[lava_eater]

This is not a rant, just a small reflection on things and a question to you what your thoughts are.

I went to a show here in Sweden, a Vale Tudo show, and they had one ring girl. Everytime she went up with the sign a couple of guys behind me made kissing sounds and whistled. I think they were south american, what you perhaps would call "latino". This is not racist, just a reflection on differences in views of what constitutes "male behaviour". In latin cultures (or catholic perhaps?), or perhaps we should call them "macho cultures", men have to want to bone every woman around AND also state this fact publicly each time a woman appears. Why? Because if you don't then you're gay (not my views, these are the views of certain cultures).

That's one thing, in certain cultures, a man HAS to whistle and make ridiculous kissing sounds (doesn't sound very male in my ears I tell ya) to girls and of course ring girls.

I don't. To each his own.

Anyway, continuing. Why are the ring girls there? There is simply no proper motivation for it. For starters: there are very often hot women in attendance. One could look at these and whistle and make kissing noises if so required by ones cultural heritage.

For seconds: If I want hot lady skin - I go to the beach. In the neo-moralic sweden there aren't many strip clubs but I guess I could find one if I wanted to. Or I watch porn. Or MTV. Why would I want hot lady skin in the middle of a fight between to guys? To remind me that I am straight? As an excuse?

- Why do you go to that horrible fight show where sweaty muscular men pound each others faces in while being in the missionary position? Are you GAY?
- Of course I'm not gay, I go there to see the hot ring girls. It costs me $70 but hey, every five minutes I get to see a female ass in hotpants. I AM NOT GAY!

There are like a million outlets for equally hot female asses. Fashion shows, TV commercials, on the streets (in Sweden at least - no, the beauty of the local girls is NOT a myth), porn, MTV, female basketball, I could keep going all day. Not to mention the girls in the audience.

So... why are the ring girls there?

I want them out. Why? To make the sport even more "accessible" for EVERYONE: I've got female friends that have trained martial arts and have found interest in Pride and the UFC but I feel there is some questioning of the ring girls role in the whole thing. I just don't see their merit, really. I don't even look at them myself (I like curvy broads with huge boobs, skinny ass-girls that don't eat make me puke), I tend to focus on the guys bashing their faces in. In the missionary position.

So... in another thread I read some fool saying "I will miss Amber in the UFC". How can you even know the name of a person so inconsequential to what your watching? Truth to be told - I knew her name as well, but just because those asses at UFC tells me everytime they zoom up her crack. Why are they talking about the eye-candys name? I don't CARE, show me people kicking each other in the head, I've got porn if I want the skin.

So, my question after this "rant" is:

1. Would you stop watching fighting if there were no ring girls?
2. Do you think they have a place and what possible motivation could you have for that?

What I really would want to see is UFC bringing in some gals for one show and let them fight. There are women out there that can kick ass and have skills - let the world see that women can be something else than hot bitches whose asses we zoom in and drool over. Or are women nothing more to the casual MMA-fan?

//T