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The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines sport as any physical activity engaged in for pleasure. This would lead many to believe mixed martial arts has no business being called a sport, because after all, how many people enjoy being kicked in the head? So why are there so many people who voluntarily enter the ring knowing that bodily harm is almost inevitable? The reason is simple, competitive spirit. These athletes step into the ring to take on their fellow man in the ultimate challenge.

The main goal in any sport is to prove your superiority over your opponent. Mixed martial arts offers the opportunity to test physical strength and dexterity combined with the mental strength to outwit your opponent. How much more superior can you feel than to have the knowledge that in a battle for survival it will be you who walks away. The joy that comes with having an opponent surrender to your will is the feeling that these athletes search for. They train hard like any other athlete. They feel the ups of winning and the downs of losing just like any competitor in any other sport. So why should they have to prove to the world that they deserve to be treated like the athletes that they are?

Next time you watch a hockey game and see the players get into a fight on the ice think of their intentions. Next time you watch a football game think about how much unnecessary force is used to bring the ball carrier to the ground. The intent of the athletes in this situation is the destruction of another human beings well being. Now think about mixed martial arts. As the fight progresses it would seem that the only goal is to inflict harm to your opponent. However, after the fight is done watch the competitors. The most common sight is the embrace between two men who know they have given everything the have to prove themselves. They harbor no grudge against each other for what has just taken place. If the main goal is to physically hurt their opponent, then how can they go from intense hate to admiration and respect so quickly? These competitive matches are not based solely on how much damage one can inflict on their opponent. They are scored on many technical aspects as well as adherence to the rules that are set in place to protect the health of the competitors.

I write this article as I am watching a mixed martial arts match in the UFC. I see thousands of spectators watching anxiously as two men, so exhausted they can barely stand in front of each other, expend their last bit of energy to survive the fifteenth minute of their grueling test. As the fight ends one man's hand is raised, on his face a tired look of satisfaction. He can spend the rest of his night celebrating his victory. He took part in physical activity to find the enjoyment of knowing he is the best. That is the definition of sport so why is this even a question? Each and every human being has the right to their own opinion and the right to express that opinion whenever they so choose. All I ask is that you do not base your opinion on ignorance. Learn about the sport and the people who choose to take part in it before you condemn them as barbarians. Many of these people have families and even children of their own. They are regular people who have a hobby that they enjoy, just like you or I. They will not judge you for how you choose to spend your time, don't judge them for how they choose to spend theirs.

Learn more about this author, Brandon Rosenburg.
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