Is Women's MMA Here To Stay?

By Kye Stephenson

As the night of August 15th came to a close, MMA fans across the world took to chat rooms, message boards, and cell phones, all with one thing on their mind: Gina Carano and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos. 

The two fighters were the first women to headline a major MMA event, and were fighting for the right to be crowned the Strikeforce women’s champion.  Ultimately, in front of an extra-boisterous crown in attendance, Cyborg defeated Carano to claim the title.  The fight was a back-and-forth battle and didn’t disappoint, inside the cage or out.

With the success of Strikeforce’s event, it would seem that women’s MMA is here to stay.  But was it successful based off the merits of two talented athletes, or just because it was two women (one of whom has appeared in Maxim magazine) trying to knock each other silly? 

The spectacle of two women going toe-to-toe has always brought about discussion and attention.  Whether it is two teenage girls scrapping in a school yard or professionals in a sanctioned bout, men find it hard to look away.  And if the Carano vs. Cyborg fight is any indication, it seems that MMA is no different.  Still, it remains to be seen whether that recent success will translate to women being a permanent fixture on MMA cards.

The best gauge of that will be the next women’s bout that is heavily promoted and doesn’t feature the name Carano.  Thus far, women’s MMA has almost solely gained a buzz off Gina and her marketability.  She has been dubbed the “face” of women’s MMA due in equal parts to her talent and her sex appeal.  It could be argued that with Gina, fighting doesn’t have anything to do with it.  She could be baking a cake and people would watch.  But now that she has been defeated and the makeup has been rubbed away, the question is whether the fans will still care. 

This seems to be what UFC President Dana White has been pondering when considering adding a women’s division to the UFC.  Up to this point, Mr. White has showed only a passing interest in adding a women’s division.  He’s hinted at the possibility of promoting a fight in the WEC, but his general stance seems to be against it.  And ultimately, without Zuffa’s support, women can only go so far. 

For many, especially the smaller promoters, if a women’s bout brings entertainment (and most importantly, fans) they’ve done their job.  And maybe that’s what it all boils down to.  Whether it is seen simply as a sideshow curiosity or if it is viewed on the back of true talent, maybe women will get their place atop headlines with the men.  While that doesn’t sit well with purists, sometimes plain old notoriety can equal success (Kimbo Slice, anyone?).  How long that will last is anyone’s guess. 

In the case of other sports, it seems fans always gravitate to where the most physical talent is on display.  In the instance of basketball, the WNBA is nearly completely devoid of any true fanbase.  While talented, the women pale in comparison to the athleticism and explosiveness on display in the NBA.  Conversely, women’s tennis seems to do just fine, due in part to the lack of power compared to the men.  Longer rallies and more strategically-played points pique the fans’ interest more than the power game.  Looking at MMA, though game plans and strategies are important, power and speed still trump all, and the wealth of that is always going to be found on the men’s side. To some, that outlook just further perpetuates a misogynistic view that is quite prevalent in sports today.  But as MMA rolls into the mainstream, comparisons with other major sports should be a good measure as to what the future holds for women and MMA.

A lot of questions surrounding female MMA will be answered when Cris Cyborg enters the cage again, against a lesser-known (and less sexy) opponent.  When it’s about nothing more than two martial artists locked in a cage going to war, when the glitz and glamour are stripped away, when the celebrity is smothered to a minimum, then we will truly see the fans’ interest in women’s MMA.   As with most things in life, to have any lasting effect their must be substance or, in this case, genuine ability.  Curiosity will always fade away—respect will last.

 This article appears in the November issue of Fighters Only Magazine.

Kye Stephenson is the editor and chief writer of www.bumpyknuckle.com.