In these mixed martial arts contests -- the ones I watch are usually on the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) -- two men in shorts go at each other hammer and tongs, with fists of fury, with knees and feet and padded knuckles. They try to knock each other out or "submit" each other with various choke holds and arm twisting and leg torquing.
They kick and punch and elbow each other silly. It's a cross between school-yard tussle and bar-room brawl, and all in all, it's sort of disgusting. So why do I watch it?
It's hard to figure out. But here's what I think. One, there's almost nothing else on. CATV is a vast wasteland that is mostly slow and boring and pointless. Two, there is something basic and primeval about it, a perverse fascination in who can throw the harder punch, in who can take the most pain, in who can almost twist the other guy's arm or leg out of its socket.
Often, it isn't the biggest, strongest, most muscular guy who wins. Some of the skinny guys who look like wimps are the toughest. I would not say it's fun to watch, but it is oddly compelling.
Hell, I'm a guy, and I enjoy a good fight. I identify with the fighters and imagine myself in the octagon. After all, I trained in a bunch of fighting forms, from boxing, with a professional fighter -- Craig Rosenberg -- to shotokan karate, tong soo do, judo and finally Krav Maga, which I thought was the best, although boxing is good, too.
Maybe watching other men fight is a way of getting out my aggressions, of blowing off some steam. Or maybe it's just the ultimate way of farting around.
But who cares? Think I'll quit worrying about it and just enjoy it. Wonder who is fighting tonight.
-- Roger
© Copyright 2011, Roger R. Angle
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/UFC_Best_of_2009/70132363?trkid=2361637#height1431
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