Comments on: Boring Fights: Why? http://www.total-mma.com/2009/04/03/boring-fights-why/ Completing the perspective on Mixed Martial Arts Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:02:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Dave Walsh http://www.total-mma.com/2009/04/03/boring-fights-why/#comment-25632 Dave Walsh Sun, 05 Apr 2009 02:24:39 +0000 http://www.total-mma.com/?p=624#comment-25632 The sport has gotten careful. A part of me likes to watch Japanese fighting because the fighters tend to push to be more reckless, which won't get them a win every time, but makes for an entertaining fight. The sport has gotten careful. A part of me likes to watch Japanese fighting because the fighters tend to push to be more reckless, which won’t get them a win every time, but makes for an entertaining fight.

]]> By: Jonathan Snowden http://www.total-mma.com/2009/04/03/boring-fights-why/#comment-25625 Jonathan Snowden Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:01:56 +0000 http://www.total-mma.com/?p=624#comment-25625 I was thrilled when Bader went for that armbar. The sport has gotten so careful, as you say, that someone looking for a finish like that was a legitimate surprise. It will get worse before it gets better. I was thrilled when Bader went for that armbar. The sport has gotten so careful, as you say, that someone looking for a finish like that was a legitimate surprise. It will get worse before it gets better.

]]> By: BM2 http://www.total-mma.com/2009/04/03/boring-fights-why/#comment-25585 BM2 Sat, 04 Apr 2009 04:09:35 +0000 http://www.total-mma.com/?p=624#comment-25585 Sometimes it doesn't matter if nothing much is happening, you become breathlessly interested in the fight regardless of action because you have come to care for the fighters out of clever booking or coincidence. This might be a bad example, because it was an exciting fight, and both fighters were trying their darndest to finish the fight... actually, yep, this is a bad example. But whatever. I remember how I felt when I watched Manhoef vs Yoon - here was a guy who (at the time) was 0-4, coming into the ring to fight this insane demon of a man with what seemed like sanctioned manslaughter on his mind. Manhoef would charge forward, deforming Yoon's face with some really vicious punching. I was pretty horrified, I thought that the fight would be over fairly soon, with a crumpled mess on the mat. But suddenly, Yoon managed a takedown, and Manhoef's momentum fell dead in the water. Manhoef would manage to escape to his feet, and resume his barrage right off where he left it, with no sign of slowing or relenting - but eventually, Yoon manage to stop Manhoef in his tracks again by taking it to the ground. I found myself hoping that Yoon would manage to control Manhoef on the ground, so that he would be spared on the feet. Every moment of inaction in Yoon's favour was a victory and terribly exciting. Similarly, Fujtia vs Yvel, any time that Fujita was clearly in control was awesome, because he was winning the fight. Any time that he wasn't in control (like on the feet) was still exciting, because it was dangerous for my favoured fighter. So in summary, I think good booking and promotion of fighters, so that people care deeply about the men in the ring, is more important than rule change. Once people care about the fighters and not just about the activity on screen, the psychology and story of the fight is more meaningful than just action. Sometimes it doesn’t matter if nothing much is happening, you become breathlessly interested in the fight regardless of action because you have come to care for the fighters out of clever booking or coincidence. This might be a bad example, because it was an exciting fight, and both fighters were trying their darndest to finish the fight… actually, yep, this is a bad example. But whatever. I remember how I felt when I watched Manhoef vs Yoon - here was a guy who (at the time) was 0-4, coming into the ring to fight this insane demon of a man with what seemed like sanctioned manslaughter on his mind.

Manhoef would charge forward, deforming Yoon’s face with some really vicious punching. I was pretty horrified, I thought that the fight would be over fairly soon, with a crumpled mess on the mat. But suddenly, Yoon managed a takedown, and Manhoef’s momentum fell dead in the water. Manhoef would manage to escape to his feet, and resume his barrage right off where he left it, with no sign of slowing or relenting - but eventually, Yoon manage to stop Manhoef in his tracks again by taking it to the ground.

I found myself hoping that Yoon would manage to control Manhoef on the ground, so that he would be spared on the feet. Every moment of inaction in Yoon’s favour was a victory and terribly exciting.

Similarly, Fujtia vs Yvel, any time that Fujita was clearly in control was awesome, because he was winning the fight. Any time that he wasn’t in control (like on the feet) was still exciting, because it was dangerous for my favoured fighter.

So in summary, I think good booking and promotion of fighters, so that people care deeply about the men in the ring, is more important than rule change. Once people care about the fighters and not just about the activity on screen, the psychology and story of the fight is more meaningful than just action.

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