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By Todd Martin
Dec 10, 2019
Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media.
The ordering process for Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-views has changed: UFC 245 is only available on ESPN+ in the U.S.
* * *
This is a unique period for MMA, as politics have entered into the sport to a degree never remotely seen in the past. Donald Trump became the first United States President to attend an Ultimate Fighting Championship event in November, receiving a loud mixed reaction and setting off a frenzied partisan argument about what fans at Madison Square Garden were trying to say about him. UFC on ESPN 7 came to the nation’s capital on Saturday, and Bryce Mitchell celebrated the second twister submission in UFC history by offering to beat up Trump’s political opponents. Trump proudly highlighted Mitchell’s remarks on his Twitter feed.
Things were even more partisan at the other major MMA event, as Combate Americas seemingly built its first pay-per-view event around political conflict. Tito Ortiz wore Trump 2020 on the front of his tights and wore a celebratory Trump T-shirt after winning, while Alberto Rodriguez devoted his post-fight remarks to pointedly telling Trump in Spanish that Mexicans aren’t thieves and criminals. As politics have become increasingly difficult to avoid in all facets of American life, MMA wasn’t exempt.
Remarkably, things may get even more political moving forward. UFC 245 this Saturday is a deep card complete with three championship fights, as well as a pair of compelling bantamweight bouts pitting Marlon Moraes against Jose Aldo and Petr Yan against Urijah Faber. However, much of the build has been centered on Colby Covington’s MAGA shtick and Kamaru Usman’s dislike of it. It’s hard to imagine Covington doesn’t have big plans to attract attention, and there’s a good chance that will overshadow everything else on the card for most fans.
The invasion of politics is relatively new in MMA, but it’s nothing new in the world of sports, generally speaking. The NFL and NBA in particular have been awash in political discussion in recent years, with the NBA’s handling of Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey’s remarks about Hong Kong and the NFL’s handling of Colin Kaepernick kneeling for the national anthem taking center stage. What’s unique about MMA is that athletes’ political commentary in other sports has largely been liberal while in MMA it has largely been conservative.
Read more at https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/The-Bottom-Line-Polarizing-Times-167341#ey5XE8w7UOY1CW5Q.99
What do you think? Is politics playing a more central role in MMA, or is it just the latest trend to sell fights? Is there a future for sportsmen like Colby Covington who rely on controversial hot-button issues and casual racism to rile fans up?
Dec 10, 2019
Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media.
The ordering process for Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-views has changed: UFC 245 is only available on ESPN+ in the U.S.
* * *
This is a unique period for MMA, as politics have entered into the sport to a degree never remotely seen in the past. Donald Trump became the first United States President to attend an Ultimate Fighting Championship event in November, receiving a loud mixed reaction and setting off a frenzied partisan argument about what fans at Madison Square Garden were trying to say about him. UFC on ESPN 7 came to the nation’s capital on Saturday, and Bryce Mitchell celebrated the second twister submission in UFC history by offering to beat up Trump’s political opponents. Trump proudly highlighted Mitchell’s remarks on his Twitter feed.
Things were even more partisan at the other major MMA event, as Combate Americas seemingly built its first pay-per-view event around political conflict. Tito Ortiz wore Trump 2020 on the front of his tights and wore a celebratory Trump T-shirt after winning, while Alberto Rodriguez devoted his post-fight remarks to pointedly telling Trump in Spanish that Mexicans aren’t thieves and criminals. As politics have become increasingly difficult to avoid in all facets of American life, MMA wasn’t exempt.
Remarkably, things may get even more political moving forward. UFC 245 this Saturday is a deep card complete with three championship fights, as well as a pair of compelling bantamweight bouts pitting Marlon Moraes against Jose Aldo and Petr Yan against Urijah Faber. However, much of the build has been centered on Colby Covington’s MAGA shtick and Kamaru Usman’s dislike of it. It’s hard to imagine Covington doesn’t have big plans to attract attention, and there’s a good chance that will overshadow everything else on the card for most fans.
The invasion of politics is relatively new in MMA, but it’s nothing new in the world of sports, generally speaking. The NFL and NBA in particular have been awash in political discussion in recent years, with the NBA’s handling of Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey’s remarks about Hong Kong and the NFL’s handling of Colin Kaepernick kneeling for the national anthem taking center stage. What’s unique about MMA is that athletes’ political commentary in other sports has largely been liberal while in MMA it has largely been conservative.
Read more at https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/The-Bottom-Line-Polarizing-Times-167341#ey5XE8w7UOY1CW5Q.99
What do you think? Is politics playing a more central role in MMA, or is it just the latest trend to sell fights? Is there a future for sportsmen like Colby Covington who rely on controversial hot-button issues and casual racism to rile fans up?
