Warning: Let me get this out of the way first – FRAT, “Hi Ronda’s mom,” “Hi Internet White Knight, she’s not going to sleep with you”, “Hi UFC schill, STFU.” etc. I’ve read it all here before. But there’s something that’s really been bothering me about the “evolution” of this forum that I love so much and have read daily since the early 2000’s – The lack of respect shown by many of the current forum members.
As a longtime lurker (been here since the submissionfighting.com days, have my fighter’s notebook, and used to frequent Mousel’s BJJ forum before coming here, etc). Back then, the only annoying member was this great troll called THEDONBREAKYOURARMI…but now it seems that the whole board is replete with people who I can’t even truly say are trolling, just seemingly ignorant and disrespectful.
I honestly cannot believe some of the disrespect shown by you guys towards Ronda (and indirectly Liz and ALL women) on the eve of her seminal and groundbreaking fight in the UFC. Like I said, I realize this is a board dominated by men, but seriously sometimes the things I read here make me cringe. “I refuse to watch this UFC card because women are on it!” “Ronda is just an attention w*oring $lut…she needs to STFU and get back to the kitchen, etc.”
Does anyone remember that this is a mixed MARTIAL ARTS board?
Training martial arts used to mean that you learned RESPECT. I see less and less of this every day on this board and it saddens me. Whereas this board used to be full of people trying to share techniques (“Where and how should I distribute my weight when I’m trying to pass but get caught and have to stack?”) and help each other get better, it is now full of kids who probably do not even train but have the audacity (not taught properly by their parents?) to belittle amazing people who have achieved so much in their lifetime already.
I guess what bothers me the most is this. I have a newborn daughter (5 months). And I think about if she were someday to lose me, yet go on to diligently train herself every day in a grueling sport that afforded no accolades or ultimate financial security, but requires relentless dedication every single day to achieve greatness. All while being bullied at her school for her passion, discipline, and single minded focus towards achieving her own goals. And then to finally one day reach the dream of making the Olympics and representing your country in a sport that has zero history of success … and then to do something NO woman had ever done previously in her country by medaling…I would be so proud of her that I cannot even imagine.
And then to hear internet know-it-alls who I'm sure have accomplished so much in their life (I’d say…probably ZERO percent of you have ever made the Olympics) bash on that kid for being having an annoying voice and for being born a girl to “get out of my MMA, I won’t watch because you should be in the kitchen and not the octagon!!!”
…
So I won’t even go into detail about that kid then switching sports and then becoming a world champion in a completely different field, all while winning in an unprecedented, exciting fashion. Or becoming the first woman to truly bring women’s MMA to the forefront of mainstream media. Or by being so damn exciting and charismatic that you change the opinion of a man who once said you would never break this barrier and participate in our league. But you would never know all this by reading the general opinion of this forum - you would think people were talking about some boring pretty girl with zero skills, who was being pushed on us by Dana to try and make a few bucks.
So, since you are all such huge mixed martial arts fans, let me appeal to the competitive, consumeristic side of things. Disregarding everything else, how can you NOT like Ronda Rousey’s style of fighting? She is focused, disciplined, uses her craft to perfection, and is relentless in her pursuit of the single most exciting moment in our sport - definitive finishes (Oh and this reminds me of one more annoying gripe: All of you who obviously never train and keep referring to Ronda as a ONE TRICK pony. I’m not sure how you guys can not see her amazing takedown ability and defense, in addition to her submission ability is absolutely beyond me. She has pretty much mastered two of the three facets integral to mixed martial arts – submissions AND takedowns, but this hardly ever gets mentioned).
Anyways, I’ll tell you how you ignore it – This board is now full of whiners and complainers instead of people who actually train and respect the efforts of everyone who have gotten MMA to this point. I swear sometimes you sound so much like the stereotypical girls that you are trying to put down – always complaining and bitching. The SAME people who complain about the LnPers like Fitch or Guida who don’t fight the way you purportedly would like them to, complain that the UFC has gone full WWE when they get cut. You shower accolades on Brock for his PPV success and his drawing power, then denigrate Rousey for her undeserved media attention…all while ignoring that Brock had even less fights than Rousey (but a similarly amazing amateur career) before getting his title shot. Oh, and then Dana is simultaneously the greatest thing ever for bringing us the fights we want but also a joke for finally bringing women’s MMA into the UFC.
Speaking of Dana, I guess it’s like what Steve Jobs said, “A lot of times, people don’t know what they really want until you show it to them.” And I for one am really glad that Dana has the admirable attribute of being flexible with his beliefs and the vision to bring the masses what they don’t yet know they want. Everyone promising that they will never buy another card if a female fighter is on it will quickly break their promise as they see how much heart these amazing women put into every fight.
You see, one day I am going to tell my daughter about the story of Ronda Rousey. Whether she wins or loses on the 23rd is irrelevant. How she persevered, and showed no fear or doubt in the pursuit of her dreams and goals and consequently achieved so much in her life, is.
Man or woman, I think that is something we should all appreciate and aspire to.
Sorry for the long rant. But I want the internet generation to learn this word:
RESPECT.
VOTED UP
but dont expect most of the children here to read this.
VOTED UP
But the rednecks who also bring up Cain's "racist tatoo" every chance they get will downvote you for this.
Dana white speaks on these people here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=R52y6DcPINg#t=73s
did 
not
read!
VOTED UP.
Great post OP. Staggeringly true in so many ways.
Tubarao -read!
maybe when you grow up you'll understand
I too was once an ignorant 13 year old who thought he knew it all
good luck in high school
Actually I did, and it was an EPIC post and so full of truth. There are so many immature little fuck faces on this board.
Eloquent, well spoken, mature, rational, intelligent.
That will fly over every single one of the disrespectful teeny-boppers heads.
DamnSevern -
VOTED UP
but dont expect most of the children here to read this.
!
One thing I have noticed about the biggest supporters of Rousey and WMMA, is that you just can't accept that other people might not like it.
Anyone who isn't especially fond on women's fights is automatically labeled as ignorant and disrespectful.
Watch whatever you want to, cheer for whomever you like, just don't try to browbeat everyone who doesn't like it yet.
There are much worse people on the other side of the argument. At least at the end of the day you are supporting something rather than trying to tear it down, but not everybody who isn't in to women's mma is a noob or a moron.
VOTED UP!
Awesome post OP!!! Bravo sir, bravo! 
Good post OP
It nice to see that someone with intelligence and the ability to craft a good post still exists on the ug, this place is a shocking den of pathetic little trolls, wannabe tuf-guys and fighter bashers.
I for one am excited to see what happens, as are my wife and sister in law - not usual mma fans.
Fuck the haters!
I stopped reading when you disparaged Machado brown belt THEDONBREAKYOURARMI. Next you're going to tell us Vij Pawar was a troll.
This bezzy dropped out of high school. how retarded do you have to be to not finish high school?
Oh and stop whining OP. Ronda is a joke, just like Tim Tebow playing quarterback in the NFL.
Headkick420 - This bezzy dropped out of high school. how retarded do you have to be to not finish high school?
Oh and stop whining OP. Ronda is a joke, just like Tim Tebow playing quarterback in the NFL.
VTFD
Guys like this post 5 times in 10 years, while some of the very people he's talking about post 5000 times in one year.
It's really not fair.
The paradox is that the people that most need to read it; won't
Voted up for your efforts, and I agree with every word.
.