An Experience With Conor McGregor - EventCity, Manchester

In just four short years, Conor McGregor has gone from nothing to something to everything. This was the mantra played out loud and clear on the intro package played before the Irishman's typically dramatic and celtic entrance into Manchester's EventCity arena, where he would find himself faced with esteemed MMA journalist Ariel Helwani.

As is to be expected in an event involving the notorious one, the reaction from the crowd was huge. This was my first time seeing him live, and while I have seen a number of pre and post-fight interviews in US have been almost hijacked by Irish fans, there can be no doubt that the reception is similarly euphoric here. His is a personality that seems to transcend sport, with stars in other industries, including Justin Bieber and Paul Pogba, copying that now patented strut on social media.

In an hour-long event that covered both his personal and professional lives, we got to see a lot of the brash McGregor we know and love, but also a more heartfelt and emotional side. Brought out in part by the lines of questioning taken by MMA Fighting's Helwani, this was an interview where it was very apparent we were witnessing the real Conor McGregor, from his relationships with the UFC brass to his passions, life lessons and targets outside of the fight game.

The personal side was very apparent right from the get-go, with the notorious one seemingly blown away by the level of support he received from the Manchester crowd as he entered. As he said, he was 'almost humbled' - almost being the operative word! Nevertheless, as we ventured further into the interview, McGregor did not shy away from answering the personal questions, culminating with the breaking news that he will be having a boy in April, a revelation he said that his girlfriend would kill him for.

Similarly, the Dublin-born fighter was not afraid to share some of his life lessons with the crowd, with a particularly poignant message coming from a fan question about his dream dinner party guests. Prior to his breakthrough into the UFC, it's well known that McGregor 'didn't have a pot to piss in', claiming benefits and living day to day. So now he finds himself at the top of the game, with all the wealth in the world, it was refreshing to hear his answer of 'I don't eat with people I wouldn't starve with', recognising the struggles he has been through to get this place.

Likewise, his passion for the sport of MMA has not changed over the years, but his options certainly have. Last year, he launched McGregor Promotions, and confirmed that he expects 2017 to be the year that sees its first fight card, with the O2 Arena in London already touted as a potential venue. However, he shares an interesting relationship with the promotion with which he became a star. As much as they seem willing to push him to the moon, McGregor also revealed his feelings that a number of barriers have been placed in his way, designed to create a glass ceiling and prevent his popularity usurping that of the company. In particular, the Irishman raised questions around the arbitrary stripping of his featherweight belt, a belt that he says he was never asked to defend, as well as the recent news that the promotion will be creating an interim lightweight title at UFC 209, an announcement that came just two months after McGregor claimed the belt at Madison Square Garden.

The 5,000 fans in Manchester highlight this popularity, and as McGregor perhaps playfully made reference to, he expected there to be more people turning out to watch him speak than there are in Denver watching the UFC's latest Fight Night!

There was nothing playful about his message to the remainder of the UFC roster. After his now iconic apology at UFC 205, it's quite clear the disdain that McGregor has, and he remains insistent that none of the fighters in the featherweight, lightweight or even welterweight divisions could stand with him. Indeed, he regularly referred to the likes of Tony Ferguson, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Jose Aldo and Max Holloway as 'bums', as well as claiming he would slap welterweight champ Tyron Woodley around the Octagon.

As has been reported, McGregor's sights are set a little higher, with a boxing super fight with Floyd Mayweather seemingly inevitable. The Irishman expects the deal to be done before the end of the year, saying he's 'hunting' the top pound for pound boxer. Following a serious offer from Dana White, McGregor says that the fight is heading in the right direction, but there is still some way to go before any decision is made. With the notorious one having the reach and youth advantage, he also has no doubt about the result when it gets there, and also stoked a bit of bad blood between the two, calling Mayweather a 'Malteser with eyeballs', and suggesting that 'Money' remains scared of him.

As for the future, McGregor confessed that he is just chilling, awaiting his next challenge. Certainly the incoming child represents a challenge, and fatherhood is still a strange concept to the 28-year old. However, he already has put in place a long-term goal, and remains convinced that the only person who will be able to break his UFC and MMA records will be his own spawn! As for the sport where he made his name, McGregor insists that 2017 will be a year to remember, both for his new promotions company, and the potential for shares in the UFC. His is a name that will not fade away by a small absence, whether that is to compete in boxing, appear at Wrestlemania, or even take the leading role in a film!

