Is MMA going too mainstream?

Back in 1985 in Japan's Shooto organization was started and essentially started as a form of wrestling. As popularity in the sport grew a company named UFC started their own promotion back on November 12, 1993 which was UFC 1. This promotion started as individuals with different fighting styles being matched up against each other and battling it out until a knockout or submission. The Match ups were not always fair and did not always seem to be evenly matched. Match making and other structural house keeping items came later as the promotion gain traction and started to grow. I bring up the promotion growing and want to fast forward to present day. There are SEVERAL different MMA promotions available to fighters and the public in forms of entertainment. Now which one do I chose to follow?

I personally like to follow UFC and also catch the occasional Bellator fight amongst other smaller promotions like submission underground and such. I have been watching MMA and following it diligently for the last 10 plus years and aware of the sport (art) for longer. As a 33 year old that has done his research I can confidently say a lot has changed over the years in the world of MMA. I don't mean just in the terms of the fighters, the fighting styles or the skill levels. I am referring more to the industry and the business side of the sport which is almost saddening to say. What was once referred to as a sport or Mixed Martial Arts is now in my opinion turned into a business. Yet a profitable one, MMA has shifted its focus of skills and being the most well versed fighter into a business and making money. What does this mean for the die hard fans of the spirit of MMA and the pureness of the technique and art of the sport…

UFC, Bellator, PFL, Invicta FC are all some of the promotions offered in the sport of MMA. There are a lot more and doesn't include promotions such as the Triller Triad, Golden Boy, Mayweather, which have all put on boxing matches that involve and lure MMA fighters to transition into the boxing industry. This is where I want to again ask.. Has MMA gone to mainstream? From a fans standpoint I can tell you I absolutely still enjoy watching my favorite fighters and still love the sport and the art of it all. However, I feel like the sport is transitioning from how great of a fighter can I be to how much money can I make. As stated by many but NOT ALL fighters "I NEED TO BE PAID". As I fully understand these fighters are putting a lot on the line with every fight not to mention their own health I wonder if its still about the art of the sport of just another job and form of income. 

I don't want to draw a lot of attention to the promotions like the ones of Jake Paul who are making millions in PPV's off of UFC fighters that have decided to go over and participate in what some would consider a sub par promotion based around money and how many people they can get to view the event. Sadly, in effort to compete with these types of promotions its been said that this is the direction leagues like the UFC, Bellator and Triller Triad is going. This is where fighters get so caught up in the hype and the possibility of making a large chunk of money that the "art" of the sport gets forgotten and it turns into a fighters doing it for the money rather than the love of it. Don't get me wrong the fighters should absolutely be paid well and should have a great benefit package. Although there was a time where fans and fighters had a respect for the art of MMA rather than doing it for the money. 

Is UFC paying their fighters enough? Is the industry financially fair for everyone? Who knows.. Either way fans are still going to be tuned in to watch their favorite fighters when they are fighting. I just hope with everything going so mainstream and becoming more about the money to be made that the competition to sell PPV's and merch doesn't cast a shadow over the raw talent of these mixed martial artists'. Also, that the sight of where the sport and art started and grew from with some of the greats like the Gracie family. I believe the sport is here to stay and in my honest opinion I wouldn't be surprised if the sport gets bigger than some of the other big name sports as the current state of the world seems to be very attracted to violence and mayhem, unfortunately.

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