Female Fans an Increasing Part of the UFC Audience
by Nate Wilcox on Jun 7, 2011 8:56 AM EDT
in MMA Analysis
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It's no surprise to BE readers that many women are enthusiastic and well-informed MMA fans. Ever since the explosion of the UFC to popularity in 2005, women have made up an ever-increasing share of the MMA audience. Canada.com has a big feature on female UFC fans and even claims that 40% of the audience are ladies.
Here's an excerpt featuring a familiar name to BE readers:
Jackie Maden, a married mother of two, has spent years transfixed by the sport's twin helix of skills-mastery and machismo. So when the dedicated UFC fan encounters interlopers whose intentions are as transparent as their Lucite stilettos, let's just say the Welcome Wagon isn't rolled out.
"The ones who don't have brains tend to ruin everyone else's perception (of female fans)," says Maden, a hospital technician and writer for the website Gal's Guide to MMA. "But there are plenty of girls I know who are interested in all aspects of the sport and don't go to a fight just to get on camera, or to a see a guy with his shirt off getting all sweaty in the cage."
While I suspect that the 40% figure is a bit on the high side, there is no doubt that women are an increasingly important and vocal part of the MMA community.
It's also worth noting that the article preceded last week's Rampage Jackson, Karyn Bryant, Maggie Hendricks, Joe Rogan fiasco. You can catch up on that here.
The article also addresses the issue of women in the cage and whether or not the UFC will change its stance on ladies fighting:
Whether this sea-change in fandom will result in similar changes within the UFC organization is another question entirely. White has repeatedly and emphatically come out against a women's class, suggesting it wouldn't have enough depth and that people don't want to see "two women beatin' on each other."
This brings us to the nasty catch 22 that women's MMA is in -- without support from a major MMA organization there is little, if any, incentive for talented women to pursue MMA as a career; without talented athletes there is no reason for a major MMA organization to promote women's fights.
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Where are all these woman?
Every girl I know can’t stand MMA, the girl friend included
Oh man I feel for you.
Been with my girl 4 years and she’s pretty much hooked if an event is on, granted she’s a “T.U.F noob” from season 6. I’m not on facebook so she even streams the prelims for me. They do exist.
"You can not petition the Lord with prayer" - Jim Morrison
by LRaunThaDamaja on Jun 7, 2011 9:39 AM EDT up reply actions
not trying to brag
just stating an example with exposure to the sport sometimes it sticks.
"You can not petition the Lord with prayer" - Jim Morrison
by LRaunThaDamaja on Jun 7, 2011 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions
Last two girlfriends have been huge fans.
I have 5 close friends who are big fans, 3 are women, 2 are men.
I definitely feel the shift happening.
Number one thing that pisses them off, me too, is: ring girls. I’ll be very happy when they get rid of that.
by Django Z on Jun 7, 2011 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
My girlfriend enjoyes it
from time to time. Though I suspect she enjoys the social aspect of it more (eg: going out and drinking with our friends. The fights are just a backdrop for hanging out). I’ve had UFC parties at my home where I’ve had all my buddies plus their better halves come to watch. Usually they can appreciate the talent and athleticism that goes into the sport and they enjoy the events, since I’ve done about three or four of these and each time I get the same turnout. However, they never talk about the sport unless I bring it up in conversation, which makes me believe they aren’t watching unless I ask them to. They do have their favorites now. Forrest Griffin, GSP, Machida – all favorites. Rampage, Anderson Silva, pretty much anybody that is fighting GSP at the time – all despised.
I’ve had mixed results. One of my best friend’s girlfriend watched a UFC event at my house, and she enjoyed it. I think though that one of her exes competed in BJJ tournaments, so she was somewhat familiar with what was going on. Another girl that I know honestly thinks that MMA is boring, and just does not get it. She questions why guys can talk about MMA so emphatically.
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by ultmma on Jun 7, 2011 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
40% can't be accurate
That’s a pretty large portion, i really doubt the female fanbase is nearly half of all viewers.