Quite simply, McGregor is, in his own words, the face of the UFC, WWE, boxing, and last night, he was the face of Manchester.

MMA Awards 2017: The Case For... Cody Garbrandt

As breakouts go, coming from unranked to champion of the world in the space of 12 months is about as fairytale as it gets. As we entered 2016, Cody 'No Love' Garbrandt was just another promising UFC bantamweight fighter, travelling largely under the radar behind other young prospects like Thomas Almeida and Aljamain Sterling. Interestingly, at a UFC 199 press conference, then champ Dominick Cruz insisted he knew nothing of the 24-year-old, stating that to him, Garbrandt was just another of the 'young kids on the block'.

Whether that statement was true or not, just six months later at UFC 207, Cruz was being comprehensively out-manoevered by the Alpha Male fighter on the way to a convincing unanimous decision defeat.

This was the end to another picture perfect year for No Love, racking up a 4-0 record during 2016. When compared to the other nominees, only Derrick Lewis can match his record, with Michael 'Venom' Page (3-0), Yair Rodriguez (2-0) both remaining unbeaten during the year. Meanwhile Doo Ho Choi, despite posting a contender for Fight of the Year, could only manage a 1-1 record during 2016, ultimately keeping him out of the running for this award.

So other than his record during the year, why does Garbrandt's rise stand out from his peers? Over the last 12 months, he has announced himself on the world stage on two separate occasions, starching the aforementioned Almeida in his first bout as headliner, before shocking the MMA universe to claim the belt from Cruz on December 30th. In comparison, both Bellator's Page and Rodriguez could only manage a  once, with MVP hitting the headlines with his brutal flying knee knockout of Evangelista 'Cyborg' Santos, while Rodriguez also executed a perfect flying technique of his own against Andre Fili at UFC 197.

Doo Ho Choi, the Korean Superboy, stood out for his fight against Cub Swanson, but with it ultimately ending in defeat, perhaps 2017 should be targeted as his breakthrough year. Similarly, Derrick Lewis remains in the mid-card of a rather weak UFC heavyweight division, with his only headline performance an underwhelming 4th round TKO victory against Shamil Abdurakhimov. With Travis Browne slated to be next for 'The Black Beast', next year could prove to be the one that makes his name.

When it comes to Garbrandt's key moments, while the power he displayed to knock out Almeida was impressive, it was the manner of his victory at UFC 207 that solidified him as not just a future star, but one for the present. Anyone who has watched a Dominick Cruz fight knows how elusive he is, and how unpredictable his movement has been in recent bouts, out-thinking both TJ Dillashaw and Urijah Faber to claim and retain the title.

However, when it came to the new Alpha Male prospect, Cruz found himself in an uncomfortable position from the word go. With Garbrandt seemingly unfazed by the high pressure environment, as well as the acrimonious build-up, which many believed would leave him emotional inside the cage, he demonstrated remarkable composure to not just live with the champion, but bamboozle him. His footwork and head movement were second to none, so much so that he was able to drop his hands and spawn a number of GIFs and Anderson Silva comparisons. Such was Garbrandt's success, he was able to dance, complete press-ups and taunt Cruz following a knock-down!

There is no doubt about his fighting technique, but if Garbrandt is lacking in any area, it's charisma on the microphone. Cruz made it perfectly clear in the build-up to UFC 207 that he didn't rate No Love's intelligence, and it's certainly true that in the current trend of sport and entertainment, Garbrandt offers far more inside the Octagon than outside.

But perhaps that isn't a bad thing. While he certainly generates conversations, both in real life and on social media, MVP's brash and cocky attitude also rubs many people up the wrong way. His disdain for opponents even after the event, particularly in the case of Cyborg Santos, whose skull he caved in with his knee, is seen as disrespectful. Likewise, the release of a dance video mocking Ronda Rousey's defeat to Amanda Nunes highlights the distasteful nature of his mental game. Ultimately, it sells fights, but Garbrandt has so far let his talking happen in the cage, and he seems to have done just fine!

Nevertheless, No Love has become one of the most exciting bantamweight fighters of all time, and it will be intriguing to see whether he excels in the role of champion as he did as the underdog. TJ Dillashaw, if that is to be his first defence, will certainly ask questions, but if he stays behind his hammer of a right hand, he will rapidly move from the 'Breakthrough' category to the headline one in no time at all.

