“Gentlemen. We’re on National Television.”
Those were the words of esteemed CBS announcer Gus Johnson in his dire attempt to restore order – words directed squarely at Jake Shields, Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller, Gilbert Melendez, the Diaz brothers and a host of others after a senseless brawl broke out in the cage following the main event at Strikeforce: Nashville Saturday night.
Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker Felt Nashville's Brawl Was Bad for MMA
You can point fingers and play the blame game all you want as to who’s fault the melee was, but the bottom line is the brawl couldn’t have come at a worse time for Strikeforce, as they try to build credibility for their organization and for the sport in the mainstream.
While the popularity of MMA is undergoing unparalleled growth on the sports landscape right now, securing long-term national TV deals remains to this day a tenuous proposition at best. And an all out brawl – as witnessed Saturday night on U.S. Network television – is counter-productive to the cause. Despite its entertaining qualities on the surface, this kind of display portrays a major lack of professionalism in the sport and destroys credibility.
Is it a major setback for the sport? I highly doubt it. The sport will always have its critics who merely use incidents like Saturday night’s brawl as justification for their views. The reality is there are major bucks to be made in MMA these days. And whether it’s UFC or Strikeforce, or ESPN or CBS, everyone wants their piece of the lucrative pie.
Should Silva's Behaviour At UFC 112 Warrant Disciplinary Action?
However, if the past two weeks have proven anything – including the controversial title defense by Anderson Silva at UFC 112 – there needs to be responsibility taken on the part of the fighters to carry themselves properly as ambassadors for the sport. Acting like an idiot inside the cage should no longer be acceptable or tolerated.
The solution? MMA organizations, like UFC and Strikeforce, need to seriously consider implementing disciplinary action – including suspensions and hefty fines – for inappropriate behaviour inside the cage which is marring the sport. Hit ‘em where it hurts – in the wallet – while setting a new standard for fighter conduct.
This new standard will not only help curb these unfortunate incidents, but it’ll also go a long way toward legitimizing MMA in the eyes of the public and other professional sports leagues.
Other Related Stories Worth Reading:
Scott Coker: Post-Fight Brawl Was ‘So Unnecessary’ (MMA Fighting)
Brawl-marred Night Leaves Many Questions (Yahoo!)
Ugly Brawl Mars Jake Shields’ Win, Embarrasses MMA (Cagewriter)
Looked like a boxing match… I guess we can start calling it Testosterone Force or Loser Force. Does anyone get entertained by that crap? Why do these guys do this stuff. If they are following the lead of boxing I think they should look elsewhere for theatrical inspiration. That was amateur hour Strike Force. How did those guys even get in there?