"To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one's potential." - Bruce Lee
by Genki Sudo's Choreographer on Jun 7, 2011 9:19 AM EDT reply actions
They’re probably so spread out through the world that we don’t notice.
Also, if you move like Genki Sudo then you shouldn’t be here. You should communicating with aliens because there’s no possible way that he is from Earth.
They made a video game about Yakuzas. It’s called Yakuza. And it’s about Yakuza
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My girlfriend loves it
We watch every UFC event and she gets really excited for it. She knows alot of fighters now but the pre shows before the fight are good because even if she doesn’t know the fighters, watching it allows her to see the them and know them… Come fight day she has her favorite and is rooting. I love it
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Come fight day she has her favorite and is rooting. I love it
I’m Australian and interpreted that very differently at first glance
by Earltron on Jun 7, 2011 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I've met a few aussies in my life, and they all want to talk about rooting birds.
And I just want to talk about sexing up hotties…i don’t get it.
by Body Triangle on Jun 7, 2011 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Just because women enjoy watching MMA, does that mean they want to be future fighters? I know tons of women who are die hard football fans, but that doesnt mean they want to knock the crap out of each other.
get what?
You wrote this.
“This brings us to the nasty catch 22 that women’s MMA is in — without support from a major MMA organization there is little, if any, incentive for talented women to pursue MMA as a career; without talented athletes there is no reason for a major MMA organization to promote women’s fights.”
is that not suggesting women who follow MMA also want to pursue it as a career?
this sentence is called a segue and announces we're changing subjects
The article also addresses the issue of women in the cage and whether or not the UFC will change its stance on ladies fighting:
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by Nate Wilcox on Jun 7, 2011 10:23 AM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
I've been hardcore following MMA for about three years now
Pretty much ever since I got introduced to bloodyelbow rather than some of the other crappy sites I was following. I watch Strikeforce, Bellator and all the undercards.
But I find it really interesting that this post has come up in the wake up “C*ntgate.” I’ve pretty much stayed away from posting on the couple of articles that have come up. Mainly because some of the comments I’ve found to be offensive.
As a female enjoying what is thoroughly perceived as a man’s sport, I realize that there is an extreme in the locker room nature.
That said, I though Rogan’s comment was highly offensive, particularly to the female MMA community. I don’t care that he apparently uses that word as a gender neutral insult. Even in today’s swear frequently, I don’t give a fuck spoken language, c*nt is not a word that is casually tossed around. It has roots of being one of the most absolute insulting female terms.
I’m not calling for Rogan’s head, but I do believe a man who is one of the faces of the UFC (or that Fear Factor guy) is essentially representing the UFC. I appreciate that he and Dana may have the same views on women. But if you’d like to encourage women to buy into a sport that in theory goes against gender norms, having men spout off demeaning language to women who are writing articles in a man’s world, very off putting.
Sorry if that’s Too Long Did Not Read.
by Bar Belle on Jun 7, 2011 9:30 AM EDT reply actions 10 recs
Even in today’s swear frequently, I don’t give a fuck spoken language, c*nt is not a word that is casually tossed around. It has roots of being one of the most absolute insulting female terms.
Thanks for your input. I’d been trying to say this in the past, but got my head bitten off for it. Good to hear a female come out and say it.
by pud333 on Jun 7, 2011 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
That’s why I stayed out of those posts. I figured this was a bit of a safer place to put out that thought.
I’ve seen the same thing happen with the n-word often, sadly. People use it, and then try to rationalize it by saying it means something different to them. They’re not Merriam Webster, they shouldn’t be redefining words. It also doesn’t matter if you think it’s an ok word to use, if you’re not in the demographic that it’s attacking.
GSP - A machine designed specifically to stop Jon Fitch from ever becoming champion.
P.S. Rogan is full of it
C*nt doesn’t become a genderless word, just because he wants to get out of trouble.