MMA Awards 2017: The Case For... Amanda Nunes

The women's bantamweight title has been somewhat of a hot potato during 2016, with the belt changing hands no fewer than three times over the year. However, if you had asked MMA fans to predict who would have been champion as we moved into 2017, Amanda Nunes would not have been at the top of many lists.

However, when it comes to her being named the Female Fighter of the Year, the case for Amanda Nunes is more than strong enough if you only consider the 48 seconds at UFC 207, when she demolished the woman widely considered the greatest female fighter of all time. As Ronda Rousey staggered around the Octagon in the moments proceeding the fight, the illusion was well and truly shattered, and Amanda Nunes' star was solidified. Throw in the fact that she enjoyed a 3-0 record in 2016, claiming the sport's highest prize by beating another MMA legend in Miesha Tate, it's almost embarrassing to consider anyone else.

Nevertheless, we must. In fact, Angela Hill can actually better Nunes' record in 2016, going 4-0 in her run to the top of Invicta's strawweight division. However, when you consider both the calibre of fighters that she has come across this year, as well as the fact that she ended 2015 with back to back losses against top 10 UFC fighters in Rose Namajunas and Tecia Torres, the gloss of that accomplishment slightly wears off. Similarly, the achievements of Angela Lee, the ONE FC's inaugural women's atomweight champion, are not in the same league as those of Nunes, winning just two fights in 2016, albeit in a rapidly rising organisation.

If 2013 was the introduction to women in the UFC, and 2015 was the year of its biggest shock, then 2016 was when the divisions demonstrated their strength in depth. Joanna Jedrzejczyk, peerless in her 2015 run to and then defence of the strawweight title, has certainly noticed that this year. Though she comfortably outpointed Claudia Gadelha in a fight with more than a little bad blood, she found herself more than challenged by fellow Pole Karolina Kowalkiewicz, getting dropped in the fourth round before reclaiming her composure. She maintains the UFC crown, but it is beginning to look a little more uncertain than it did a year ago.

Finally, the introduction of Cris 'Cyborg' Justino to the UFC was a moment many thought would never come. Having cleared out the Invicta Featherweight division, Dana White was at a loss to find her an opponent at 145 lbs, forcing two catchweight bouts against mid-level bantamweight fighters. The inevitable batterings ensued, with the weight cut nearly killing Cyborg in the process. While the announcement of a new featherweight division could lead to a greater challenge for Justino in 2017, her health problems, and a certain case currently with USADA, means that 2016 represents just a step forward in her career, rather than a seminal moment.

Meanwhile, it has certainly been a transformational year for the 'Lioness'. Taking her performances inside the Octagon aside, the progress she has made in her game across the board has been remarkable. She is now arguably the most well-rounded female fighter in the UFC, or at least closing in rapidly on Jedrzejczyk, possessing some of the most dangerous boxing in the division. She has also demonstrated how adept she is on the mat, using her black belt in jiu-jitzu to claim the title from Tate at the main event of UFC 200.

As a result, her confidence is sky-high, and she's recently said that she feels she can emulate Conor McGregor and hold two UFC belts simultaneously. Eyeing up the winner of the inaugural women's featherweight title fight between Germaine de Randemie and Holly Holm, she firmly believes that either woman would see a fate similar to Ronda Rousey.

For many, her place as the year's best female fighter is beyond doubt, but if she does manage to accomplish what she intends next year, she will solidify herself as one of the greatest ever.

UFC: Top 10 Title Fights

As the world's premier MMA organisation, the UFC has delivered some of the best title fights in the sport. With recent years seeing the sport expand to include 10 weight divisions, there have been a number of outstanding and memorable clashes.

Below are my top 10 title fights in the UFC:

10. Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen - UFC 117

The first fight on the list involves the greatest of all time, but it's not the Brazilian at his imperious best. Instead, I've gone with his first fight with legendary trash talker Chael Sonnen, who had talked openly about how he would destroy The Spider in the lead up to the fight.

And for four rounds, it seemed that the American had got his tactics spot on, putting the Brazilian on his back and controlling the pace and striking battle. As we entered the final two minutes, it looked more than likely that Sonnen would complete the unthinkable, ending the three year title reign of Silva. However, a momentary lack of concentration allowed Silva to lock in a triangle choke from which the American had to tap.

