I think you misunderstood him, as well. He was drawing a discrepancy between Brock’s pro wrestling days and his MMA days. The drama + actual fighting (as opposed to staged). That’s what I drew from it, at least..

And rules infractions = unsportsmanlike. Right?

We’re all in agreement here, I think – at least those of us like you and I who don’t send curse-laden emails like the ones you posted earlier – this is a sport, not some sideshow. Play acting and shit-talking is for children.

Anyone who prefers Brock’s antics to GSP’s show of respect is, in my mind, less interested in sport and more interested in spectacle. What’s next, begging for more blood? Hoping for injuries? Are we all going to be like the “send him home in a body bag” guy? Personally, I get why there are rules in football against excessive celebration: there’s a lot on the line for some of these guys.

I mean, let’s leave Brock and Heath out of it for a minute. When a Jason MacDonald or a Manny Gamburyan loses a fight, that has a serious impact on how they eat for the next 6 months. This determines whether their kids get the Nikes or the off-brand shoes from Wal-Mart. This MEANS something to people above and beyond the sheer joy of winning. This is real life. And pointing and laughing at somebody – somebody who you just got done beating, so what’s the point, really – when they’re a) in pain, b) dealing with their loss, and c) realizing that they’ll be waiting until the next fight to buy that house they’ve had their eye on is childish and pathetic.

And the worst thing is that he doesn’t have the excuse that guys like Nate Diaz have for their shitty behavior: The dude is 31, not some young punk kid. This guy went to college. He’s married with a kid. He should be teaching somebody NOT to act like this.

If I didn’t have enough reasons to dislike Brock Lesnar before this fight (years of steroid abuse turning his body into something inhuman that stretches the definition of “fighter” to the point where it would almost include a bear, idiotic homophobia and redneck opinions, a complete failure to develop an offensive game more advanced than “take down and love-tap” and referring to himself in the third person all spring to mind), this would be MORE than enough.

I’m grumpy because people I respect are being caught up by the joy of being titillated by their baser impulses and accepting childish antics as appropriate behavior. I’m grumpy because the kind of behavior that this site has always called out is now being held up a “maybe good for the sport!” I’m grumpy because people who know better are speaking before they think.

Also: not enough fiber in my diet. :-)