Which type of MMA fan are you?

ChuckBooty · #1 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 07:49 PM

So I was leaving a comment about that dumbass movie "Never Back Down" and it got me thinking about MMA and pop-culture. The way I see it, MMA has four different categories of fans.

Fighters: You are a fighter if you train two to five times per week (even more if they have a fight coming up) and compete in anything from local (and usually unsanctioned) "smokers" to larger organizations.

Mixed-Martial Artists: You are a Mixed-Martial Artist if you train MMA anywhere from two to four times per week and have trained for at least one year. Usually you'll be part of a gym and might even be a sparring partner to one of their fighters.

Douchbag-Groupie: You are a Douchbag-Groupie if you visit your local MMA gym once every week or so but never train or even break a sweat. You are usually a white male (although there are always exeptions) and are recognizable by your MMA T-Shirt (usually TapouT) and your black, fitted baseball cap; usually worn sideways with a large, straight bill. The hat is sometimes replaced by a neatly folded and freshly ironed bandanna, worn low, over the eyebrows. Your vehicle is usually a two-wheeled drive, lifted Ford F-150 and you have a large TapouT sticker on the back window. You are always talking about fighters that you know/met/are hanging out with. You are starting an MMA clothing line.

Die-Hard Fan: You are a Die-Hard Fan if you love the sport and not the organization. You have a solid knowledge of the veterans, current contenders, and up-and-comers. You were both excited and saddened when Zuffa bought PRIDE (and you know that it was Zuffa that bought PRIDE and NOT the UFC). Most people on this forum fall into this classification.

Casual MMA Fan: You are a casual MMA fan if you started following the UFC around the time of TUF 1. You then did your research and now have a pretty solid knowledge of UFC fighters. You NEVER miss a PPV event, even if you have to squeeze into a Hooters or find a pirate stream on the Internet. You also think that Kimbo Slice has a chance of beating Tim Sylvia...but wouldn't ever admit it. Especially on your favorite MMA Internet forum.

So...which one are you? Anyone see it differently?

EDIT: added the "Die-Hard Fan" classification.

The Sundance Kid · #2 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 07:59 PM

I watched the old UFC's on vhs as a kid growing up, but never really got into it.

I attended UFC 39 in AC and that got me into it as well as a conversation with Ivan Salaverry at the event. This is what started my love with MMA.

Within 6 months of the event I was placed in "Goverment Guardianship" where I would spend the next 18 months.

When I got home it was August of 2004 and TUF 1 was debuting around that time, I got into it really heavily then. Joined Sherdog in September of 2004, stayed there for a long time then came here.

I also train twice a week at a gym (BJJ, Thai Boxing,) and daily at home but have no aspiration's of fighting professionally.

carbondioxide830 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 08:00 PM

according to the above, i'm a casual fan i guess although i've been a fan of mma before tuf 1. i dont train for mma nor have any desire too, but its still a sport i love...similar to dare i say professional wrestling :0

ninjastix · #4 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 08:10 PM

I'll bite...

I'm a casual MMA fan... without the Kimbo Slice thing... I refuse to be completely overly devoted to something that I don't actively participate in. As such, I love watching the sport and discussing it... I'm not painting myself anytime soon...

The sport appeals to me as a former martial artist and wrestler. I like seeing stylistic match ups and upsets. And I'm inspired by the devotion of fighters (male and female) who learn 6 styles of fighting and then condition themselves to hell and back...

It's the only sport I watch and I hope to see it only expand and grow... whether in the ufc or otherwise, whether here in the states or internationally...

smoogy · #5 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 08:13 PM

So you're a casual MMA fan if you don't train? I don't get it

ChuckBooty · #6 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smoogy

So you're a casual MMA fan if you don't train? I don't get it

Hm...maybe you're right. OK...so wright up the definition for the die-hard MMA fan (or hard-core if ya'd like. I'll edit it in on the top).

ChuckBooty · #7 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 08:24 PM

Is anyone a Douchbag-Groupie? C'mon...ADMIT IT!

kc56 · #8 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 08:28 PM

I am a fan of many things MMA being one of them.

All through school I wrestled and boxed. I long said that a good wrestler would beat a good boxer in a street fight. Then I saw UFC and it was the execution of my theory. I started watching at UFC. Once it started picking up steam I went and trained BJJ in the gym with one of my buddies from my wrestling team.

Now? I am too old to try and do something new. Maybe not necessarily too old, but too involved in my career and life to try to pick it back up.

I still don't think that makes me any less of a die-hard fan though.

Ramma · #9 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 08:30 PM

See.. I don't exactly fit in any category..

I watched the OLD UFCs when I was a kid and didn't really get into it.

I have done/been training martial arts for years and have always been a martial arts fan.

Got into the UFC a few years ago (not because of TUF actually, I never even watched TUF all the way through until Season 5, but I have gone back and watched Season 3 and MOST of Season 4), started watching PRIDE and such, and have been watching ever since.

I only partially fit in certain categories.

ChuckBooty · #10 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kc56

I am a fan of many things MMA being one of them.

All through school I wrestled and boxed. I long said that a good wrestler would beat a good boxer in a street fight. Then I saw UFC and it was the execution of my theory. I started watching at UFC. Once it started picking up steam I went and trained BJJ in the gym with one of my buddies from my wrestling team.

Now? I am too old to try and do something new. Maybe not necessarily too old, but too involved in my career and life to try to pick it back up.

I still don't think that makes me any less of a die-hard fan though.

Yeah, I think my definitions were flawed. I'd say that the "die-hard fans" should definitely be separate from the "casual fans". Anyone wanna re-write or add to the top?