The UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) has become one of the world's most entertaining sports. It's been just over 25 years since MMA fighting started taking place inside the octagon. Fighters put their bodies on the line to prove who has the most guts and glory. Whether you love fighting or not, you cannot question a fighter's toughness and willingness to sacrifice it all.
Out of every sport I follow, none of them excite me more than the UFC does. It's entertaining to watch two individuals beat the living daylights out of each other. The UFC offers a unique kind of athleticism. It's something you don't get to see every day. UFC fighters have skills like no other humans on the planet.
It blows my mind to see some of the moves fighters display during their matches. Where else do you get to see martial art forms like wrestling, kickboxing, Taekwondo, Jui-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Capoeira, and Karate all at once? Learning any one of these disciplines takes time and it's just amazing that most fighters in the UFC have mastered multiple forms. The talent these athletes have is without question the best.
One great thing about the UFC is the sport's diversity. Fighters of all kinds push and pave their way into the sport's elite club. There are a total of nine weight classes in the UFC. The divisions range from strawweight up to heavyweight and everything in-between. So fighters from every type of physique can brawl inside the octagon.
Besides the fighting, one aspect I always enjoy about the UFC is learning more about the fighters themselves. I think their stories are meaningful. Hearing fighters talk about how they got to their position is inspiring. I feel like fighters have some of the most compelling sports backgrounds of all athletes. They always tend to separate themselves of how they overcame adversity.
They are the kind of athletes who grew up with tough lifestyles. Despite their circumstances, they kept pushing and working towards their dreams. Fighters have the highest amount of confidence like no other professional athlete. I've never seen anything quite like it in other sports. I think their stories matter and can inspire others to keep fighting for what they believe in.
I respect the hell out of any fighter in the UFC. What they do on a daily basis is amazing. They don't do it for the money, that's for sure. After all, the average UFC fighter made $132,109 in 2017. Even when you compare the average salary of professional sports leagues, UFC doesn't make the cut. These athletes are underpaid for the line of work they engage in.
Being a journalist I'd love to cover the UFC/MMA. I think it would be so fulfilling to get a deeper look into what the industry is all about. I hope the UFC keeps heading in the right direction and continues to gain popularity around the world.
