MMA: The Most Exciting Sport

By Nick Wagner
Contributing Writer

Dana White’s doing something right. He puts on pay-per-view shows bi-weekly while showcasing up-and-comers on Spike TV’s “The Ultimate Fighter.”

People! Now more than ever we are being inundated with MMA. It’s practically seeping out of our eyeballs and through our gills, but we still want more. Arenas are sold out week after week and the pay-per-view hits are in the millions. MMA has drop-kicked boxing in the face and put a strangle hold on extreme sports, and last Saturday’s UFC 116, Lesnar vs Carwin, was no exception.

A good night of fights can leave a body feeling exhilarated, ready to try out some choke hold on a friend or sibling, but Saturday was a bag of mixed nuts. I’m talking about Chris Tuchscherer getting caught by Brandon Schaub early in the first round. Locally, Chris is the guy aspiring fighters look up to, and if not they at least take notice. Fighters dream about winning fight after fight until they get to the UFC. Chris has done this. But you win some, you lose some and the real fight begins with returning to the drawing board. I’m excited to see how he bounces back, whether it be in or out of the ring.

Midwesterners can take pride in the still-reigning UFC Heavyweight Champ, Brock Lesnar. Our South Dakotan cousin tapped out Shane Carwin in the second round via an arm triangle. It was a sweet victory, especially after Shane spent the majority of the first round teeing off on Lesnar’s face with his lunchbox-sized fists, but Lesnar persevered like a champ and came back in the second round for the choke-out win.

MMA is drama. Promoters talk up a fight, sometimes there’s bad blood between opponents, but there’s always something that makes a fight dramatic. A well-matched fight can leave spectators swaying back and forth in their seats. This isn’t soccer or basketball, yeah it’s neat when somebody kicks a ball through a hoop, but take away points and replace them with blood, and make a goal a devastating punch and you’ve got MMA.

This is the only sport where the losing side, who could be getting completely owned, can come back in the last seconds of the match to steal a victory, and it’s always fun to see somebody come out of nowhere for a victory.

MMA is also the only sport where scores can be settled through competition. It’s not socially acceptable to punch somebody in the teeth during a basketball pickup game just because he traveled, but get a cage and it’s easy to settle disputes. It may not prove the original point, but what do frustrated, angry people do when there’s conflict? They fight, or they wish they could.
Hey, George Andersch, owner of Fargo BJJ, for many reasons there are people who would like to fight you.

Dylan Spicer of the Academy of Combat Arts, I KNOW there are people who want to fight you.
Sometimes I want to fight myself, like when I misplace my keys.

But all I’m saying is we’ve got this wonderful device at our disposal which all will benefit from, especially the spectators. There are also plenty of local promotions willing to accommodate all of us. So let’s forget about this nonsense of “get along,” and let’s get it on!

MMA is here. The fight community is all around you. Pretty soon you won’t be able to walk into a grocery store without being arm-barred.

Fights are getting better because dedicated fighters take chunks out of their lives to train and compete.  Let’s not take this for granted. Enjoy life, along with all the drama. Like warring houses in Verona, let’s make Shakespeare proud.

I don’t know about you, but UFC 116 has got me fired up, and it’s okay to get excited. I just can’t wait to do it all over again, see a great fight, whether it be locally, on the tube, or in somebody’s back yard.

And don’t forget, there’s going to be an awesome fight at the UP Center, Chris Tuscherer’s Fall Brawl, and I’m in it! I’m fourth on the fight card, taking on Isaac Appel of Rapid City in the 185 lb. weight class.

It’s an unbelievable fight card, including Jessie Forbes, and Zak Jensen. Katlin Young is taking on the World-rated #8 Womens fighter Jamie Seaton from California. Michelle Gutierrez and Tat “The Mean Bean” Romero will be there too.

Fall Brawl will also be partnered with the local Firefighters in remembrance of the tragedy of September 11. Come out and witness the Upper Midwest’s premier MMA event and support the efforts of our firefighters, police officers, and the armed forces in a tribute to 9/11.

I almost forgot! Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva will be at Fall Brawl to sign autographs from 6pm, before the event. Don’t miss out on your chance to meet this MMA legend.

Crowbar MMA’s Spring Brawl event was sold out, so get your tickets as soon as possible, at 1.800.745.3000.

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If You Go

What: Crowbar MMA Fall Brawl
Where: UP Center
When: Sat, Sept 11, 7pm
Info: 800.745.3000