Sometimes, emotions get high before fights. Guys genuinely dislike each other, and have real beefs. There's trash talk in the press. Barbs traded on Twitter and other social media platforms. Then come the press junkets and associated media appearances where fighters need to be in the same room as one another. Then the weigh-ins, and the "face off" where fighters stand face to face and pose the day before their actual fight. All this can build up into an absolute powder keg, ready to go off at any moment as soon as one fighter or another loses their cool. It's not something that is unique to MMA - we've seen it in boxing as well, with Mike Tyson as a prime example. In MMA, however, the frequency of events means you see much more of it, even if there's about the same amount per capita. Some will tell you that these sorts of confrontations sell fights, and to some extent, they are probably correct. Real hostility outside the cage often leads to intrigue about what will go down inside the cage: will the combatants fight harder? Will someone get the upper hand, will someone be proven right or wrong? There's always the question about whether some such incidents are staged, given fighters and promotions known damn well that this will increase box office interest, but given athletic commissions levy hefty fines for violence outside the cage, and can cancel a bout should they see fit, staging such confrontations is a risky proposition at best. Lets take a look now at some of the most shocking brawls in the build up (and aftermath) of UFC/MMA matches.
Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.