9. Conor McGregor vs Jose Aldo - UFC 194

While not the longest title fight in the UFC, it is certainly one of the more memorable. The build-up was so heated and protracted, with the Brazilian pulling out on the fight on at least one occasion, and McGregor utilising his own brand of mental warfare. With Aldo unbeaten in more than 10 years, and the Irishman the fighter on the rise, it was seen to be the biggest fight in the history of the organisation.

And in a flash, it was over. A side step and a counter left, followed by two hammer fists, and Aldo was out. In thirteen seconds, McGregor had taken his place at the top of the featherweight division, and cemented his legacy as 'Mystic Mac'.

8. Michael Bisping vs Dan Henderson - UFC 204

This blog is unapologetically subjective, and quite frankly, this one's on the list because I was there! The atmosphere in the sold-out Manchester Arena was absolutely spine-tingling as the home-town champion made his way to the Octagon, with a similarly expressive response in the negative for Hendo.

The fight itself certainly lived up to the hype, with the H-bomb playing a central role in putting Bisping on the floor twice in the first two rounds. However, with the overwhelming support of the crowd, the champion rallied to pick the veteran apart for the remainder of the fight. The noise as the unanimous decision win was announced was something extraordinary, and a moment I will never forget.

7. Georges St Pierre vs Johny Hendricks - UFC 167 

The first welterweight fight on this list is undoubtedly one of the most controversial in UFC history. Having racked up an astonishing 2,204 day title reign in the hotly contested welterweight division, including an 11-fight win streak, Georges St Pierre had cemented himself as arguably the best pound-for-pound MMA fighter of all time.

That meant little to Big Rigg. Having claimed the first round, the challenger staggered St Pierre early in the second, leaving him firmly on the defensive and his face a mess. Only effective jabs by the champion prevented a 10-8 round, with St Pierre recovering to take the third. Despite this, Hendricks clearly maintained grappling control in the fourth, meaning that even with a GSP final round, the decision should have been his. However, the judges clearly saw enough from the champion to allow him the split decision win, much to the approval of the partisan home crowd.

6. Brock Lesnar vs Shane Carwin - UFC 116

Nothing said 'baddest man on the planet' more than this fight in 2009. After a disappointing and controversial loss to Frank Mir in his opening bout, Lesnar had revolutionised the heavyweight division since joining the UFC, claiming the title in just his third fight. In the meantime, Carwin had built up an impressive 12-0 record, becoming known as one of the hardest hitters in all of combat sports.

None of Carwin's fights had ever got out of the first round, and this one barely managed that. Carwin rocked Lesnar early in the fight, and only some strong refereeing from Josh Rozenthal kept it going, with the undefeated fighter pounding on the champion for three full minutes. However, it became apparent in the second round that the challenger was exhausted, allowing Lesnar to take him down and secure an arm triangle to retain.

5. Ronda Rousey vs Holly Holm - UFC 193

Quite simply the biggest shock in UFC history. Having dominated the entire women's bantamweight division for nearly three years, with her previous four fights lasting a combined total of just two minutes and 10 seconds, Rousey was the overwhelming favourite going into the largest spectator event in UFC history.

However, in front of 55,000 fans at Melbourne's Etihad Stadium, it was the former kickboxing champion that had the better gameplan, producing a perfect counter-punching display in the first round to frustrate the judoka. The second round continued in the same vein until Holm picked up the pace, stunning Rousey with a series of jabs, before ending the fight with a devastating head kick.

4. Renan Barao vs TJ Dillashaw - UFC 173

While the shock value of this fight wasn't as much as the one above, this was the moment that a young fighter came of age. It does have to be said that going in, Renan Barao was considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, having gone undefeated for more than a decade, twice beating Urijah Faber, as well as victories over Eddie Wineland and Michael McDonald.

However, the former Ultimate Fighter finalist stunned the Brazilian with his unorthodox movement and consistent striking power, scoring a knockdown in the first round with a huge right hand. Despite dominating the champion for four rounds, Dillashaw refused to leave it in the hands of the judges, eventually finishing Barao with a beautiful head kick and punches combination in the fifth.

3. Dominick Cruz vs Cody Garbrandt - UFC 207

The most recent entrant to this list comes, once again, from the bantamweight division. Having returned from a career threatening injury and series of ACL surgeries, Dominick Cruz had reclaimed the title from TJ Dillashaw in February 2016, before retaining against old nemesis Urijah Faber in the summer.

