Deseret News | CBS gets it wrong in deciding to air MMA

Reader comments
Sports on TV: CBS gets it wrong in deciding to air MMA

Dave | 5:59 a.m. May 30, 2008

Generally I agree with Mr. Pierce... not this time. Is MMA brutal, sure. But, it is most definitely a sport... much more so than many "legitimate" sports like ping-pong (an olympic sport no less).

What? | 6:14 a.m. May 30, 2008

How much does this author actually know about mma? What is the basis for his comparisons?

Pramit | 7:41 a.m. May 30, 2008

Another ignorant column by another writer who knows nothing about the sport but knows that he'll get google juice this week by including the words "mixed martial arts" in his column.

Congrats. You've succeeded in your lowly endeavor.

Comments continue below

EERS1Fan | 8:15 a.m. May 30, 2008

Instead of being an armchair quarterback on the subject of MMA you should reasurch it like journalists do every other subject. There are world class athletes that compete in it. When they start training in MMA they are the best in the world at Wrestling, boxing, Judo. kickboxing, BJJ, or one of the many other forms of martial arts. Ten they cross train. And you say boxing looks tame compared to it? Have you compared deaths, brain injuries, speech impairments, or KOï¿½s? Who are the experts you consulted while writing this article? The one thing I will say is I wish the UFC was the ones leading the way.

Uh-oh | 8:22 a.m. May 30, 2008

MMA is WWE but for real. It is a great sport and if parents are worried they can watch any CSI show, oh wait, those are more bloody than the MMA. I watched an episode of one of these CSI shows with a decomposing corpse that had an eye fall out of the socket on an extreme close-up.

magnagun | 8:27 a.m. May 30, 2008

I wouldn't be surprised if this columnist still thinks the world is flat! He obviously knows little about the reality of the sport and has based his opinion on a false perception. MMA has evolved. It is time for this writer to do the same.

Done with Scott | 9:31 a.m. May 30, 2008

What a stupid article to write. Does he not realize how many people would rather watch this sport than Boxing. Wake up Scott, just because you don't like it doesn't mean it shouldn't be on TV and the ratings will prove you wrong.

liy | 10:13 a.m. May 30, 2008

Not only is Scott right on with his perspective, but it calls into question the judgment shown by the DN in publishing a photo of a MMA fight in a recent article.

yeah | 10:25 a.m. May 30, 2008

The deseretnews has quite a few writers who know nothing about things.

Anonymous | 10:25 a.m. May 30, 2008

Nice article, all we need is more violence on tv. The fact that people pay to watch barbarians fight and beat each others brains in, shows what kind of brainless mentality alot of these people have.

dixies | 10:40 a.m. May 30, 2008

Completely ignorant. These are some of the most highly skilled and trained athletes in the world. Of course it is violent, but so are many other shows on tv, even hockey and football are violent. And from a health standpoint, mma is actually much easier on the body than boxing, nothing worse than 12 rounds of blows to the head (Muhammad Ali). MMA fights are short, lessening the chances of brain injuries. This guy has no idea what he is talking about. also, 24, prison break arent bloody? They are some of the best shows ratings wise. Figure it out scott, CBS got this one right

Skeptic | 11:02 a.m. May 30, 2008

Pierce, I think you are completely wrong here and I love what you do for television journalism. Boxing is much, much worse than MMA where the goal is to get your opponent to submit, usually by way of holds and on-the-ground skills. It is brutal, but boxing is blow after blow after blow to the head for victory. MMA is, in my experience watching it, safer. Boxing seems fixed too, but that is a whole different discussion.

bosco | 11:02 a.m. May 30, 2008

since you are a television editor, you are well within your right to voice your opinion on television (i mean you write columns about american idol and lost) but you seem to be enforcing an uneducated understanding of what mixed martial arts is. if you havent actually watched a lot of mma, i think you ought to try to understand some more aspects of it before you paint an image that expects nothing more than brutality. also realize that what you might see on cbs (if you even bother to watch) is not indicative of all mma fights or organizations. elite xc is likely going to put a lot of wasted production effort to create a spectacle, rather than highlight the sport aspect of it. furthermore, how can you question its legitimacy as sport when it incorporates aspects and techniques of many combat sports (recognized olympic sports)? again, you are totally within your right to your perspective, but try to know more about something before denigrating it, or at least be a responsible journalist and put a disclaimer out there about your knowledge level (or lack thereof) on the matter.

