Interesting to think how fans/media would have reacted if Mir had snapped Nog's shoulder on network television. Would It have turned off new viewers or hooked new viewers?
We might ask the same thing about other gruesome injuries like that TUF guys leg snapping a few years ago.
I'm scratching my head, which tuf guy?
Now I'm scratching my balls.
Now I've lost interest.
not good.
hooked
Old Feller - Now I'm scratching my balls.
The fuck? Pics! 
Happens in football. No big deal IMO.
Of course. I was thinking only of fights that happened in the TUF house. My bad.
*resumes scratching
*sends MountainMedic junk pics......again
Just watched it again. shudder
Makes Nogueiras shoulder look like an everyday injury 
Administrator - your name will be changed in the immediate future. Also, do not post that pic again.
If you have a name you'd like, please post it now. Or we'll choose for you.
This is just one person, so he probably doesn't represent newcomers to the sport as a whole, but I watched this fight with a guy who had never seen MMA before(honestly didn't know they were allowed to fight on the ground) anyway he was disgusted by the snap, but blown away by the scrambles and heart of Nog, he thought it was awesome, although he admitted to being disgusted.
He is very excited for the next UFC event, obviously that snap wasn't the only thing that happened on the card, but it was probably the most exciting part of the night.
if it happens 2 years from now it will only grow the sport... if something like that happens earlier there mayl be irrepairable backlash.
Once the sport is somehwat accepted as "there" it will survive these things. the backlash can only hurt during the phase in which it's "new". once the novelty wears off it will become more durable to these things.