While many saw Cody Garbrandt as the most dangerous opponent the champion had ever faced in terms of power, the consensus was that the challenger would let the emotions get the better of him and Cruz would take full advantage. However, the latest Alpha Male upstart put on a masterclass in movement and precision, making the usually unorthodox combinations and transitions of Cruz look almost pedestrian. Having knocked down the champion several times during the five rounds, the 25 year-old found himself with a comfortable decision win to fulfil his dream.

2. Jon Jones vs Alexander Gustafsson - UFC 165

About as close a fight as you're ever likely to see. I know the judges get a hard time, and in the most part justifiably so, but try scoring any of the opening three rounds of this one. As we entered the championship rounds, it could just as easily have been 2-1 Jones as 2-1 Gustafsson.

With the challenger demonstrating outstanding takedown defence and catching Jones regularly with jabs, it took a typically extravagant spinning elbow from the champion in the fourth round to wobble the Swede. Gustafsson recovered remarkably to make the final round just as close as the opening three, but ultimately the judges saw it unanimously for Jones.

1. Robbie Lawler vs Rory Macdonald - UFC 189

If ever you wanted to see two humans push themselves to the limit (and beyond), this was the fight. Robbie Lawler is known for his durability, and demonstrated that once again in a battle that defines 'back and forth'. While the opening round did little to highlight the classic that this fight would become, the champion clearly claimed round two.

Despite this continuing into the third round, a single head kick changed the direction of the fight. With Lawler wobbled and hanging on, the challenger unleashed a barrage of punches and knees that was only ended by the bell. Another head kick in the fourth again had the champion in trouble, though he recovered suitably to engage in one of the most intense staredowns in combat sports at the end of the round.

With the fight likely tied at two, the final round was set to be the decider. With Lawler's jab leaving MacDonald a bloody mess by this point, a series of right hands connected in just the right spot at the beginning of the fifth, shattering the nose and the spirit of the challenger, and ensuring that the belt remained around the waist of Lawler.

What are your favourites? Let me know either in the comments section or on Twitter @TheWeighInMMA

MMA Awards 2017: The Case For... Michael Bisping

It's been a busy year for The Count, during which he has achieved feats the majority of the MMA world thought impossible. I'm sure there are occasions where even he may have felt his dreams were going to elude him, but in typical stoic British fashion, he overcame his hurdles and ends the year atop arguably the most stacked division in the UFC. With the top 10 containing the likes of Romero, Weidman, Rockhold, Jacare, Mousasi, Silva and Whittaker, it's a real murderer's row for any potential champion.

If the state of the division plays in Bisping's favour, it makes it all the more impressive that the Brit won all three of his fights over the course of 2016. And it's not like he was fighting mid-carders. Both Anderson Silva and Dan Henderson are MMA legends, and while the argument could be made that they are perhaps not at the same level that they were in years past, these were the battles that gave him the most trouble. And no matter who you're fighting, a title fight is never easy.

In comparison to the other fighters on the shortlist, both Donald Cerrone and Cody Garbrandt have better records at 4-0, but barring the recent title fight for Cody at UFC 207, the level of competition has been the lower end of the top-10 rather than title contenders. Conor McGregor lost spectacularly to Nate Diaz, and while the fight did take place outside the Irishman's natural weight-class, Diaz is hardly a natural welterweight, and had taken the fight on 10 days' notice. Only Stipe Miocic can match the Brit in terms of both record and level of opponents faced, with Arlovski, Werdum and Overeem all of the highest calibre.

However, it was the way in which Bisping won each of his fights that really sets him apart from his competition. If there is one thing we've learnt about The Count this year, it's that he never does it the easy way. He took his title fight against Rockhold on 11 days' notice, walking straight off a movie set to knock the champion out in the first round. Meanwhile, in both the Silva and Henderson fights, the Brit found himself in deep trouble, only to find the inner strength and resilience to not only fight on, but win on both occasions. 

In comparison, Miocic has spent a sum total of eight minutes and nineteen seconds inside the Octagon this year, with none of his fights making it out of the first round. While that is impressive in itself, the heavyweight champ has spent the majority of the time in a dominant position, and despite being clipped by Overeem, has not had to battle through the same adversity as Bisping throughout the year.

