I love martial arts. I truly do. I’m a fan of both boxing and the UFC. However, in recent years the nature of both those companies has been going in a peculiar direction. For those of you who also enjoy them, you may be able to guess where I am taking this, as it would be impossible for you to miss it. I am speaking of the Youtube takeover of the fighting world. what the honest hell is going on these days? We’ve got an upcoming fight happening between Logan Paul and the greatest boxer to ever put on gloves, Floyd Mayweather. And Jake Paul is gunning for Conor Mcgregor, one of the best strikers the UFC has arguably ever seen. I just don’t know about all this. Yes, I suppose whatever brings new eyes to the fight game is a good thing. But at what point is the soul of the game lost?
I’ve honestly never seen it like this. Fights like KSI (who I actually like a lot) vs Logan Paul are pulling in higher numbers than some of the best professional bouts in history. Is this good for the culture? I know this argument has been had a million times already, and shall be had a million times more as this madness continues. But I just thought I’d rant on it for a bit.
It just feels very sad to me that high-quality fighters are only earning a trifling amount for putting their lives on the line when internet celebrities, who would get washed clean by those actual fighters, are earning ten times as much for a lackluster performance that happens to spark the media’s fire. It’s just sad and unfair. These guys have trained their assess off for most of their life to be beaten out on their own stage by a vine star. I don’t know. Martial Arts is in an opportune place, yes, but also a sad one. I honestly don’t know what way I would rather have it: the business booming, but losing its soul; or the business barely getting by, but the fighters are world-class and are giving us the fights of a lifetime. I suppose we’re still getting that. And this new publicity gives those fighters a chance to get paid more, so those are positives. I’m not arguing that. I don’t know what I want. But things feel weird. Either way I hope somebody sends Jake Paul’s teeth down his throat soon, for the love of everything. I hope KSI does it, to be honest.