Why do 'hardcore' fans still place so much stock in more aesthetic fighting styles?

[BigMuffler]

The main thing that inspires this topic is so many jumping on the 'Cyborg would destroy the whole WBW division' bandwagon after beating a non-top 15 Leslie Smith, but there are so many other examples that it's far from limited to Cyborg. Why do even hardcore fans, who are 'supposed' to be more knowledgeable than casuals, continue to overzealously put fighters with a more aesthetic fighting style on a pedestal and act like they are clearly much better than other good fighters with less aesthetic styles? Some recent examples where this type of thinking went astray -

people being super confident Holm would destroy Tate
people being super confident Conor would destroy Nate
people being super confident Cain would destroy Werdum
people being super confident Pettis would destroy RDA
people being super confident Rose would destroy Esparza
people being super confident Rose would destroy Tecia (Rose won but in a super close fight)

Stipe is a good example of the opposite, he was never hyped up due to his style not being viewed as anything special and he's quietly worked his way to the top and now become champion.

It's basically never the other way around, the supporters of 'less aesthetic' fighters will much more rarely call for 'their' fighter to annihilate their opponents, though they might pick them to win. Why is it so hard for MMA fans to learn the lesson that aesthetic styles are not inherently superior to less aesthetic ones and continue time and time again to buy into aestheticness hype? Is the fanbase that shallow, also do hardcores actually believe in 'aesthetic superiority' or are many who make such strong claims in an unpredictable sport really just stating what they hope will happen?

It seems like fans of less aesthetic fighters are much more rational and less fanboyish lol. You don't see fans of Glover Teixeira claiming Rumble is no threat to him and will get wrecked for example.

 

[Brock Tober]

I am a fan of hardcore.

 

[Hairinmouth]

Because we want to be entertained, and an aesthetic fighting style is more entertaining than a dull one. Thus, we root for the former.

Any other questions, TS?

 

[thechoice2]

Conor's style is not more aesthetically pleasing than Nate's. Maybe some will find the flash KO's/TKO's more appealing but Stockton Slaps, screaming profanity, and top notch bjj are more aesthetically pleasing.


Here's an idea, those fighters received that hype not just because of an aesthetically pleasing style but because of the competition they had defeated prior to those fights. I didn't realize Cain was hyped for some aesthetically pleasing style, I remember him being called a wrestler that walled-n-stalled against JDS and made the fight boring with his "grinding" style.

 

[SuperNerd]

 

[pocket]

Is this a trick question?

 

[12ga.]

I don't agree gsp is popular with hc fans and is most boring fighter ever IMO

I guess I'm sc since I refused to watch his last four five fights but I've watched ufc since 1.0

 

[BigMuffler]

Because we want to be entertained, and an aesthetic fighting style is more entertaining than a dull one.

Any other questions, TS?

That doesn't justify letting personal preferences skew your views so that some make extremely strong claims about 'knowing' who will win and shitting on those with a different opinion, when anybody should know by now how such claims often blow up in one's face. Makes the fanbase seem very immature.

 

[KTMshredsall]

Cyborg is a machine who just happens to be fun to watch

Actually when you look at the roster almost every champ is fun to watch

 

[The guest]

It's a fight. Who cares what it looks like ? You win or lose. There is no marks for artistic impression. It's not figure skating.

 

[Slapchoppin]

the only people who though Conor would destroy Nate were casuals

people thought Holm would destroy Tate because of how she destroyed Ronda

people thought Cain would destroy Werdum because he destroyed everyone else he fought same with Pettis vs RDA

 

[capnlarge]

I'm not even sure what you mean by aesthetic? You mention Glover Teixeira specifically as someone who is less aesthetic but his highlight reel is as good as anyone's...

 

[BigMuffler]

Here's an idea, those fighters received that hype not just because of an aesthetically pleasing style but because of the competition they had defeated prior to those fights.

No, the aesthetic style often makes the difference. RDA had dominated Bendo and Nate and also beaten Cerrone yet was a heavy underdog to Pettis, what do you think made the difference? Tecia had beaten Rose before and had more professional wins and fewer losses yet people thought Rose had improved FAR beyond her, why? Many are certainly biased by aesthetics, don't understand how anyone can claim otherwise.

 

[fedja]

If a fighter fights in aesthetically pleasing way it usually means that he is - 1.creative in his fighting, 2.brave enough to fight in a unorthodox way, and not being worried all the time about being 100% protected (so he is not too trigger shy for example).
Both of these characteristics are good for a fighter to have.

 

[Paynebringer]

Styles makes fights? I don't know bro, people like what they like...?

 

[BigMuffler]

I'm not even sure what you mean by aesthetic? You mention Glover Teixeira specifically as someone who is less aesthetic but his highlight reel is as good as anyone's...

People often say he is 'slow' and therefore give him almost no chance against Rumble or Gus, speed is often a large part of 'aesthetics' it seems.

 

[SirKratos]

Because hardcore fans actually know that Cyborg is an all-around good fighter, not only the explosive striking stuff.

 

[bd5919]

 

[BigMuffler]

Is this a trick question?

Styles makes fights? I don't know bro, people like what they like...?

I wasn't asking why people PREFER a more aesthetic style which is obvious, but why 'hardcore' fans continue to let a more aesthetic style make them jump to the conclusion that a fighter is on some massively higher level than most when it rarely turns out to be the case.

 

[MMA-woooooh!!!!]

An aesthetic fighting style is one that shows technical mastery imo, like a good flowing combo or a perfectly timed takedown, setting up a sub in a subtle way or transitioning from one to another, perfectly timed counters etc.

Sloppy technique can be effective but is not as eye pleasing. Although wrestlers with a slow style that focuses on controlling position rather than using it to set up strikes and subs is usually the least eye pleasing to casual fans I think.