The Last Brawl

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Most days, I defend MMA against people who say its stupidity even overshadows its gratuitous violence - ignorant people who take one look at the sport and are disgusted by it. Admittedly, it's not for everyone, but there's more to it than just what they think.

But that's just the fighting; that's what I defend. I defend the discipline, the movement, the athleticism. I defend the non-stop dedication to be good at something that you love. But what I don't defend is hot-tempered fighters going at each other in a  I've-got-bigger-balls-than-you schoolyard brawl.

Jake Shields had just out-wrestled, mounted and ground-and-pounded Dan Henderson to earn a unanimous decision victory. During his post-fight interview, Jason Miller popped up - out of nowhere, it seemed - and asked, "Where's my rematch, buddy?"  Gilbert Melendez (also a winner that night) came forth to create some distance, it appeared, and Shields pushed Miller. Soon, Nick Diaz attacked Miller, followed by the rest of their camp.

What bothered me most is how asinine it all was. A rematch could have been talked about behind closed doors. And who let Miller in the cage anyway? Yes, he just wanted to ask for a title shot and offer congratulations, but things didn't go down that way. The whole thing could have been avoided.

And the icing on the cake? This was on CBS.

This wasn't a pay-per-view card where only MMA fans saw it. This was a card that was shown live on "America's Most Watched Network."  So many people are already pre-disposed to hating this sport and thinking it's some vile form of boxing, filled with idiotic, brutish men. We don't need fighters - no matter who they are - helping them prove their points.

Many of our fighters are educated, kind-hearted, genuine men. And this post-fight brawl showed the opposite. How are people ever going to warm up to MMA - or even the idea of it - if they see things like this on TV? Would it have been different if it was a pay-per-view card instead? Possibly. The rumors wouldn't have spread, and it's quite possible that nobody outside of the MMA world would have even cared.

Before the rule overhaul in 2001, people had a viable reason to hate the UFC. I know this brawl had nothing to do with the UFC, but I'm just using it as an example. The rules were... not really present, and it was all about hitting each other. Back then, most fighters didn't have any discipline in any martial art, and were just there to show off and make their name known.

But we're different now. We all respect Georges St. Pierre because of who he is, not just how he fights. People flock to Wanderlei Silva because of the grace he shows towards people. But the critics don't know this. The critics see what see. They also only see what they want to see. Fueling their vision doesn't help make our case. MMA isn't about a bunch of brutes trying to hurt the other person just for the sake of hurting them. It's about using skill, technique and heart to out-fight your opponent.

Now, throughout it all, UFC President Dana White smiled. He probably laughed to. He probably thought that Strikeforce - like he'd long thought - had turned into a mockery. He made fun of them when they signed Herschel Walker, and even though he has interest in some of their fighters, he said he'll wait for the organization to fold and then sign whoever he wants.

Even Shane Carwin thought that Shields' camp should be ashamed for starting this barnyard brawl. Carwin said it's not a Crips vs. Bloods gang fight. So let me echo those thought: bringing those actions to the event was uncalled for, and it sure as hell doesn't move our sport forward.

*Photo courtesy of Nate Diaz