Japanese Audience vs American Audience
Without a doubt, the Japanese have the best audiences for MMA. Any fighter who has fought in Japan compared to anywhere else in the world can tell you that. If you have been watching any Pride fights, you have probably noticed as well. They are respectful to the fighters. They can be so quiet during a fight that you could hear a needle drop, but they are also extremely knowledgeable about MMA and react when something significant happens. Whenever a fighter lands a big shot or attempts a submission, they recognize it right away and react. You can feel the collective intensity during a Pride fight with the Japanese audience.
They just love combat sports over there in Japan. They even have professional wrestling – real wrestling, not scripted. For every Pride event there was at least 20,000 in the arena. 20,000 is on the low end, they have had as many as 90,000. 30,000 people is about average for an event, depending on the maximum capacity of the venue. That is more than any NBA or NHL game. All the Pride events were sold out, and tickets were very expensive.
Mixed Martial Arts is socially accepted in Japan. White collar people like it over there. Actually people from all socio-economic statuses like it and respect it over there. It truly is considered a professional sport. Pride fighters were treated as big of celebrities over there as our biggest NFL and NBA stars over here. The Japanese know that a Pride fight is about skill, courage, and honor. They are an ideal audience to have for an MMA match. They understand it.
Now compare this to Mixed Martial Arts in America. MMA is still considered a blue collar activity over here, and you have to be careful about who you tell that you like watching MMA. They may judge you the wrong way, especially if you consider yourself white collar.
Of course, having fighters fight in a cage does not help to shed the blue collar / trashy image MMA has in America. If they fought in a ring it would look more professional. It is very rare indeed that an MMA event would draw 20,000 people in America, and often the tickets are given away for free just to make the venue look full. Part of this is because spectators cannot see clearly through the cage during live matches and partly because of the stigma associated with MMA in America. A lot of people in America think that all you have to do in an MMA match is just pound the other guy's face in and it is partly by chance if you actually win.
This is not the case at all. It is about witnessing one of the ultimate tests in manhood. I have nothing but respect for the fighters. I understand this is one of the most physically demanding things any man can do and the amount of work required to be good at fighting is extraordinary.
All I can say is to observe the Japanese audience during a Pride fight and you will notice a distinct difference in how they act compared to an American audience. It is a very significant cultural difference. I hope that American MMA audiences will eventually become more knowledgable and attentive.
Written November - December 2012
Without a doubt, the Japanese have the best audiences for MMA. Any fighter who has fought in Japan compared to anywhere else in the world can tell you that. If you have been watching any Pride fights, you have probably noticed as well. They are respectful to the fighters. They can be so quiet during a fight that you could hear a needle drop, but they are also extremely knowledgeable about MMA and react when something significant happens. Whenever a fighter lands a big shot or attempts a submission, they recognize it right away and react. You can feel the collective intensity during a Pride fight with the Japanese audience.
They just love combat sports over there in Japan. They even have professional wrestling – real wrestling, not scripted. For every Pride event there was at least 20,000 in the arena. 20,000 is on the low end, they have had as many as 90,000. 30,000 people is about average for an event, depending on the maximum capacity of the venue. That is more than any NBA or NHL game. All the Pride events were sold out, and tickets were very expensive.
Mixed Martial Arts is socially accepted in Japan. White collar people like it over there. Actually people from all socio-economic statuses like it and respect it over there. It truly is considered a professional sport. Pride fighters were treated as big of celebrities over there as our biggest NFL and NBA stars over here. The Japanese know that a Pride fight is about skill, courage, and honor. They are an ideal audience to have for an MMA match. They understand it.
Now compare this to Mixed Martial Arts in America. MMA is still considered a blue collar activity over here, and you have to be careful about who you tell that you like watching MMA. They may judge you the wrong way, especially if you consider yourself white collar.
Of course, having fighters fight in a cage does not help to shed the blue collar / trashy image MMA has in America. If they fought in a ring it would look more professional. It is very rare indeed that an MMA event would draw 20,000 people in America, and often the tickets are given away for free just to make the venue look full. Part of this is because spectators cannot see clearly through the cage during live matches and partly because of the stigma associated with MMA in America. A lot of people in America think that all you have to do in an MMA match is just pound the other guy's face in and it is partly by chance if you actually win.
This is not the case at all. It is about witnessing one of the ultimate tests in manhood. I have nothing but respect for the fighters. I understand this is one of the most physically demanding things any man can do and the amount of work required to be good at fighting is extraordinary.
All I can say is to observe the Japanese audience during a Pride fight and you will notice a distinct difference in how they act compared to an American audience. It is a very significant cultural difference. I hope that American MMA audiences will eventually become more knowledgable and attentive.
Written November - December 2012
