Wrestling Fans vs. MMA Fans

Recently there has been a lot of back and forth between Wrestling fans and MMA fans as they debate which "sport" is better. But I raise the question, who has the better fans?

Each have their positives and negatives, but only one can be crowned the best. Let's take a look.

The Scoop on Wrestling

Wrestling has had a very unique start, as it's derived from tough men (hookers) who used to wrestle bears in carnivals or circuses.

Every show the promoter would challenge the crowd to see if anyone was brave enough to last in the "ring" with the strong man that just wrestled a bear.

If there were any takers, and he was lucky enough to survive, the promoter would ask him to join the traveling circus.

The tough men would go on to wrestle each other and from their wrestling was born. In the '20s it was seen as a legit sport, in the '80s it became the sport we know today.

 

The Scoop on MMA

MMA has been around for a long, long time. It was first introduced as an Olympic sport back in the 700s and it was well known to be a big test of skill among the Greeks and the Romans.

It has evolved significantly since then, as MMA now answers the question what type of fighter is better, as it merges boxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling and more.

MMA really hit the scene with a series of PPVs by the UFC. Under new management, the UFC was able to transform the sport from a violent human cockfight to a test of two competitors.

Why Wrestling Fans are Better

Wrestling Fan Know Their Stuff

There is no sport, or entertainment product, that can say they have more educated fan base than wrestling. Wrestling fans go out of their way to know each and everything there is about the sport.

While baseball, basketball, and football fans could tell you what year their team one or lost championship, often times wrestling fans can tell you the year, event and circumstances a majority of champions won and lost belt. Not just one team.

Plus, they can tell you about wrestlers who haven't made it big yet. Most MMA fans aren't familiar with a fighter until they've had a big fight once they've arrived at the UFC.

 

Wrestling Fans Buy Gear

Wrestling fans are so proud to be fans, they wear their allegiance on their back... literally. Walk into a wrestling fan's home and you're likely to find shirts, DVDs, towels, action figures, magazines, video games and more scattered about. Their fans and they live it every second.

 

Wrestling Fans Travel

Wrestling fans will come from all over the country, and the world, to watch a PPV and in some cases a Raw or Smackdown. There have been a number of Wrestlemanias that have attracted 70,000 plus fans from all over the world. UFC is lucky to boast 20,000 for their most popular fights.

 

Why MMA is Better

MMA's Fan Base Grows Daily

Really only existing since the early 90s, MMA truly burst on the scene after the UFC changed hands in 2001. And with new owners came rules more well-rounded fighters and more viewers.

While wrestling has been static for years, MMA blew up with the first Ultimate Finale, a blood-soaked battle between Stephen Bonner and Forest Griffin, and everyone began tuning in with record numbers.

 

MMA Fans Are Cool

Although MMA is here to stay, MMA is now the world's biggest fad. What I mean is, it's cool to be a MMA fan right now. Why? Because the stars say so.

At any given event, the UFC will have movie stars, football players, basketball players and business mobiles. Wrestling has the same, but usually it will only be athletes from the local team and rarely is it from multiple branches of the entertainment field in one night.

 

MMA Fans Support a Good Fight

Where most sports have fans that are devoted to specific teams or players, MMA fans are in it for a good fight. Don't get me wrong, they do have their favorites, but they are less likely to be upset as long at the fight had a spectacular ending.

Yeah, many of Chuck Liddell's fans were upset, surprised and disappointed when he went down at the hands of Rashad Evans. But they can't be disappointed with an awesome fight.

In the end the battle between wrestling fans and MMA fans is close. I give the edge to wrestling fans for their longevity, passion and knowledge. But what do you think?