Mixed martial arts is a sport with beauty hidden in every crack. The moments of refined artistry coupled with scenes of raw emotion create a medium unlike any other form of expression. A lot of art is meant to replicate or invoke primal instincts, and few things can foster a primal environment like hand-to-hand combat. Spectators are treated to watching athletes implement fluid techniques with violent execution; bravely walking through unbelievable punishment in pursuit of glory and a paycheck. Some tune in to see athletes like Yair “Pantera” Rodriguez utilize sensational spinning kicks and unpredictable movement to mesmerize his opponents. Many people can’t turn away from the car-crash of Justin Gaethje’s relentless will pushing him through the harshest of adversity. The physical toughness alone of some of these gladiator-turned-performance-artists is enough to keep most audiences’ eyes glued to the screen. Although the physical performance during a fight is the biggest talking point of the sport, it’s just one of many pieces that emphasize the “art” within Mixed Martial Arts.
The Art of the Walkout
During a mixed martial arts event, there’s a definitive tension and anticipation in the air. Before the two combatants come face to face, the camera pans to each fighter individually walking to the ring or cage with their team. The act of walking to the stage may seem insignificant, however to many martial artists, this is an opportunity bare a piece of their soul or to communicate with the audience. Currently reigning UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya truly represents the arts within martial arts. Known for his technical and visually dazzling striking, Adesanya has also become notorious for unique pre-fight walkouts. During UFC 243, “The Last Stylebender” walked out with a dance crew made up of his childhood friends. They proceeded to put on a short but impressive dance routine with Izzy leading the pack. This past weekend at UFC 263, the champion defended his belt for the third time. He was challenged by the Italian marauder Marvin Vettori, whom Adesanya had bested in their 2018 bout. Adesanya walked out wearing a Japanese Hannya mask as Linkin Parks “Somewhere I Belong” played across the arena. Not only did the mask look awesome and send the crowd into a frenzy, but he could have been sending a message to his opponent. Amidst the animosity in the build-up to this fight, Adesanya spoke about how Vettori seemed prideful of his loss in their last bout. Referring to Marvin, Adesanya said, “[He’s] So proud of that loss. He’s holding onto that loss better than his best wins, so I’m in his head, rent-free, camping.” The Hannya Mask is said to portray the soul of an obsessed or jealous female, which could be interpreted as a dig towards Marvin’s obsession with their last fight.
Other walkouts seem to highlight the significance of a fight and make the event feel larger than life. Coming off a 17-fight winning streak, Anderson Silva appeared unbeatable for years. However, at UFC 162 he dramatically met defeat by the hands of “The All American” Chris Weidman. Just four short months later, Anderson returned with hopes of reclaiming his middleweight throne. As Silva’s anthem “Ain’t No Sunshine” by DMX rang through the arena, there was a heavy feeling in the air. Anderson took longer than normal to walk out from the back, cameras showing him squatting down and breathing in an almost meditative state. It was unclear if “The Spider” was lacking his usual confidence or if he was just mentally preparing himself for the moment, but the audience could feel the weight on his shoulders as he walked out to the octagon.
Just about any Conor McGregor walkout has this same ability to create a feeling of grandeur and excitement. Most notably dramatic was his walkout for UFC 189 when he faced Chad Mendes for the UFC Interim Featherweight belt. Normally, Conor walks out to a mix that begins with the Irish folk classic “The Foggy Dew” performed by Sinead O’Connor. As he enters the cage, the mix blends seamlessly into “The Notorious B.I.G.” made famous by the hip-hop artist of the same name. However, on this occasion, the UFC got Sinead O’Connor to come sing “The Foggy Dew” live as McGregor walked out, without attaching the hip hop transition at the end. The room was packed with Irish fans cheering, Irish flags proudly being flown from every stand. Conor made his way to the octagon, shadow-boxing with his country’s flag draped over his shoulders. As Sinead finishes singing, Conor walks onto the canvas; capturing the audiences’ hearts and imaginations with every step.
Then we have what I lovingly refer to as a “feel good” walkout. Every time that Darren Till steps in the octagon with the audience singing along to “Sweet Caroline”, you can’t help but smile and sing along. Dustin “The Diamond” Porier breaking into a confident jog as James Brown’s “The Boss” plays in the background has become another walkout that all die-hard fans look anticipate when the Louisiana native steps in the cage.
The Art of Authenticity
This may sound too obvious to be considered an art, but there’s an art to just being yourself. Many fighters have risen to massive levels of popularity by staying true to themselves and their beliefs. Authenticity can be conveyed through interviews, outside of the ring antics, post-fight celebrations or even just the way somebody fights. The Diaz brothers are a perfect example of fighters who have gained a cult-like following largely due to their personalities. Although they aren’t the most eloquent speakers or the most muscle-bound athletes, the Diaz brothers have a grit and determination that shines in both the words they choose and the way they fight. Proudly representing their hometown of Stockton California, Nick and Nate Diaz occupy their time with competing in triathlons, practicing boxing and grappling, and recovering with marijuana. They have been overwhelmingly outspoken about the cannabis use; so much that Nick was banned from competition for 5 years due to testing positive for THC. However, the Diaz antics wouldn’t be quite as charming if not supported by the grit and tenacity that both brothers show during competition. When the younger brother Nate fought Conor McGregor for the first time, Diaz came in as a significant underdog. After Conor bloodied his face for the first round, many thought that Diaz didn’t stand a chance. Diaz; completely undeterred by the first round onslaught, comes out talking trash to McGregor to begin the 2nd round. As McGregor begins to fatigue, Nate lands two flush punches that cause McGregor to shoot a takedown, at which point he proceeds to take McGregor’s back and secure a rear naked choke finish. As the crowd cheers in awe, Nate flexes at the camera as blood drips from his face. When commentator Joe Rogan comes over for his post-fight interview he says to Nate, “You just shook up the world, how’s that feel?” In typical Diaz fashion, Nate half-heartedly replied, “Hey, I’m not surprised [expletive].” His relaxed attitude, undeniable toughness, never ending cardio and his level of authenticity have all been building blocks in the success of Nathan Diaz.
