The next "big thing"

I have been astounded but not neccesarily shocked by the enormous growth of reality based MMA fighting. The UFC has become a social and media juggernaut in two short years.

I remember renting videos in Victoria long ago of UFC events and feeling slightly embarrassed. The friendly staff at Xanavision video almost certainly regarded me as a weirdo and gave me knowing smiles as I skulked out the front door. First off, I was the only person I knew who watched the UFC and almost certainly the only person I knew who regarded it as something more than a human "cockfight". Coming from an extensive wrestling background I was immediately impressed and vindicated by the success of wrestlers in mixed martial arts competition. Watching the UFC was my private vice......something I did not really tell people.

However, much has changed since 1997. The UFC is massive and MMA-fighters are widely recognized as being some of the most highly conditioned and well-rounded athletes in the world. They have evolved from being "thugs" to well paid "professional" athletes. The sport itself has adopted many key policies including strictly defined weight classes, stringent rules, and safety measures designed to ensure the protection of the athlete. In short, MMA has become a legitimate recognized sport with rules, and associations, and god forbid..........agents.

The question now is "what's next"? What is the new outlaw sport that will be condemened and villified? I believe it might just be a progression of what we have seen from the UFC. I for one believe it will be reality based weapons fighting. Yes indeed!

The only natural progression of MMA is to add an increased degree of reality. This reality is the addition of a weapon, a stick.....or two, a staff, rubber training knives. This style of fighting closes the gap, it incorporates weapons, disarmament, and reality based un-armed fighting (like the UFC). It will truly attempt to answer some questions, questions like...."what is the best way to deal with a knife attack?"

It is still largely underground but will make big strides as the UFC gains more acceptance and becomes another mainstream sport. Check out this clip of the Dog Brothers, a stick fighting movement out of California

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6EZE_rmsQs

Until next time....