Just a century ago, boxing was the biggest sport this side of the Atlantic. The U.S. has given rise to some of sport's biggest stars: Rocky Marciano, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali. These are figures that represent all that is right with the sport. And yet, the sport that produced these titans is officially on life-support.
Mixed-martial arts has risen from the ashes. MMA, as the sport is affectionately known, is giving rise to a new breed of superstar. These ultimate fighters -- beasts such as Chuck Liddell and Kimbo Slice -- are already gaining mainstream celebrity status through leagues like the popular Ultimate Fighting Championship. Over the past few years, MMA has filled the niche boxing has vacated.
Boxing lost its place in the American sporting landscape because it forgot its roots. Americans like to watch people fight, it is part of human curiosity. So how did the sport come crumbling down? The answer is the Don King Effect. Figures like King, along with promoters and corrupt judges cost the sport its purity. The Don Kings of the world let their greed ruin their own sport. They introduced too many belts. They fixed fights. And they turned millions of Americans away from the sport.
Enter MMA stage right.
This sport offers pugilism and more. All kinds of fighting are incorporated into MMA, which makes it a more diverse sport than boxing. Some styles are as commonplace as kickboxing, while others are as exotic as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Ultimately, the sport offers no-holds-barred fights, the kind you might find yourself in the next time you flip the wrong pong table -- if Parkhurst didn't loom large in the background.
Nobody actually fights the way boxers do. If you found yourself going toe-to-toe, so to speak, with someone, you would do whatever was necessary to force your opponent into submission. That's the bottom-line of MMA. Win at any cost, any way you can. In some ways, it's a sport we can all relate to and the sport has become mainstream as viewers can, in some ways, identify with the action.
Boxing had its chance and it blew it (thanks for the line, Kelly Clarkson). Don't get me wrong, I believe the downturn of boxing is a national tragedy. I sincerely wish that boxing could stage a comeback, as I love the sport.
Unfortunately, America has turned its back on one of its former pastimes. How many of you watched this weekend's Vazquez-Marquez rematch? Didn't think so.
Boxing has become the ex-girlfriend America can no longer stand to see. Everything is dead between the two of you, she's a shadow of her former self. And yet, there you are, only able to think of what once was, and it makes things that much worse. Sorry America, but as we all know, it's just time to move on.
But to ease our collective pain, MMA is a sport we can all embrace. In fact, it's the perfect sport for the American people. Think about it: We're a country that has made fake wrestling a mainstream activity. Shoot, we're a country that has turned fake wrestlers into mainstream movie stars. MMA offers all the entertainment of wrestling, but with authenticity. As Bruce Lee said, "The best fighter is not a Boxer, Karate or Judo man. The best fighter is someone who can adapt to any style."
So move over boxing, make room for the new king of the hill. And if you have a problem with that, I'm sure Chuck Liddell would love to have a word with you.
