Anybody else turned off by UFC/MMA? (jersey, fight, school)

[NJ Chutzpah]

Originally Posted by Positiveone

The tv show had nothing to do with it. Royce Gracie made it popular way back in the early 90's. I heard about and trained in BJJ in 1994. The ufc tv show may have helped the growth of MMA, not just BJJ.

How many states had access to bjj before TUF, or around the time TUF came out?

Are you in Cali? It may have been different in Cali?

[Positiveone]

I was in NY in the 90's, then i started training. Moved to Vegas in 1996, it was here.

I'm not knocking you at all. Tuf may have helped , maybe alot. Its just that I and many of my friends trained in BJJ way before TUF. But if you noticed an increase then i would say your right. I'm cool!

Peace --support MMA

Originally Posted by NJ Chutzpah

How many states had access to bjj before TUF, or around the time TUF came out?

Are you in Cali? It may have been different in Cali?

[NJ Chutzpah]

^^^

did you start training in NY if so where? if I might ask

I am curious about how bjj introduced itself to certain areas

[Positiveone]

Long Island NY. Trained some with family & a local PAL gym. Great boxing coaches and a few BJJ guys who now train with Matt serra. I grew up in the same town as Matt Serra, we are about the same age, went to the same house partys and more. When i arrived in Vegas i trained at a gym named -Academy of martial arts- BJJ there was ok. Due to serious injuries from an accident and then some health issues i had to retire in a way from boxing/BJJ. I did go back to a small place near my house 2 years ago. Now i'm in decent health and trying to find time to join another gym.

Originally Posted by NJ Chutzpah

^^^

did you start training in NY if so where? if I might ask

I am curious about how bjj introduced itself to certain areas

[Mike in TN]

I've noticed a ton of fly-by-night MMA gyms open up since TUF, but not specifically BJJ gyms.

[NJ Chutzpah]

Originally Posted by Positiveone

Long Island NY. Trained some with family & a local PAL gym. Great boxing coaches and a few BJJ guys who now train with Matt serra. I grew up in the same town as Matt Serra, we are about the same age, went to the same house partys and more. When i arrived in Vegas i trained at a gym named -Academy of martial arts- BJJ there was ok. Due to serious injuries from an accident and then some health issues i had to retire in a way from boxing/BJJ. I did go back to a small place near my house 2 years ago. Now i'm in decent health and trying to find time to join another gym.

Did you guys teach yourselves off of gracie videos?

Or did you actually have an instructor from brazil?

[Mammaof2girls]

Ooooh, I'm glad I found this post! Anyway, yes....I'm a fan of UFC, and so is my husband. I think it's totally exciting and we look so forward to any upcoming 'big' fights, and I agree w/ what another poster said (the name is escaping me right now) how alot of people who don't know about it just say it's only about them rolling around when I disagree w/ that as well. With it comes (to just name a couple) alot of strategy, perception, focus, etc......just like with most sports (ie: boxing).

Anyway, I, too, remember back in the day watching the Spinx and Holyfield and Tyson fights.....now that was boxing!! There were more true and big boxing figures back then than there really is now....that's why boxing doesn't seem to be what it was....there's been no good influx of boxers coming in, right? I think at this moment UFC/MMA is so much in the spotlight is because there's simply a good influx of good UFC fighters that have come out on the table. It's all about seeing an exciting fight. heck, if boxing becomes what it was years ago...I will not hesitate to watch some big named boxers fight as well. But it's always been UFC for me, and boxing too, of course....if some good guys come in and make a name for themselves. Until then, UFC will always be more fun and exciting for me to watch.

[LaoTzuMindFu]

Originally Posted by Mike in TN

I've noticed a ton of fly-by-night MMA gyms open up since TUF, but not specifically BJJ gyms.

There are a ton of BJJ gyms all over LA now. Almost all of them being subpar and producing fighters/martial artists with very low level of skill, even the "black belts".

[CA central coast]

No. I rarely watch boxing anymore, which I can't believe. 95% MMA now. I will say this. Dana White recenty said MMA will be the biggest sport in the world in 8 years. I don't know about that. MMA better figure out how to stop these controversial, quick stoppages. The safety of the fighter is always cited, but sometimes it's so ridiculous that I want to turn it off. And it happens way more frequently than it ever does in boxing, I think that's a big problem with the sport right now. Fights getting stopped because some guy's forearms are getting beat up. Or a guy getting hit, going down, fight stopped and the guy is totally fine. I hope that is a wrinkle that can be worked out. Because if that is always going to be part of the sport, then part of MMA will always suck. I think that's holding MMA back a bit. I also think the UFC trying to monopolize the sport may bite them in the ass. Protecting their product? OK, but Dana White is starting to look like Don King to me. He'll end up turning off the casual fan with his tactics, I believe.

[CA central coast]

In regard to another post. The UFC has always had a following from the beginning. But TUF took it to another level. That's a fact. The UFC is what it is today because of that TV show. But, shouldn't the product speak for itself? Jerry Springerfying MMA is a turn off to me. Is that how they're getting fans? By becoming Mtv's The Real World. C'mon UFC.