The "F" in UFC Does Stand for Fighting, Right?

After every big MMA event, a flood of negative headlines cover MMA websites like wallpaper. Sadly, the negativity is usually from the fans, rather than the outside observer that this sport so tirelessly caters to.

So often, being a fan of MMA seems to come with a license to deem what is and isn't "bad for the sport." So often, the casual observer holds more importance than the actual passionate enthusiasts of this game.

Why do we feel so pressed to impress? We have what we want, don't we? We get to see a steady flow of interesting and competitive matchups month-in and month-out.

The best fight the best on a regular basis.

Why should we care what the rest of the world thinks of our sport? Are we that insecure as a fan base? Why should this sport be taken from us and reduced to something it is not, just in an effort to appeal to the lowest common denominator?

The only thing I see that is truly "bad for the sport" is pretending it is something that it is not.

MMA is not always the explosive, heart-stopping, adrenaline rush as advertised. Sometimes it is a long, methodical, and at times uneventful, matching of strategies and styles. Should we be ashamed of that?

As fans, do we really care how much this sport grows? Does it make any difference to us?

We are past the stage of the sport possibly being taken off of television or pay-per-view like it was around the turn of the century. Why should we care how much more money the Ferttita brothers make?

Last night, following the main event of Strikeforce's event being shown on CBS, middleweight contender Jason Miller entered the ring to try and stir up interest in a rematch with champion Jake Shields.

As he put his face in front of the camera during the champion's' post-fight interview, Shields pushed him away and triggered a full-on assault on Miller by members of Shields' training team, including Nick and Nate Diaz.

Today, the articles have run rampant with the usual accusations of the Diaz brothers being "bad for the sport." I still can not figure out anything Nick or Nate Diaz have ever done that has been detrimental to MMA.

They smoke pot, so what? They are disrespectful, so what? They have a street mentality, why should that bother us as fans?

Was Tank Abbott bad for the sport in the early days of the UFC? No! He brought a different personality into the game.

Was Tito Ortiz bad for the sport when he was a burgeoning contender using his mouth to attract fans to his fights? No! He was one of the sport's biggest names and helped bring the UFC out of its underground years off of pay-per-view.

Why should we try so hard to tone down the different personalities in this sport? Nick Diaz is a fighter. Plain and simple, that's what he does. If somebody was disturbed by the scuffle at the end of the event, then they probably shouldn't have watched the two hours of fighting that preceded it.

The UFC does stand for Ultimate Fighting Championship, doesn't it? The FC in PRIDE FC did stand for Fighting Championships, didn't it? We are fans of fighting, aren't we? Where did MMA fans get it in their heads that we are supposed to act like this is golf or tennis?

There are a million different and unique personalities in this sport, and they are all welcome. This is our sport and we don't need to help sell it to anyone.

It is here to stay, no matter what anyone says.