The Brit's fighting style has also seen drastic improvement this year, with his now legendary cardio backed up by first class head movement and a left hook that put both Silva and Rockhold on the canvas. In addition, it certainly seems like Bisping has added patience to his game this year. Despite the flailing limbs and antics of Silva designed to distract, Bisping remained calm and composed in the opening rounds, with his only mistake leading to the flying knee that nearly shut his lights off. This same patience has allowed him to mix up his striking and try new techniques, with the switch kick utilised frequently against Henderson a newer move to the arsenal.

There is also the sense that Bisping has had the fight won in the pre-show exchanges, making a name for himself as one of the most notorious trash-talkers in the sport today. While he may not be as charismatic as the original 'Notorious One' McGregor, and perhaps is not as creative with his barbs, there can be little doubt that the Mancunian has a way of getting under his opponent's skin. In the lead up to the Rockhold fight, you could feel the tension and anger radiating off the champion during press engagements, eventually losing his cool with the challenger at the pre-fight conference. With Rockhold emotional and over-confident, Bisping took full advantage to shock the MMA world.

Nevertheless, Matt Hughes famously said "you're not a true champion until you defend your belt". Having campaigned for a revenge rematch against Dan Henderson, who brutally KO'd the Brit at UFC 100, the fact that the bout took place at Bisping's home arena in Manchester added further pressure to that first title fight as champ. While some may argue that home advantage is exactly that, the expectation of the crowd can also be a hindrance. Add in the fact that Bisping had to walk through two H-bombs, and his unanimous decision win was more than a little impressive.

And so, ten years after he entered the Octagon in The Ultimate Fighter, the Brit has beaten the greatest of all time, put an full stop on a bitter and storied rivalry, as well as ending the career of a legend, and claimed UFC gold in his first title fight - and on short notice at that. If that's not deserving of recognition, I'm not sure what is.

As always, share your thoughts with me in the comments section below, or on Twitter @TheWeighInMMA

MMA Awards 2017: The Case For...

At the beginning of a new year, it is always good to take a look back at the accomplishments of the months past. 2016 was another outstanding year of growth for the sport of mixed martial arts. Outside of the cage, we saw an unprecedented $4bn deal for the UFC, bringing in new investment and ideas, Bellator strengthen its ranks with a host of free agent signings including Rory Macdonald, Matt Mitrione, Benson Henderson and Chael Sonnen, and the move towards a unionised fighter association get ever closer.

The year wasn't bad for in-cage action either. Having overturned the corrupt ban on the sport in New York, UFC 205 broke practically every record going, from pay-per-view buys to Conor McGregor becoming the first ever fighter to hold two UFC titles simultaneously, while Brock Lesnar sensationally returned at UFC 200.

Hosted on March 2nd, predictably in Las Vegas, the Fighters Only World MMA Awards looks to recognise the greatest of the sport each year. Dubbed the 'MMA Oscars', the 22 awards are designed to cover the entire mixed martial arts eco-system, appreciating everyone that makes the sport what it is today.

As a result, categories range from the predictable 'Fighter of the Year' and 'Breakthough Fighter of the Year', to performance related awards, covering the most spectacular ways of finishing a fight, to journalists, personalities, coaches and gyms associated with the sport.

The shortlists for each have been released, and the public have been asked to vote for their winners at the link below:

http://www.worldmmaawards.com/vote/

I have already taken this opportunity, and over the next few weeks, I'll be posting new content every Friday outlining my case for some of the headline awards.

So take a trip to the website above, vote for your favourite, and let me know your thoughts on mine each week, either in the comments here or @TheWeighInMMA on Twitter.

The Perception of MMA: The Meryl Streep Fallout

So, as most people interested in mixed martial arts will know by now, a celebrity made a few comments at the Golden Globes on Sunday. Amongst Meryl Streep's insults directed at Donald Trump was a brief quote about the world's fastest growing sport:

"Hollywood is crawling with foreigners, and if you kick them all out, all you'll have to watch is football and mixed martial arts - and those are not arts."

This understandably drew the ire of the MMA community, with the reaction varying greatly from person to person. At one end of the scale, Bellator owner Scott Coker penned a courteous open letter to the actress, explaining his points clearly and concisely, and inviting Streep to be his guest for the upcoming Bellator 170: Sonnen vs Ortiz event at the Forum in LA.

