[blazeallwayz]

I consider myself the new generation of an MMA hardcore fan. I was introduced to it back when Royce Gracie was running through everybody, but since my family didn't even have cable growing up, I could not really follow it like I would have liked to. I grew up playing all types of sports, but mainly baseball. When I was about 7 or 8 my parents put me in Tae Kwon Do and I took to it really fast, but once again due to financial hardships, they were forced to pull me out. Then when I got to high school, my intrigue for combat sports was finally met when I wrestled for all four years of high school. Fast forward through college with hearing stories of Tito Ortiz dominating and such... I still had the interest, but no knowledge of how the game had evloved until I got my first "black box" (illegal cable). I quickly started to see what I was missing whether it was UFC, Pride, or K-1, I was hooked.

Sure, when Spike starting airing TUF, I watched week after week because it was free! It was already UFC 56, when I was finally my own man with my own job and my own place that I started ordering the PPVs (and I haven't missed one since).

I don't consider myself the casual fan however, because I am pretty much obsessed. After I watch an event, I will replay my favorite matches over and over until I have to force myself to go to bed. I log onto every MMA website I know about and blog with strangers since none of my friends are as into it as I am. I have gone back into the UFC and Pride libraries to see classic fights that I have missed. Before a PPV, if I am unsure about a fighter, I will try and find any tpe on him to see how I should pick in fantasy (by the way I average 8-9 out of 10 winners every PPV - can a casual fan consistently do that??)

So, in a similar way to how MMA has evolved, I feel like the fans have too. I even advocate for MMA (not just the UFC) saying things like, "If you enjoy boxing, you'll love MMA" or "Mark my words, MMA will be an Olympic sport one day."

I am well educated, but for anyone who really knows me, knows how much I hate to read for fun. Well, I have read the Matt Hughes autobiography and I am almost halfway through Chick Liddell's. There is no way any real "casual" fan can have as much knowledge as me on the topic of MMA.