How about changing the names of weight categories?
I mentioned this already a few times in some posts around but it didn't go anywhere. There was that one Karyn Bryant MMA Heat podcast where she and Pete talked about it but Pete totally stole that from me. We are in court now if you wondered why he left the show. Im suing him for billions.
Be that as it may... I still think it might be a good idea for MMA. Im just listening the Mighty Mouse talk on Joe Rogans tube, so it reminded me.
And it is Demetrius Mighty Mouse Johnson that gave me a a good idea for a new name of his own weight category, which i can throw out so i have something tangible to offer instead of just the main idea.
So lets do that first: I suggest that the ridiculous and practically demeaning name of "Flyweight" category gets changed into the "Artist" category for MMA - in honor of the great champion himself.
(If that category gets fused with the one above it my suggestion stays the same. Let the smallest guys have one of the best possible names. They deserve it. Demetrius deserve it.)
After all he is talked about as an artist of MMA, and for a good reason.
Why?
I know that the names were taken from boxing and that the large part of it is to keep to the familiar, recognizable ground for the new audiences. But MMA is not boxing and it comes from a different tradition of Martial Arts. And by now, with UFC and other promotions getting bigger and more popular in mass culture i dont think MMA needs to be that directly connected with boxing anymore.
When you look at the names of the categories it seems like they were all concocted by the bigger guys who did it to further bully the smaller guys. And i would bet my left hand there were all guffawing and laughing while they did it.
- Most importantly, everyone knows it is hard to properly market the smaller categories. No wonder, right?
How the hell can you popularize categories with such ridiculous names? Flies? Feathers? Straws? Seriously... ? Bantamweight? That one is named after a name for chickens for fudge sake... Even welter, middle and lightweight do not sound especially enticing. to anyone.
Now, of course that isnt the whole of the "issue" but it is a part of it. These bad titles are affecting the public perception - marketing - general popularity - amounts of money all those martial artists earn.
And while seeing a Big Guy in boxing has some "weight", the whole purpose of Martial Arts is diametrically different.
... I dont have to explain that in details here, right?
- Obviously, in most Martial Arts tradition we have all those animal based names for different styles but i dont think this idea needs to go down that path. It is a bit ridiculous and it is mostly related to different styles of "Kung Fu". Some category may get a name like Panthers or Tigers and stuff but it would be a bad idea to go down that route. There simply isnt enough cool animal names around and someone is going to end up with mouses and ferrets and such crappy names while the big guys take all the cool ones.
- I dont think this should be decided by fans either. We can suggest and throw ideas around but it really should be decided upon by professionals and fighters themselves.
- Dont fix what isnt broken is a great rule, but i dont think anyone can argue that the names of lesser weight categories are cool or positive.
- Im not doing this for myself. Im already too handsome and popular and famous and soon ill be rich when my case wins in court against Pete, my arch nemesis. I would just like this idea to be considered by actual professionals, experts and fighters. mkay?
Ok, off to you guys.