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If anyone is interested..College Rough Draft over MMA
The fastest growing sport in the world has been viewed as “Human Cock-Fighting” and “brutal”, yet Mixed Martial Arts can be an outlet of anger for naturally aggressive, testosterone filled men, a new and improved style of self defense combining all combat sports disciplines for women in search of independence, or a new way to stay healthy for anyone looking to improve their overall fitness. Despite the majority of America’s public opinion, which roughly 63% of Americans polled view it as harmful and detrimental to one’s health, training and competing in Mixed Martial Arts is beneficial to one’s mind and body. The average Mixed Martial Artist’s fitness could be compared to that of a tri-athlete.
Not just one discipline is taught in true Mixed Martial Arts schools, but nearly something from every single one can be found in the curriculum. To truly excel in the sport one must prepare their entire body to the extreme on a daily basis. Mixed Martial Arts training involves intense cardio sessions combined with rigorous full body strength training which will obviously lead to noticeable changes in one’s body. Flexibility is one of the many benefits achieved through grappling, due to the techniques found in Jiu Jitsu and Wrestling. Many fighters who train specifically in those arts previously mentioned have nearly the same flexibility as many Yoga practitioners. Hand-eye coordination is improved by the striking arts, such as Kickboxing or Muay Thai, and leads to quicker reaction skills. The fights in Mixed Martial Arts are a true testament to the fighter’s fitness; Matches lasting up to fifteen minutes are not uncommon and are separated into three rounds. This eliminates the idea of any street brawler becoming a star in the sport in a short period of time and shows that Mixed Martial Artists are true athletes and not undisciplined pugilists. Although many begin as people who have always followed rules and are truly good people, not everyone started their journey on the right side of the tracks.
Matt “The Immortal” Brown is a professional fighter and has battled addiction and hardships all throughout his entire life up until he began fighting in Mixed Martial Arts. Brown began his career with a win in his very first fight but soon saw his professional record dwindle down to a not so impressive 5-5 record which reflected his life choices, as he was admittedly addicted to Heroin and other hard narcotics. In fact Matt received his nickname, The Immortal, from overdosing on Heroin, being clinically pronounced dead for over one minute and coming back to life shortly after. After his near death experience, Brown decided that no longer would he not take his life and passion for fighting for granted and became drug free. Matt began working various jobs in order to pay for his training and lived from dollar to dollar. Soon his hard work and dedication would pay off as he received the chance to compete in The Ultimate Fighting Championships, the highest level of professional fighting, and holds a respectable 3-1 record in the organization with his only loss coming by a razor thin split decision after fifteen minutes of fighting. Matt Brown is the epitome of what Mixed Martial Arts can do for one’s troubled past and a body ravaged by drug addiction. My experiences within the sport help me relate to how these professionals transition from tough backgrounds to fulfilled lives.
As a practitioner and future fighter, I’ve experienced many of the benefits in my short time if training. Aside from a few black eyes and bruises, Mixed Martial Arts has drastically changed the way I view and live life. As one of the stereotypical teenagers who start the sport, I was a very temperamental and angry youth. Past experiences in my life were the root of my violent outbursts and bad habits and I figured that since I had never lost a fight before I could do it naturally. After I began training, I received a reality check that it was more than just any tough guy off of the street making it big and was far more intense than any football game or weight-lifting I had previously done. I immediately fell in love with the sport and not only did my body begin to change, but my attitude and mind had a complete turnaround. Instead of pursuing pointless fights to prove my masculinity, I began to avoid confrontations as best as I could and anything I wanted to prove would be done in the ring. Through training I learned what I could do to the average jock or tough guy and no longer felt the need to prove myself. The sport of Mixed Martial Arts has given me confidence and peace of mind, something I was truly desperate for, and could do the same for anyone with the heart to follow it.
No matter what opponents to the sport have to say, Mixed Martial Arts is growing day by day, and is taking the country by storm. Whether it’s the American public, your friends, or parents view that Mixed Martial Arts is a destructive hobby, it is undeniable that it truly can benefit one’s life in huge ways.
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TEXAS PUNISHMENT CREW
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