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The Mixed Martial Arts has exploded in the past year in the United States with names such as Liddell and Slice getting celebrity treatment around the country. For a long time, boxing and pro wrestling were the only avenues for fight fans to explore. But the mixed martial arts offer more technique than boxing and more reality than fake wrestling.

Some argue that wrestling is the most important aspect of the mixed martial arts. After all, whoever has a thorough knowledge of the ground game can control the fight. So it is no surprise that many pioneers in the MMA world are NCAA and world class wrestlers.

But what seems to be not tolerated by the purists in the MMA world is pro wrestlers crossing over to the MMA world. Ken Shamrock, one of the pioneers of the MMA in the U.S., often got knocks from the media and fellow competitors for being involved in the WWF. Brock Lesnar, the former NCAA heavyweight champion, gets mocked by fellow fighters for making his name in the pro-wrestling business. In fact, some believe Kimbo Slice, the street brawler, has a better reputation in the MMA world than Lesnar.

The MMA community is a big cult these days. Folks are passionate about this sport, and those who have not paid their dues are not respected in the MMA community. But Brock Lesnar made his career by winning the NCAA heavyweight championship. He is a world-class wrestler and a superb athlete. He even had a try out for the NFL and almost made the team. So like many others, he has put the time and effort to train and prepare for his MMA career.

MMA fighters are not paid nearly as well as boxers. In addition, their careers are not as long as boxers, which means they will have to find ways to secure their retirement by the time they are 40. It’s no surprise that Shamrock, Barnett, and many others have tried their hands in the pro-wrestling circuit. After all, pro-wrestling is less taxing on the body, and the money could be significantly better than the one earned by most MMA fighters today.

The MMA fans respect those who sweat and bleed in the MMA business. But what they don’t understand is the amount of effort that goes behind preparing for every single fight. Is Brock the best MMA fighter in the world? He is not. But he will be considered the top athlete in the UFC if he beats the legend Randy Couture. It would be outrageous if he didn’t get proper credit for that.

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