Feature: Single Blog Takedown

"I like a man who grins when he fights." --Winston Churchill, 1941.

My father raised me on the classics of boxing: Ali-Frazier, Hearns-Hagler. Sadly, the representative fight of my generation ended up being Tyson-Holyfield II. I despaired that the sweet science had been reduced to a dude's ear getting spit into the third row.

Then I saw Bonnar-Griffin.

Like so many others, I had been led to believe the UFC was for psychotics, a no-holds-barred carnival of bloodlust. Sure, Forrest gushed plenty that night, but all I saw was two guys, fighting for recognition while being beaten beyond it. When's the last time I saw that in a ring? I still love boxing, but I had a feeling that I'd be watching plenty of fights inside those eight caged walls going forward.

In today's MMA, you need brains and skills to go with an iron jaw and a vocabulary that doesn't include "surrender". (A personality doesn't hurt, either.) Maybe you don't know a triangle choke from a square dance... or maybe half your closet is filled with Tapout and Affliction. Either way, there's something to enjoy about MMA for everyone. Hopefully I can convince you of that.

And failing that, we can all just make fun of Brock's tattoos.

Columnists

Matt DeTura

Articles in this feature

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• Across the Great Divide

  Another big weekend for both boxing and MMA. But will MMA ever gain critical mass among sweet science fans?

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Nov 13, 2009

• Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers Preview

  It's MMA night in America again, and this time, the talent's coming out to play on CBS.

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Nov 05, 2009

• Card By Card: November 2009

  Randy and Tito are the big names, but a certain Russian's national TV debut trumps them all.

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Nov 04, 2009

• A Higher Power In MMA

  The problems of UFC 104 raise the question: does MMA in the United States needs a governing body?

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Oct 30, 2009

• UFC 104 Preview: Rua's On First

  If you can forgive that terrible pun, you can forgive that this card only has two notable fights.

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Oct 19, 2009

• FightNoob Vol. 6 - A Guarded Success

  Our educational series for MMA beginners looks at the most common MMA grappling position: the guard.

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Oct 15, 2009

• How To Make Friends, And Fight Them

  Is the sport of MMA compromised when friends and teammates refuse to fight each other?

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Oct 12, 2009

• The Ultimate Fighter, Fighters, and Artists

  What did Slice-Nelson tell us about bridging the gap from fighting to mixed martial arts?

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Oct 01, 2009

• Card By Card: October 2009

  Will it be tricks or treats for fight fans at the start of autumn?

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Sep 28, 2009

• FightNoob Vol. 5 - Get Up Stand Up

  Our educational series for MMA beginners looks at the basic principles of stand-up striking.

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Sep 25, 2009

• The Week in UFC: Oops!

  I spent the weekend lying down, staring up at a bright light. So did plenty of promising careers.

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Sep 22, 2009

• The Third Act of Kimbo Slice

  Are we in Kimbo Slice's world, or is he just stuck in everybody else's?

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Sep 14, 2009

• FightNoob Vol. 4 - Know Your Promotions

  Our educational series for MMA beginners looks at the biggest heavyweights in the sport: the promotions.

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Sep 08, 2009

• Card By Card: September 2009

  It's a slow month for big MMA fights but a great one for prospects.

  News by Matt DeTura — on Sep 01, 2009

• UFC 102 Thoughts: One For The Ages

  Nogueira beats Couture in a classic battle to cap a stellar card in Portland.

  News by Matt DeTura — on Aug 29, 2009

• UFC 102 Preview: Couture and Nogueira, Finally

  A combined 22 years of pro MMA experience meet this weekend. That's the good and the bad of it.

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Aug 28, 2009

• FightNoob Vol. 3: Understanding MMA Rules

  Our educational series for MMA beginners focuses this week on the rules of battle.

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Aug 26, 2009

• Diaz and Hieron: The Vicious Cycle

  Strikeforce doesn't have a welterweight champion, but it does have stories of bad luck and wasted potential at 170 pounds.

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Aug 20, 2009

• FightNoob Vol. 2 - MMA MMisconceptions

  Our educational series for MMA beginners clears up some of the myths and mistakes about the sport.

  Opinion by Matt DeTura — on Aug 19, 2009

• Strikeforce - Carano vs. Cyborg: Quick Thoughts

  Cris Cyborg's coronation can't create a classic for Strikeforce.

  News by Matt DeTura — on Aug 15, 2009