Cindy | 11:19 a.m. May 30, 2008

Although all sports have thugs involved in them even golf (if you want to call it a sport) MMA has one of the cleanest records going. Why do you call people involved barbarians, just because you are told they are? Two of the oldest things in the world are war and journalist, yet every day when I turn the TV on I see both of them. Why arenï¿½t you writing about that? Football, Hockey, lacrosse and boxing are far more dangerous than MMA. Please come to www.fightticker.com and discuss the topic

Bud Dickman | 11:47 a.m. May 30, 2008

MMA is safer than boxing. Look at Ali and others who are never the same because they got the heads beat in for so long. I rarely watch MMA, but I still think it's much better than boxing. Having this on tv is much better than a lot of crap that is on tv already.

Sammy aka MMABrat | 4:14 p.m. May 30, 2008

I train in MMA as well as a few other disciplines wrestling and karate. Not to mention I am a cheerleader, Basketball player, and softball player. I can say without a doubt in my mind that MMA is safer than any sport than I have been involved in as far as long term injuries. As a ï¿½civilizedï¿½ society it would be my opinion that educated people would worry more about long term effects rather than something that will heal in a week.

Casey | 4:27 p.m. May 30, 2008

This is just a classic case of a journalist trying to get a rise out of people. There is no way he could have done his research and come away with the same conclusions.

Some MMA goes too far | 4:43 p.m. May 30, 2008

I won't paint the entire sport as ugly and violent. Yet, some MMA leagues do go way too far. Yet, there will never be a body to police the sport, due to the fear that it will turn into boxing. Boxing is setup so promoters get the money, and boxer get short-changed. Yet, for all you MMA fans, your sports is slowly drifting towards what boxing is today. (Look at where boxing was 40-50 years ago, and your sport is there now. Only it is racing towards the ugly present at a much faster pace.)

MMAcademics | 5:03 p.m. May 30, 2008

I think you can see that for the most part, you are not getting hate mail. Most people are disagreeing, but not disrespectfully. That in itself is surprising given your initial statements about potential responses. Not only did you stereotype MMA the sport, but you prejudged its fans. You've received mail here from highly accomplished journalists, doctors, and even children - a wide array of respondents. As others have said, please do some research on topics in the future before making unfounded judgements. I would think that would be a prerequisite for responsible journalism. Thank you.

Tiffany | 7:30 p.m. May 30, 2008

Those who practice Mixed Martial Arts are some of the most talented and diciplined people I have ever come across.
I would rather my children watch those athletes and the sport of M.M.A., than some of the other junk that is available to them on public television.
Think of the topics on some of the talk shows, I cannot even imagine letting my child watch those types of shows.
With all you can see on TV these days, I believe MMA is the least of the problem.
Out of all the programming on public TV, are people really worrying about M.M.A.?
In closing, you are entitled to your own opinion, as I am entitled to mine. I am also entitled to watch any program on T.V. that I choose, as are you.
Here is the solution.....If you don't like it, don't watch it.
Pretty simple, don't you think?

mike Giron | 6:39 p.m. May 31, 2008

Someone needs to do some research. One of the most misinformed columns I have ever read. I had to check the date to make sure it wasn't April fools day. Does this moron even watch MMA? If he did he would know that he is talking out his @@@. MMA is one of the fastest growing sports in the country. It will overtake boxing soon, if it hasn't already. Do some research before you write about something you obviously haven't a clue about.

Chris B | 3:11 p.m. June 1, 2008

Well in most eyes it's fine to wrestle, box, kickbox and submission wrestle. So why is it not acceptable to do them all? But the mixture does add something more, the ability to adapt and blend the styles together is an art in itself.

I'll admit that people are shocked when they first encounter it, but when they are educated about what they are seeing and what 'real' fighting is, then they tend to grow a respect for it. I've seen that time and time again.

I think you should give it a chance, and see how your mind changes as your knowledge grows. It's not as bad as what your initial reaction perceives it to be.

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