The Art of the Stare Down
Moments before any punches are thrown, the fighters meet in the center of the octagon for a stare down. This can shed some light on the relationship between the fighters, how each athlete feels going into the fight, and the mentality of each combatant heading into the bout. Some fighters may touch gloves as a sign of respect, others have so much animosity towards their opponent that the referee has to stay between them until the bell rings. One of the most memorable stare downs in MMA history took place in 2002, when legends Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva met in the Pride FC ring. Both fighters marched towards one another, stopping mere inches from the others face as they locked eyes. “Cro Cop” stared straight ahead, motionless as a corpse; his eyes fixed on the challenge ahead of him. His adversary lived up to his nickname as he bounced side to side, menacingly glaring into his opponents soul. Although stare downs traditionally are done prior to the fight taking place, there are sometimes impromptu stare downs mid fight that can draw the audience into the intensity of the moment. One impromptu stare down that comes to mind took place during one of the greatest mixed martial arts bouts of all time, Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald 2. As the fourth round ends, the bell rings to alert both fighters to stop the action. However, instead of heading back to their corners, both blood-soaked competitors stood in the center of the octagon staring at one another, confirming that they will not back down.
The Art of the Fight
Perhaps the greatest opportunity for self-expression comes during the actual fight. As the great George St. Pierre once said, “There’s three types of people in combat sports: The fighters, the athletes, and the artists. The fighters are characterized by an unbreakable will. And are ready to give up everything to win. The athletes are the most athletic and the fastest learners. They could probably be successful at doing any other sports. The artists are the most creative. They often find different approaches to solve their problems. Every person has a percentage of each type in themselves. However, one type dominates over the others. All types have been champions. But I believe it is imperative to find your type to optimize your preparations for best results.”
Sometimes artistry is expressed through pure technique. Anyone who watches Edson Barboza deliver a vicious spinning knockout can see the art in that movement. Like an impeccably practiced dancer, he moves with grace and perfect balance to perform a movement that most people cannot fathom. Not only does he perform this technique beautifully, but executes it with precision and timing while under the scrutiny of elite competition. The way that Tony Ferguson can seemingly find a D’arce choke from any position or maybe the way that Aleksei Oleinik can secure his signature Ezekiel choke from dangerous positions like bottom mount; these techniques are pieces of art in motion.
There is also an art to strategy. When Jorge Masvidal delivered a knee from hell to knock out Ben Askren, he didn’t just get a lucky shot. He had watched tape on his opponent and knew that Askren was likely to shoot a takedown. He began the bout with a passive posture; holding his hands behind his back and looking relaxed. As the opening bell rang, Masvidal smiles and casually cuts to his right. As Askren inches closer, Jorge breaks into a sprint and launches a flying knee that knocked Askren unconscious upon contact. Footage was later released of Masvidal practicing this exact knee in the practice room before the fight. A fighter can plant the seeds of their strategy long before the fight even begins. Conor McGregor employed his trash talk as a genius part of his strategy against longtime featherweight king Jose Aldo. He taunted and berated the champion for months, stealing his belt and tearing up photos of him at press conferences. Conors’ antics bothered Aldo to such a degree that he overcommitted on his first punch; running into a knockout shot from McGregor just 13 seconds into their title bout. Conor wasn’t just talking trash to be rude or to have fun, he knew that it was deeply bothering his rival; causing him to make an emotional mistake. Again, after the fight his coaches released footage of him practicing the exact punch timing that won him the belt.
Although art may not be the first word associated with fighting, I’ve always been fascinated by the way these athletes turn their violent bouts into performance art. Constantly making adjustments to keep up with the ever-changing puzzle, these performers put their health on the line to push the boundaries of what’s possible. A cage, ring or mats may not be the first place one looks for beauty, but sometimes the most elegant creations are found in the least likely places. It’s impossible to sum up all the reasons why I fell in love with mixed martial arts. To me, it was always amongst the purest forms of self expression. Art that didn’t need to try to be art. Art that represented the way we feel in our darkest moments, art that mirrored the ups and downs of life itself. Somewhere between dance and the struggle for survival, this art form brings to light the parts of us that most keep hidden from society. It brings positivity to our primal nature and allows unlikely heroes to shine under the brightest of lights.
If you want to start expressing yourself through martial arts, learn real world self defense and make your boxing and MMA dreams a reality, come check out Precision Boxing and MMA; the Hudson Valleys premier mixed martial arts academy. Give us a call at (845)392-8495 or click HERE!
About the Author:
A lifelong artist and musician, Oliver Swanson discovered martial arts in 2016. What started as a hobby to get in shape soon led to a shift in lifestyle. Martial arts became his favorite vehicle for self expression, allowing him to push his body and mind simultaneously. When Oliver isn’t training or writing about martial arts, he teaches boxing classes in Poughkeepsie throughout the week.
