By E. Spencer Kyte (espencerkyte@mmaratings.net)
There has been a great deal of talk around the MMA sites lately about the progress being made by females in the world of Mixed Martial Arts. My man Zak Woods at Watch Kalib Run actually sums it up quite nicely here.
While all the things the article discusses are very much true and MMA deserves a hat-tip for moving forward faster than many other sports, let’s not go patting ourselves on the backs too quickly.
After all, we still have ring girls like Arianny, Edith and Logan parading around in their skivvies to the delight of many and before Fight! Magazine can get to a full-length article each month, they have to get through a cheap excuse of an interview and three pages of Miesha Tate’s ass in short shorts. The fact that everyone knows the UFC Ring Girls by name should be proof enough, actually.
Believe me, I love that we saw the first female referee on a UFC card over the weekend at the Ultimate Fighter Finale and that female fighters not named Carano are starting to get some attention, but let’s not kid ourselves either.
The inclusion of Kim Winslow into the referee pool is great, but until we include some dude with washboard abs wearing a Speedo and carrying a Round 3 card at fights, we can hold off on the handshakes and hugs.
For every male mind out there that wonders why the UFC Ring Girls are at preliminary fights on The Ultimate Fighter and who want to see Cyborg and Gina Carano throwdown because it’s going to be a serious slugfest, there are far more guys out there who are stoked to see the pretty girls in the booty shorts holding up those cards, reminding them what round it is because counting is just too tough.
Seriously – can you give me one reason besides showing a bikini-clad chick on television that “the beautiful Arianny” and “the lovely Logan,” as Mike Goldberg refers to them are anywhere near the UFC Training Center during filming of TUF? Everyone else in the room is tied to the fight game and knows what round it is, but we’ve gotta pander to the guys sitting on their couch waiting to see the half-naked girl…
And that is why we shouldn’t be giving ourselves a pat on the back just yet.
Gina Carano is still “the face of female MMA” mainly because she makes the Top 20 of Maxim’s Hottest Women issue and was “Crush” on American Gladiators.
Guys aren’t turning up to her weigh-in to hear her thoughts on the fight or world issues; it’s because she has a difficult time making weight and tends to get naked behind a towel every time. At least she doesn’t blame “women’s problems” like some people cough Cyborg cough …
We’re getting there, we’re just not there yet.
Originally posted at Keyboard Kimura.
I think your combining two issues that should remain separate. The first is that promotions pander to the male dominated MMA fan base by providing T&A for their viewing pleasure, and that said fan base tends to enjoy it, perhaps overly so. While I wouldn't mind if the ring girl traditions were abolished tomorrow, it doesn't particularly bother me either. I don't really get the amount of attention some people seem to pay to the on goings of ring girls, but at the same time I have no shame in admitting that I don't mind looking at other Octagon girl's boobs. I certainly don't think evening the playing field is the answer to that problem.
The second issue is the amount of relevance female mixed martial artists receive due to their aesthetic appeal, and more importantly of female mixed martial arts is dependent on a pretty face. I think this remains an open question. Sure people like to talk about Gina Carano a lot, and her looks to hurt her there. But the real test is yet to come.
I would like to say the answer hinges on her fight with Santos, but that might not be true. Personally I think Cristiane has some hot qualities herself, but I get the impression I'm in the minority (the very small minority).
Just like I recently blogged about fighters that might be lacking in charisma (http://blog.mmaratings.net/2009/06/do-you-have-to-be-big-talker-to-make-it.html), I think fighting is what matters.
I'm hopeful that if Santos crushes Carano, it won't be the end of female MMA, and people will be clamoring to see Santos' next big test. If people are still more interested in Carano, than obviously I'm off base.
On the other hand, if Carano dominates Santos, this question will remain unanswered.
But like fighters with charisma can use it to enhance their fan appeal, its no replacement god fighting and its not required for popularity. I think time will show the same for hot female mixed martial artists.
I don't think they are two different issues – both hinge on looks and pandering to men through pretty girls.
I too don't understand why so much attention is paid to ring girls, but it is, on every UFC broadcast and in the pages of most MMA publications. Scantily clad women sell and when it comes to the fighters, the pretty ones get the biggest push.
If the fighting is really what matters, why don't we have a Tara LaRosa Round 5 figurine or as much hype for Sarah Kaufman and Shayna Baszler throwing down big time two weeks back? Simple… it's not about the fighting!
