold and silver and shit that blinds you, but if someone thinks it looks cool and wants to wear it, more power to them. I don’t look at them like douche bag shirts, I look at them like the sport of MMA jersey’s. A lot of these are put out by different training camps as a way to help fund their fighters and their gyms. Others are there to help fund the leagues they fight in. It’s just a way for the fan to be part of this awesome sport. I think as one of the more familiar faces of a great sport, you should really consider not putting such a bad label on something that helps the sport continue to grow. Reading what he wrote made me want to throw the few shirts I do own away because the last thing I want to be seen as is some meathead douche bag. I definitely will re-consider ever buying something like that again if that’s how people view those that wear them.
Then let’s move on to his comments about how people like to get a photo with their favorite fighters. REALLY??? These are the same people that keep your favorite job going, Joe! Why would you rub so many of your own fans so wrong because of how they choose to enjoy the sport that we all love? If some kid wants to hold a football while getting a photo with his favorite running back in the NFL, you going to call him names? Just because the kid doesn’t play ball means he can’t hold the football in the picture? That’s such a ridiculous beef to have towards fans, I’m shocked he even said it. Maybe he has a beef towards a specific type of fan, but guess what, that type of shit generalizes the entire sport and the entire group of fans that continue to spread the word and empty their pockets to watch it.
I went to the fights here in Dallas this past weekend and was lucky enough to score floor tickets (which is another rant all together). The one cool part of being on the floor is the chance to meet fighters and others that are part of the sport. Maybe even get photos or autographs from your favorites. The one person that wanted no part of the whole scene was Joe Rogan. We tried to call him over to the peasant section but he was either too baked to deal with people or he just honestly wants no part of it. For someone that loves his job as much as he does, it seems weird to me that he wouldn’t want to interact with people that help keep the sport going financially.
I’ll end my rant with this…I’m not angry at Joe for what he said, I just think he is hurting the UFC fan by labeling them with these type of things. It is a free country and you can say whatever the hell you want, but why shit on your own fans? People aren’t calling him a fag for trying to bring back the fanny pack! Anyhow, Joe … keep being funny, but don’t hurt your sport financially!
