I have attended a number of mma events from California to Florida and in between, and last night in Nashville just reconfirmed something that I have seen on both coasts and in between, complete unappreciation of the sport of mma and the constant booing and criticizing. Now this doesn't come from everyone or even most, but there are plenty of guys sitting up in the stands who "know everything about mma" and they kinda get on my nerves. These are the casual mma fans who don't really get it all the way, they want to see a Stephan Bonnar-Forrest Griffin brawl every time they see a fight, and so do I, but I understand when it doesn't happen and I understand why. People have different fighting styles and they have to use what works for them, not everyone is going to be a great striker and the fighters are trying to win, period. These guys in the stands who yell and call fighters douche bags for getting takedowns instead of standing and brawling are actually the douche bags themselves, and I love it when they say, "Oh if he just would have.... or all he needs to do is..... If you are such an expert at it get in the cage yourself bud and see what its like.

These fighters spend countless hours preparing and training for their fights and are far more ready for battle and the number of different scenarios that might play out in the cage than our friends in the stands. The funny thing about it is the guys who are screaming these things in the stands are usually the same guys who are all over the fighters' nuts when they see them at the bar or club. Now don't get me wrong, if you pay $45-$150 and up for a ticket you are definitely free to express yourself and your feelings toward fighting and fighters, just realize that you sound like an idiot. As mma continues to grow and evolve as a sport, hopefully so will some of it's fans. So the next time you see an mma event and hear the know-it-all in the stands just do what I do, chuckle to yourself and realize that they don't know much at all.