I like Rogan a lot, he’s one of my favorite sports announcers, period. But this was a dumb and offensive thing to say and I like him a lot less today.
by Django Z on Jun 7, 2011 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
The redefinition of words thing is interesting
because there are words that end up in the dictionary due to popular use, and there are words that meant something else, or meant something negative, that become something else over time, which then can get redefined in the dictionary. For example, the word “bitch.” I’m only 33, yet I recall a time when that word was a no-no. To call someone a bitch, was a very negative, gender specific insult. It still is, but you see the word get thrown around in every day life now. eg: my female friends sometimes referring to each other as “bitches” but not in any specifically negative way, sometimes even in a positive, affectionate sort of way. Same with the word slut. But people forget that these words have gender specific roots, and there are young girls in school today, getting bullied and getting called these words in a hateful way. It ruins self esteem and it keeps this negative misogynistic culture alive. I’m not saying I’m any better: I’ve called someone a bitch in private, in some extreme circumstances, but I’m trying, and we all have to watch what we say.
It also doesn’t matter if you think it’s an ok word to use, if you’re not in the demographic that it’s attacking
Exactly.
That's true, words do change meaning over time
But I don’t use the words bitch, slut or c*nt because they have not lost their original meaning yet and probably won’t in my lifetime.
I’ll happily use swear words, because I don’t care that they are generally considered vulgar, but I have no interest in being a part of slandering women or any of that crap. But hey, we each pick our battles, this one is mine.
by Django Z on Jun 7, 2011 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Did I miss where Rogan used the word c*nt? I thought he used c*nty, as an adjective, instead? Not sure that it makes that much of a difference, really, but to me, it’s less offensive when used to qualify something as oppose to describe someone. Just my opinion, though.
C*nt is still the root of the word, it’s the implication steaming from the definition. Bitchy still means the woman is acting like a bitch. IMO.
by Bar Belle on Jun 7, 2011 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
I understand that. But I do view “she’s a bitch” and “stop being bitchy” or “stop with your bitching” as two completely different things. Besides, “bitch” is an excellent example of what used to be a slur and is now perfectly acceptable in every day discussions. Anyone and anything can be a bitch or act bitchy nowadays, and it’s not meant as a slight to women. Again, just my opinion.
Semantics. Whether you or someone else believes he didn’t specifically say the word c*nt, is besides the point. I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to believe someone who is offended by c*nt, would also be offended by c*nty. That’s like saying f*ggy instead of f*g, you know?
by pud333 on Jun 7, 2011 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
When you say someone acts like such and such, it has a much lesser impact than that person is a such and such. Case in point, the fighter bashing policy here at BE. You can’t say “this fighter is an idiot”, but you can say “this fighter is acting like an idiot”. But I agree, c*nty shouldn’t been used at all, just pointing out the difference between that word and its root word, at least, what I view as being the difference between the two words.
Did I miss where Rogan used the word c*nt? I thought he used c*nty, as an adjective, instead? Not sure that it makes that much of a difference…
It doesn’t. Just to clarify.
by The Ghost of Spike Owen on Jun 7, 2011 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Thanks for posting
We need more posts like this from female fans. Otherwise, it’s too easy for all these guys to write it off as “Not a single fuck was given that day” and all this other stupid shit.
If there are actual women here who actually say they were actually offended it’s harder to just write this shit off as, “Who cares?” Thanks for putting a face on it.
by The Ghost of Spike Owen on Jun 7, 2011 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
It may be 40% in Canada
I doubt the numbers are that high in the US. With that said always good to hear the sport is growing. I wonder how many of the female MMA media members are there mostly(solely?) because they’re eye candy though. Hunt and the chick that runs MMA heat(along with some others) seem pretty legit, but others seem to just be really attractive chicks they got to ask questions and get page hits.
As a Canadian, I can agree with that.
Obviously I am speaking from circumstance and not any type of verifiable data, but I would say the majority of my female friends are at least ‘casually’ interested in the UFC.
