MMA: Hype That Surrounds the Sport and Its Fighters

Throughout all of sports, there have been moments that have been etched into sport’s history and will resonate through generations in glory. Some of these moments are spontaneous, occurring without warning, but leaving behind a legacy no one expected. But some of the moments are developed.

What builds and develops these moments is a simple, yet ambiguous prerequisite. Hype.

Hype is defined as extravagant or intensive publicity or promotion. But where does it come from? What generates it? And how long does it last?

In MMA, hype is in no short supply. Bout after bout, the events leading up to a fight help sell the matchups. People love a good storyline, and in sports it makes for an exciting additive to the action that is already going on. Video media such as The Ultimate Fighter, UFC Primetime, Countdowns and commercials all play roles in the hype. 

People love seeing the physical feats performed by such individuals like Anderson Silva or Jon Jones, but to understand and empathize with the psychological aspects behind it, it creates a much more interesting fight.

Many fans enjoy seeing a rivalry play out in MMA. Whether it is Rashad Evans and Rampage Jackson, Evans and Jon Jones, or Matt Hughes and Matt Serra, fans know that feeling of rivalry and know what kind of drive they get from those emotions.

These faceoffs with each other are all factors of hype. But much of this can be natural or completely made up. Chael Sonnen is an example of exaggerating in order to sell the fights. Regardless of fact or fiction, this is one half of hype.

The one that eludes many fans' consciousness is the hype created by the fan perspective. Have we become fans that see one great action from a fighter and then base their whole being around it?

For example, when facing Ben Henderson in the WEC, Anthony Pettis landed a matrix-like jump kick off the cage and landed the strike flush to Henderson’s face. It was an amazing ending to a five-round matchup for the title.

Not to discount Pettis’s record of now 13 wins, one loss, but many fans did not even know who he was before his legendary kick. In fact, before the merger, there were many fans that did not even watch or know of the WEC or its fighters.

But with one unorthodox strike, Anthony Pettis has propelled himself to the top ranks of the lightweight division of MMA. His record speaks for his rankings, but did that kick do more for him than his almost perfect record?

Another example is Lyoto Machida. After suffering two losses, one by knockout and the other decision, the “Machida Era” seemed to be a shorter-lived period of time than M.C. Hammer’s career. Many had removed him from his previous rankings of top five pound for pound and top light heavyweight after those bouts. However, at UFC 129, that all seemed to change again.

Just as quickly as he had faded, he came back with a vengeance. After delivering a brutal front kick and knocking out Randy Couture, his strike was the new talk of the MMA world. Many started putting Lyoto back on their lists, and fans rejoiced the former champ.

This is where there can be a problem. Some fans can be easily convinced by one action and then set that as the standard of their being.

As a hypothetical example, if Georges St. Pierre, who is criticized for not finishing his opponents, landed a strike similar to Pettis or Machida, the MMA world would erupt. The GSP fans would give “I told you so” stabs at the critics, and critics would have their arguments as well.

As far as setting standards goes, The UFC middleweight champion is a fantastic example. For a person like Anderson Silva, who is expected to finish, he gains scrutiny if he performs the same way GSP has recently.

When GSP finishes with a decision, he is argued as one of the best because he was dominant, but Silva’s fight against Demian Maia, one of his most criticized performances, was not similar at all? Many argued he could have finished, but many say the same for GSP.

To sum it up, fans have many standards for fighters, and can make the mistake of letting one action dictate the pace of a fighter’s career. Fighters should not be defined by one sole action or one fight. As true fans of the sport, we are obligated to give fighters their dues and take in all facets before making a concrete judgment.

Should a kick like Pettis’ or Machida’s amaze us? Absolutely. But fans should be careful of how much importance they assign to it. Every fan has their own entitlement to what they wish to hype, but by being a fan one fight at a time, we limit our perspective.

Regardless of opinion and without need of any hype, MMA fans are still the best fans in the world!