UFC Fighters: the estrogen dilemma

"so is this your first event?"
"no, it's my third."
"third?! WOW. so do you actually like this stuff or do you just go with your boyfriend?"
"actually, i'm the one that got my husband into it. i've been watching UFC for over 10 years."
"really?! that's so rare!"

this was the actual conversation i had with the young buck next to me at UFC 129. everything i said was true. i grew up in a fighting family: my grandfather was a wrestler, my father did judo and boxing,and my brother is a TKD champ with experience in other arts as well. i started watching UFC around the time Zuffa took it over (2000 - 2001). tito ortiz was a brash, young up-and-comer and events took place every 4 - 6 months. acronyms like MMA, UFC and BJJ meant little to the 18 - 45 year old male population, let alone to the rest of the world.

i introduced the sport to friends, ex-boyfriends, and my then-boyfriend turned husband. and like my young seatmate said, this is not a common occurrence. because i grew up educated in fighting, i enjoyed the sport for its analysis as well as its entertainment. certainly being immersed in fighting paved the way towards my degree in kinesiology and my interest in athletic injuries. i was surrounded by competitive martial arts all my life and will continue to be always. i love MMA.

i'm glad that the sport has become so mainstream and that fighters are beginning to get the recognition and respect they deserve. but with an increase in popularity comes an increase in posers and wannabes. fight gear has become a status symbol - a sign of coolness and machismo. i was wary of donning certain brands because i knew i wasn't a fighter. my participation in recreational, non-competitive kickboxing did not count in my eyes. but i had no problem wearing the other more popular brands such as TapouT and Bad Boy because i knew i was a genuine fan, and one from the old generation at that.

there are few girls at live UFC events. the SkyDome held 55 000 people at UFC 129, and still i never had to wait in line at the ladies' room. i'm glad females are starting to get into it, not just as fans but as competitors as well. but i have one pet peeve that must be laid bare...

i am a girl and yes, i appreciate the athletic bodies and chiseled features of some of these fighters. but i'm first and foremost a fan of the skill, the attitude, and the personality - in that order. i was a fan of GSP since his inception into the UFC. he is the best all-around athlete in the sport right now. he evolves his game more efficiently than anyone else and is well-rounded to the point of being a cyborg. that is why i like him. even if he looked like Shrek or Marcus Davis, he would continue to be at the top of my favourites list because his physical appearance does not factor in for me. the fact that he's canadian holds more clout than his blue eyes and washboard abs.

it's totally okay that other gals are ga-ga over him. i understand and appreciate his ridiculous hotness too, don't get me wrong. but his looks are just an added bonus.

i am a fan of the fighter as i am a fan of the fight.

a beautiful smile and a six pack are just icing on the cake.