Perhaps Australia's best-known MMA fighter (despite his 8-11-2 record) along with UFC lightweight George Sotiropoulos, Elvis "The King of Rock 'n Rumble Sinosic" has now stepped in to defend his sport.  Sinosic authored a letter to the editors of the Sydney Morning Herald after their article, which simultaneously announced the UFC's first Australian event in February and bashed MMA as a "blood sport" for violent miscreants, made headlines around the MMA blogosphere this week.

MMA Mania has the full letter:

                                                                                      Sinosic submits Jeremy Horn in his first and only UFC win at UFC 30

My name is Elvis Sinosic. I am Australia’s most well known Mixed Martial Artist (you would no doubt label me a cage fighter). I have been fighting in the sport of MMA since 1997. I read your recent article "Cage Rage coming here" and it read more like a fairy tale than a factual newspaper article. It starts with conjecture stating an opinion that is inaccurate and of someone so irrelevant that it is not sourced at all. First of all the sport is not and has not been referred to as human cockfighting for many years and then only by those who were uneducated to what MMA was. The sport does not promote any sort of "street fighting" as your article claims. If anything it says fighting is for the cage not for the streets.

He even refers to a move called "Pound and Ground". He hasn’t even bothered to check his facts. When you read things like this you realize that the writer has not taken any effort to check his facts and information. The move is called "Ground and Pound". It then mentions the absence of a blood rule. Where does he get his facts from? Friday night late night movies? The sport has doctors ringside. The sport allows the referee to stop the match to check for cuts and injuries. Making false claims only makes your paper look like a story book not a newspaper. It even mentions that you cannot throw in the towel. It does not bother to mention that nothing can be thrown into the octagon. It doesn’t then state that the corner can stop the fight by signaling the referee. They just cannot stop the fight by throwing in the towel, it must be done verbally. It then goes on to state that the sport of cage fighting started in 2007. Once again does the writer even bother to check his facts or was that just the first time he saw the sport advertised in his local TV guide? The sport of MMA has been in Australia since March 22nd 1997. The sport has been going on, and safely at that, for over 12years. The false and inaccurate claims and facts just reeks of unprofessionalism.

Then the writer degenerates even further attempting to compare it to fighting animals. Where does he come off? Fighting animals is illegal and unethical. I’m a fighter and was also at one time a volunteer for Sydney wildlife and I find the comparison disgusting. The animals are mistreated and have no choice in the matter. Fighters on the other do have a choice. They choose to fight. They are treated very well by the promoters who look after them and lets not forget that they are also paid for their efforts. Not only that but the sponsors look after their fighters well. When have you ever seen a sponsor at an animal fighting event? Then you have the fans who do look up the fighters. And if you think they are all thugs you are greatly mistaken. Watch the end of a match. You will see two great competitors who, regardless of the result, will congratulate each other in a mutual show of respect, something that is not seen in many less "barbaric" sports. The writers comparison’s are appalling.

I challenge your paper to write a factual article on the sport of MMA. I’ve seen other papers take the time and effort to do their research and write a fair and factual account of the sport. I offer up my services as well. I am a professional MMA fighter. I have been competing in the sport since it first started here in Australia in 1997. I was the first Australian to fight and win in the UFC. I was also the first Australian to get a World Title shot in the UFC. I have competed in MMA across the glove in countries such as the US, Canada, Japan, England and Sweden. Not only have I been involved in the sport as a fighter I have also been involved as corner man helping fighters during the matches. I have also been a commentator in different events such as the UFC, Warriors Realm and The CFC. I also run a martial arts school and teach students who are may become fighters in the future. I have a great understanding and passion for the sport. I hope that your paper decides to do the right thing and write a follow up article that is correctly researched and fair and balanced.

I look forward to hearing back from you.
Regards,
Elvis Sinosic
The King of Rock n Rumble
www.ElvisSinosic.com
www.myspace.com/ElvisSinosic
www.Facebook.com/Elvis.Sinosic
www.spma.net.au