Are you a MMA or UFC Fan?

I would assume that everyone reading this is likely a MMA fan based on the fact that you are on a MMA website; however, it shocks me when I come across people (and I find them surprisingly often) who have heard of the UFC but NOT MMA. Doesn’t that seem insane?!? It’s the equivalent of knowing the NBA but not knowing that the sport is baseball…er basketball.

Even with highlights being shown on Sports Center and ESPN on a more regular basis, people are unaware of what a great sport MMA is. I’ll have people ask what I do and when I say, "I’m a professional MMA fighter," I’ll often get a strange look. (Although the look could partially be due to the fact that I’m a female and I just said I’m a fighter.)

Often times, I can tell the look is of confusion, like in their head they’re thinking, "What the $&#^ is MMA?"

I try and explain it to them, "Well it is a mix of boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, grappling…where you fight standing or on the floor."

Maybe I get a head nod, but normally they are still trying to figure out what I’m describing. Finally, I’ll resort to, "Have you seen the UFC?"

"Yea I’ve heard of/ seen that."

My final response, "Well that’s MMA."