When I was a teenager, I wanted my father to teach me how to box because his father boxed and I was fascinated by the artistry of some fighters, but he refused. His argument was that girls would definitely hit me back and it wouldn't feel good. He also convinced me that punches would leave marks on my face and I wouldn't look the same. It made sense because I have a big Italian nose and one dead on punch to my nose would probably break it instantly. OK Dad, I get it. However, he did teach me how to defend myself when put in the position to and I am thankful for that.
Not every Saturday, but some Saturday nights I watch UFC fights, and when it is on, I watch the Ultimate Fighter Competition with my husband. Some people think it is barbaric, but I think it is entertaining and a legitimate sport. These fighters are trained in mixed martial arts (MMA) which includes fighting while standing up (striking) and while on the ground (grappling). The menu of experience for the fighters includes boxing, judo, Brazilian jiu jitsu, wrestling, kickboxing and karate. There may be other fighting techniques, but these are the ones I know of.
Now, when I say I like watching MMA, I mean that I like watching fights with submissions, ground and pound and boxing, but there are some fights that bother me because I am still a mother and a female. For instance, I hate when a fighter hammer punches another fighter's face until the fighter flops around like a rag doll. It can be disturbing. I picture this person's mother having to watch her son getting beat until unconscious and it breaks my heart. (Note: a hammer punch is a punch that uses the under part of a person's fist as if they were swinging a hammer.)
This month, UFC 157 included a female fight as the main event for the first time and it introduced Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche to the UFC. I told TK that we were ordering this fight on Pay Per View because I just HAD to watch. The inclusion of a female fight on a UFC card is a huge achievement for female athletes. They are paving the way for other females in yet another male-dominated sport. To end the fight, Rousey won due to an arm bar in the first round. (Note: an arm bar is a submission move that hyper-extends a person's arm to the point that it might break if they do not tap out.) After watching the fight, I wanted to learn about the personality behind the fighter so I watched YouTube videos that a colleague sent me. The emotional back stories and intensive training regimens were impressive and I became a fan. Rousey is even an Olympic judo champion. These girls are no joke!
So, next time you say someone "fights like a girl," think of Ronda Rousey and how she can flip over a 200-pound man and put him in an arm bar without messing up her hair. It's OK to be impressed.
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| Ronda Rousey, UFC Bantamweight Champion |
Not every Saturday, but some Saturday nights I watch UFC fights, and when it is on, I watch the Ultimate Fighter Competition with my husband. Some people think it is barbaric, but I think it is entertaining and a legitimate sport. These fighters are trained in mixed martial arts (MMA) which includes fighting while standing up (striking) and while on the ground (grappling). The menu of experience for the fighters includes boxing, judo, Brazilian jiu jitsu, wrestling, kickboxing and karate. There may be other fighting techniques, but these are the ones I know of.
Now, when I say I like watching MMA, I mean that I like watching fights with submissions, ground and pound and boxing, but there are some fights that bother me because I am still a mother and a female. For instance, I hate when a fighter hammer punches another fighter's face until the fighter flops around like a rag doll. It can be disturbing. I picture this person's mother having to watch her son getting beat until unconscious and it breaks my heart. (Note: a hammer punch is a punch that uses the under part of a person's fist as if they were swinging a hammer.)
This month, UFC 157 included a female fight as the main event for the first time and it introduced Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche to the UFC. I told TK that we were ordering this fight on Pay Per View because I just HAD to watch. The inclusion of a female fight on a UFC card is a huge achievement for female athletes. They are paving the way for other females in yet another male-dominated sport. To end the fight, Rousey won due to an arm bar in the first round. (Note: an arm bar is a submission move that hyper-extends a person's arm to the point that it might break if they do not tap out.) After watching the fight, I wanted to learn about the personality behind the fighter so I watched YouTube videos that a colleague sent me. The emotional back stories and intensive training regimens were impressive and I became a fan. Rousey is even an Olympic judo champion. These girls are no joke!
So, next time you say someone "fights like a girl," think of Ronda Rousey and how she can flip over a 200-pound man and put him in an arm bar without messing up her hair. It's OK to be impressed.