And I wasn't saying that female MMA gets receives attention simply because of aesthetic appeal; I'm saying the MMA community needs to hold off on the self-praise for being so advance as having a female ref on a major event when they still use half-naked women to draw in viewers and promote female fighters with pretty faces more so than others.
Despite the overlap, I still think they are two separate issues. I think its clear why promotions use ring girls the way they do, but I agree, that I can't understand why there is as much interest in them as there is. If you're looking for T&A, there's better places to get it without all that fighting getting in the way.
I don't believe its not about the fighting. Carano and Santos were just the one's that EliteXC gave exposure to (and mostly to the former), which is similar to Kimbo – that's just how EliteXC ran, and now they're gone. I think we'll see promotions like Strikeforce working to build the division, and not just one star. But the reality is that in the meantime, Carano IS a star and Carano/Santos is the fight fans want to see.
Once people are exposed to more female fighters, the fighting stars will shine. Of course if they're pretty, that will always be a plus for them, but that's not a double standard.
As for your point about "the MMA community needs to hold off on the self-praise", I totally agree. I guess I wasn't aware that was happening.
BTW, Kim Winslow was a referee at WEC 35.
But Carano received the primary push and spots on TV while Cyborg fought earlier in the night and was referenced.
IMO, there is no way a Cyborg / Kaufman or Cyborg / Baszler fight would be getting as much coverage as the Cyborg / Carano fight is and those other two women aren't far off in terms of talent. It's because Gina is smokin' hot…
I agree that once people are exposed to more fighters, the best fighters will shine through, but why not EXPOSE more fighters and let them shine through, instead of shining a light on Gina Carano's pretty face and keeping everyone else in the background?
But you're talking about what EliteXC did, or what's being done specifically because of what EliteXC did (make Carano a star, and the Carano/Santos fight the one to see). Strikeforce has to give these fighters exposure before can they given them any significant push, and I think they are giving them exposure.
A part of me hopes that Santos crushes Carano only so we can see what happens. I think everyone will be clamoring for Santos' next big challenge.
BTW, Carano did blame woman problems when she missed weight.
Despite the overlap, I still think they are two separate issues. I think its clear why promotions use ring girls the way they do, but I agree, that I can't understand why there is as much interest in them as there is. If you're looking for T&A, there's better places to get it without all that fighting getting in the way.
I don't believe its not about the fighting. Carano and Santos were just the one's that EliteXC gave exposure to (and mostly to the former), which is similar to Kimbo – that's just how EliteXC ran, and now they're gone. I think we'll see promotions like Strikeforce working to build the division, and not just one star. But the reality is that in the meantime, Carano IS a star and Carano/Santos is the fight fans want to see.
Once people are exposed to more female fighters, the fighting stars will shine. Of course if they're pretty, that will always be a plus for them, but that's not a double standard.
As for your point about "the MMA community needs to hold off on the self-praise", I totally agree. I guess I wasn't aware that was happening.
BTW, Kim Winslow was a referee at WEC 35.
I think your combining two issues that should remain separate. The first is that promotions pander to the male dominated MMA fan base by providing T&A for their viewing pleasure, and that said fan base tends to enjoy it, perhaps overly so. While I wouldn't mind if the ring girl traditions were abolished tomorrow, it doesn't particularly bother me either. I don't really get the amount of attention some people seem to pay to the on goings of ring girls, but at the same time I have no shame in admitting that I don't mind looking at other Octagon girl's boobs. I certainly don't think evening the playing field is the answer to that problem.
The second issue is the amount of relevance female mixed martial artists receive due to their aesthetic appeal, and more importantly of female mixed martial arts is dependent on a pretty face. I think this remains an open question. Sure people like to talk about Gina Carano a lot, and her looks to hurt her there. But the real test is yet to come.
I would like to say the answer hinges on her fight with Santos, but that might not be true. Personally I think Cristiane has some hot qualities herself, but I get the impression I'm in the minority (the very small minority).
Just like I recently blogged about fighters that might be lacking in charisma (http://blog.mmaratings.net/2009/06/do-you-have-to-be-big-talker-to-make-it.html), I think fighting is what matters.
I'm hopeful that if Santos crushes Carano, it won't be the end of female MMA, and people will be clamoring to see Santos' next big test. If people are still more interested in Carano, than obviously I'm off base.
On the other hand, if Carano dominates Santos, this question will remain unanswered.
But like fighters with charisma can use it to enhance their fan appeal, its no replacement god fighting and its not required for popularity. I think time will show the same for hot female mixed martial artists.