Not surprisingly, for me at least, they tend to comment on the looks of male fighters as much as men comment on the looks of female fighters.
by Disco-Platypus on Jun 7, 2011 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions
This makes sense
Because 90% of guys on the internet have a girlfriend in Canada.
You don’t know her.
by CaptnAmerca on Jun 7, 2011 10:10 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Total win.
And then my favorite thing was when Breen was a kid and had a girlfriend in Colorado. It was like the reverse. You had to wonder, “Up there, do they all say they have girlfriends in the U.S. whom you’ve never met?”
by The Ghost of Spike Owen on Jun 7, 2011 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions
My woman
would be considered a ‘hardcore’ fan.
She’s thrilled to watch the facebook undercard. She could probably tell you who someone’s last three fights were and the outcomes and implications.. definitely a keeper.
I bookmarked Gal’s Guide on her phone but surprisingly the ‘panty-dropper’ type articles turned her away.. BE is her go-to MMA site now.
by cmons on Jun 7, 2011 9:35 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Rec
because I did the exact same thing on my girls laptop. Even help her create an id and join
"You can not petition the Lord with prayer" - Jim Morrison
by LRaunThaDamaja on Jun 7, 2011 9:43 AM EDT up reply actions
I was super excited for Gal’s Guide, but honestly, it’s content/quality compared to BE, is just no deal. Yeah it’s nice to have a place to talk about how hot some of the men you like watching kick ass are, but when that’s the main appeal of the site… well I could just google image them.
there's a lot more to Gal's Guide than that
and the coverage is constantly improving.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
I definitely realize it isn’t Panty Dropper of the Week and that’s all. They actually had 20 Questions with some MMA fighters that I found extremely interesting and that seemed a lot more honest than the usual media line.
But I thought it would be more of an MMA version of Kickette. I really meant that the coverage on BE is so awesome that I was hoping Gal’s would be on the same level, it’s not yet.
And I do like to pop over there every now and then to see what’s happening. But for now, I know BE is where I can come for updates during my work day
No kidding!
When I’m posting stuff on Gal’s Guide, I usually check to see if it’s already on BE and if it is, I skip it. I go to BE all the time for news but on Gal’s Guide, I definitely try to post things with a different perspective and also with the idea of keeping it at least somewhat approachable for females who are not yet hardcore MMA fans. I would never try to scoop or compete with BE – there’s just no point in that (and, I love BE).
Honey badger don't care.
That 20 questions with Chael was hilarious...
And brought on by him getting shafted in their Panty-Dropper segment if I remember right.
GSP - A machine designed specifically to stop Jon Fitch from ever becoming champion.
Couldn't agree more...
…I really want to like Gal’s Guide but the “panty dropper” bit is a sign of a larger problem.
I know several female MMA fans, but that panty dropper thing is a deal-breaker. Their content is better than that lame idea.
dana as the face of mma is sadly out of touch with reality if he honestly believes their isn’t enough depth to run a couple of womens div. strikeforce ran a 135 pd tournament and they never even had these top level fighters in it , liz armouche, roxy modeferie, tara larosa, amanda nunes, sarah kaufman , juli kedzie or marloes coenen thios right here is more than enough dpth for the 135 pd div. bellator ran a tournament for 115 pd fighters and they also left out alot of fighters . every weight div from 115 -145 has more than enough top level fighters to run a div. the women always seem to put on more exciting fights as they have to rely on technique oppossed to strength . i aqnd my wife are fans of both mma and wmma
by robbyedRobby Edwards on Jun 7, 2011 10:45 AM EDT reply actions
The 40% numbers are a little high but
I feel the UFC will is moving fast into mainstream territory, The TV deals that are talked about these days will this show which direction the sport is heading to.
when i go out to UFC bars i see a ton of girls at the bar there for the fights with their boyfriends and sometimes even just as groups of girls watching
On my FB account there are like 3 girls talking about MMA all the time and maybe one kid talking about UFC like once in a blue.
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