Australian Journalist Praises UFC’s Debut Down Under... Just Kidding!

Whenever the UFC ventures into a new territory in their quest for earth-wide domination, a lot of attention is payed to that area’s media coverage of the event. And rightfully so. We like to hear what people think about our sick and twisted sport, right?

↵While the UFC’s initial foray in Australia produced a great night of action for fight fans, of course there were going to be some locals who had never seen the brutality that is the Ultimate Fighting Championship before and were just waiting to tell us how crazy we all are for watching it. I give you Peter Fitzsimons of The Sydney Morning Herald:

↵↵A cross between Fight Club, rock’n’roll, a vicious bar-room brawl and the fall of Saigon, the idea is that this is “multi-discipline fighting” - across three five-minute rounds - incorporating everything from boxing to wrestling, kick-boxing to karate, judo to jujitsu to just about anything else you can think of, including choke holds.

↵....

↵But now the blood pouring out of Bonnar’s head is so copious the ring floor is slippery and even the referee thinks it’s time to call the doctor. This worthy man checks Bonnar and ruefully shakes his head. The fight must be stopped.

↵And so the afternoon goes on, with nine vicious bouts and much blood spilt. About 30 police watch as the fighters continue to bash each other to a pulp. If it were to happen 100 metres away, on the street, those same police would have to arrest them for grievous bodily harm - though they’d take the precaution of calling for back-up first.

↵This is as far from professional wrestling’s tightly choreographed theatrical fighting. These are deadly serious contests fought by highly skilled men. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea - and it will be the last bout I’ll attend - but it looks like we might have moved into an age when tens of thousands of people no longer want cups of tea. They want buckets of blood.

↵↵So there you have it, another satisfied customer! And you know what the worst part about this whole story is? Dude is a former professional rugby player. You would’ve thought that MMA would be right up his alley.

↵HT: Bloody Elbow