So Bob Arum has come out lately, slamming the UFC and all mixed martial arts, stating that MMA will not last as a sport and is only popular amongst ?skinhead white guys?. The ?Bobfather? also stated that mixed martial arts fighters look like “guys rolling around like homosexuals on the ground”. Excuse me? A little politically incorrect, are we?
The infamous Las Vegas-based promoter has been called a bigot for those comments by fans who follow both MMA and Boxing. He does an excellent job of promoting fighters such as Miguel Cotto, Erik Morales and Manny Pacquiao. Coincidently, Arum mainly deals with ethnic fighters. Is this possibly because these fighters get undying support and respect from their fellow countrymen? The veteran promoter Arum surely knows how to fill the seats with the ethnic following of his boxers. Sounds like easy money.
Arum has recently stated that Hispanics and African-Americans have no interest in mixed martial arts; someone needs to open his eyes. Current UFC champions include Cain Velazquez (Hispanic), Mauricio Rua (Brazilian), Anderson Silva (Brazilian), former champs Rashad Evans (African-American), Quinton Jackson (African-American). Let?s ask a question here, do you think that these guys don?t have a strong following from their communities? Do you not believe that Anderson Silva is considered a national hero in Brazil? Did you not see Velazquez? reaction to becoming the UFC heavyweight champion and how the Hispanic community celebrated that moment with great pride? Has Arum ever been to a UFC event and seen the thousands of people of ALL nationalities in the audience?
This writer has been a fan of boxing and mixed martial arts long enough to call a spade a spade, and Bob Arum, 79, is a little behind the times. There is that old saying, “you can?t teach an old dog new tricks? and it may apply here.
The boxing crowd at shows is slowing dwindling (with the exception of ?Mega fights?) worldwide. MMA events are growing by leaps and bounds and Arum is slowly watching the UFCs popularity chip away at the boxing fan base. Hopefully this is not the case as boxing is a huge contributor to the MMA game and any drop in interest can only do harm as this writer is a fan of both sports.
Top Rank Boxing rarely leaves their boxing territory with most of their shows in their own neighbourhood (with trips to NY, TX). UFC is international, with cards in the US, Canada, England, sounds pretty white eh? Wait, they have also held a card in Abu Dhabi (attendance: 11,008), and multiple cards in Japan. They even went into Puerto Rico in 1996 (attendance: 13,000). Not only the UFC, but before it was taken over, Pride FC ruled Japan with attendances over 70,000, 95% of which were Japanese (I know, it?s hard to imagine).
The UFC has sold out 21,000+ tickets in Montreal, Canada (a far ways from their home base) in minutes with two Brazilian fighters in the main event not a ?skinhead white guy?. Also on the card was a black Frenchman (Kongo) and another Brazilian. Doesn?t look like fans of MMA care WHO is fighting, they just love the sport. One of the top prospects in the UFC is none other than Mark “The Filipino Wrecking Machine? Munoz, who will be in the co-main event on national television.
Manny Pacquiao is a national hero to millions of Filipinos, Arum latched on to a can?t-miss product with ?Pacman?. But Bob, you must have missed it when UFC champion, Georges St. Pierre, made an appearance in the Philippines, where GSP was mobbed by crowds at the airport upon arrival and was even had the opportunity to work out in the same ring, under the guidance of Freddie Roach, with the boxing king. The Filipinos LOVE mixed martial arts, hell, we?ve got four Filipino members on The Digital Fight Journal crew, who each LOVE mixed martial arts.
Dana White and this writer do have the shaved head in common, they also have the same skin tone, but also have something else in common, the same thing that millions of people from all nationalities and ethnic backgrounds have, a passionate love for the fastest growing sport in the world, mixed martial arts. We can all agree that boxing IS and will always be a big part of MMA. Too bad old timers like Bob Arum can?t accept that their true art will not be the only legitimate combat sport watched, participated in and loved by all people.
above photo from top rank promotions
