Mixed Martial Arts was featured tonight on CBS’ 60 Minutes news show. If you didn’t happen to see the clip, I’ll try to find a link to the video somewhere and post it later.
The 60 Minutes piece is easily the most “mainstream” news exposure MMA has had to date. I was a little apprehensive when I heard that the MMA piece would be aired on 60 Minutes; the show could either promote MMA in a good light or continue to cripple it in the public eye.
After watching the piece, I must say I think that MMA was greatly helped in the public view. First, I’m glad that Pat Militech and Renzo Gracie were the key figures and spokesmen in the piece instead of Dana White. Dana did make an obligatory appearance and actually made a good point about football being just as violent, if not more violent, than MMA. Militech and Gracie did a good job of showing the “sport” side of MMA and proving how the sport of MMA is very technical and not “human cockfighting.”
CBS mentioned the fact that studies have shown MMA to be safer than boxing, which is a key sticking point in my mind. While MMA does have its brutal side, it is still an extremely safe sport.
I’m curious as to your thoughts about the 60 Minutes piece. How many of you were able to see it, and what did you think after watching it?
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Caesar Gracie
John
Yael Grauer
Dale
Tyler Johnson
felo
Mike
Tony
Shawn
Ben Cartlidge
i seen it the only thing wrong is it was to short it should have gotten the half hour insted of about 12
The CBS 60 Minutes piece was excellent.
It communicated on a level and with a language that the average viewer understands. It wasn’t biased or prejudiced the way martial arts is usually portrayed. They could’ve gone out and picked the usual bone-head practitioners who always come out as stupid and who confirms the popular negative stereotypes. Dana Whites appearance was a bonus as it showed that the guys on the top – Renzo, Pat, Dana – are extremely smart and have their ways with words.
People who like to think that fighters can’t think or speak must be killing themselves right now. The CBS piece took all their “intellectual” arguments away.