MMA Budo

MMA FanHouse’s Ray Hui weighs in on the fighter’s reaction to the controversial decision that has divided the MMA as well as the larger Martial Arts communities:  (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/mma/10/29/mma.roundtable/index.html)

Ray Hui: I wasn’t as surprised by the fan reaction as much as the fighter reaction. This captivated fighters across the board, compelling them to chime in immediately afterward to publicly voice their displeasure with the decision. I found it fascinating that people considered Machida’s peers were so strongly against the judging that they went out of their way to join the outcry. I’m guessing that they would have hated to be in Shogun’s shoes when the final scores were announced.

And as close as the fight was, I find it curious that most (from what I’ve heard) fighters, fans and media scored it in favor of Rua. Yet, all three judges scored it for Machida. I wonder how much of pro-Rua voters would have changed their minds had it not been for Mike Goldberg’s commentary.

Goldberg is catching flack for bringing up the “you have to beat the champ” adage. I know, MMA is a sport, and as a sport, a victory within the specified rules agreed upon between the competitors should be valid with no exceptions. But, you can refer to this fight or one hypothetically, would it sit well with you if a challenger was to be awarded the belt in a razor-thin decision for a fight you felt could have gone either way or one you scored as a draw?

Speculation on a rematch is already rampant in the MMA community with fighters and fans taking sides. Will Shogun be able to stop “The Dragon’s” invincible Karate Do in their next UFC matchup?

Here is what Jamie Pennick had to regarding Georges St. Pierre’s impact on the UFC ability to break out into the mainstream. (http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_3766.shtml)

Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre continues to be a breakout face to the mainstream for the sport of mixed martial arts. After securing an endorsement deal with monster sports endorser Gatorade earlier this year, GSP has now added a deal with athletic apparel company Under Armour.

Joining the likes of the NFL’s Ray Lewis and Brandon Jacobs, along with athletes in other major sports, as a face of the massive brand. St. Pierre will be the face of an upcoming underwear line for the company, and is expected to be heavily featured in their ads for the upcoming holiday season.

St. Pierre’s looks and athleticism have put him in this spot to bring a major league sponsor to someone involved with MMA, and this could be a step toward bringing in more high end sports sponsors such as Nike and Adidas.

Penick’s Analysis: GSP’s mainstream star continues to branch out and rise, even as he’s recovering from injury. His return in the late winter/early spring of 2010 will be a major deal, not only to hardcore fans, but to casual fans as well. If his push in this Under Armour campaign is a large one, that could bring in a high number of viewers for his next bout as well. This is a great thing for not only GSP, but the sport as a whole, as he will be seen as a completely legitimate athlete and will be a great ambassador to the mainstream for the sport.

Will the momentum keep up for Georges St. Pierre  in the UFC? Only time will tell.