HQ
MMA Headquarters
What made them choose this a way of life?
There are numerous motives fighters give for wanting to fight, but here are a few: some fighters claim that they fight simply because they can. Many people having this perception find themselves successful in the sport and want to keep going. There are prizefighters, who mainly fight for the income. Others fight because they love the martial arts, still others fight for the fame and the women that come with being a professional athlete. One man even said that he fights because he was coaxed to by a higher power…we’ll call this instance ‘divine intervention.’ Some fighters fight because they think that MMA is the "realest" sport out there to compete. Some people fight in MMA even as representing to fight against a "soft life" which many ordinary people live. These are just a few of the reasons men choose to be professional fighters, there are of course many, many more.
Who fights for what?
I would say that the biggest reason any of the men that I spoke with fight is that they are extremely competitive. Mike Swick, a fighter of the Ultimate Fighting Championship said, “I fight because it’s the ultimate form of competition between two individuals…and I am a very competitive person.” This type of answer quickly became one of the most common of all the replies that I received. There just seems to be an innate desire in many humans to be competitive. Competition shows itself in many different forms, whether in business, academics or athletics. Some people just seem to have that intrinsic desire to take competition to the next level in the form of MMA where you have to work everyday without skipping a heartbeat, trying to reach your best self. Many fighters say that MMA fighting is the hardest form of living a life and earning money, but there is that maintaining force of fighting that keeps them going for what they do as fighters.
Why are they called "Modern day gladiators"?
Even today, many look back on the ancient gladiators with awe. They are seen as the epitome of masculinity: strong, brave and steady in the face of extreme adversity. These are admirable traits. It is regrettable, however, that society resorts to staged feats of violence to display and celebrate them.Many people find glory in brutality also. They want to see fighters achieve their victory through hardship, blood and gore. They appreciate the fighters for what they do just like the times of Ancient Rome where people cheered for gladiators to win their battles through brutality, reaching their best doing so.