Meanwhile, the comments were not taken so well on the other side of the MMA fence. Known for his strong and fiery demeanour, particularly in the face of criticism, UFC president Dana White described  Streep as an "uppity 80 year-old lady", while telling her in no uncertain terms "if you don't like it, change the channel."

Somewhere in the middle sits John Kavanagh, the coach of Conor McGregor and numerous other top competitors across mainstream MMA organisations. While I have seen a number of click-baity articles posted that use the soundbite 'F**k off' to entice page views, I actually think he makes a wider point in his comments (see Facebook post below).



While questioning the motives of Streep for making these comments, claiming she attempted to make herself look more like 'one of the people' while sat in her mansion, the whole Streep debacle is based around the same idea: MMA is often extremely misunderstood by the general public, and no-one can identify whether it is an art or a sport. I can admit that I was certainly part of this group, with the term 'cage fighting' in my mind depicting lawless bouts where savages would attempt to tear one another apart for a baying crowd. I exaggerate slightly for dramatic effect, but it's certainly true that the word conjures a very different image to the reality at the highest level of mixed martial arts. While the violent outcome is inescapable, the methods by which it occurs are far more sophisticated than conventional wisdom suggests.

In order to demonstrate this, and why Meryl Streep is wrong, I apologise but I'm about to get pedantic. The definition of 'art' is 'the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.' Now, for every fan of 'traditional art' that gets teary-eyed at the brilliance of Picasso, and especially more abstract pieces like No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red) by Mark Rothko, which, by the way, sold for $186m, there is an MMA fan who can tell you the emotion of disbelief and shock they had at the sight of the world famous 'Showtime' kick or Holly Holm's headlock knockout of Ronda Rousey at UFC 193.

Similarly, in terms of beauty, I can appreciate many art forms, be it music, theatre or paintings, and the thought and skill that goes into an MMA fight is no different. Take Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone's UFC 202 performance against Rick Story as a case in point. The foresight to know exactly how his opponent was going to move, and the impact that each of his strikes would have in his four-point combination, was absolutely stunning. To see him pull that off was, in my mind, no different that seeing a pitch-perfect live version of Pavarotti's 'Nessun Dorma' - instilling an emotion that makes you believe you are watching something incredible.

I think the point around MMA's perception gets increasingly interesting when compared to other combat sports, particularly boxing. While there remain some who believe all blood sports to be barbaric, these are certainly in the minority, with the majority of people able to recognise skill in the ring. For example, there are few that see Muhammad Ali as a violent thug, capable of rendering another human unconscious without a second thought. Instead, he is seen as the epitome of a true sportsman, with his movement and heart the attributes of focus.

Regardless of how valid the perception of MMA is, the point remains that there is one, and Meryl Streep's comments highlight this clearly. When it comes to a reaction, if the end goal is to change the negative perception of the sport, the more aggressive approach taken by the likes of Dana White isn't helpful. If anything, it appears to reinforce the violent and unpredictable stereotype created.

As with any sport, MMA will not be for everyone, and some people will never be able to get past the end result, which is ultimately violence. However, for those who are more open-minded, or perhaps less squeamish, we can only hope to influence opinion through reasoned explanation and education of the skills that make the art, rather than barbed comments, tweets and insults.

The Weigh-In: A New Blog for a Rising Sport

For nearly four years, I have been writing the blog It's More Than Just A Game, focused largely around my first sporting love: football. From a young age, I was obsessed with the world's most popular game, able to quote the most ridiculous statistics and focusing on seemingly insignificant topics in great detail.

However, over the last 18 months, I have found myself feeling very similar levels of obsession about a new topic, and a sport that has been on the rise around the world in recent years. Introduced to mixed martial arts by my brother in late 2014, it wasn't until I discovered the fights of Anderson Silva, and especially Brock Lesnar, that I started to get the MMA bug. Having recognised the Beast from my younger days of watching professional wrestling, I was intrigued to see how he did in real competition.

I was, and remain to this day, fascinated at the ability of fighters to sense danger, predict reactions and plan two or three moves in advance, making MMA a more violent version of chess. Similarly, the interplay of vastly differing, but equally valuable, fighting styles is also not just interesting, but impressive when you consider the amount that fighters are forced to adapt when fighting different opponents.

So I decided to take my own style of football writing and analysis, and apply it to my new passion. Following UFC 200, I wrote a blog post entitled 'The Rotten Core of MMA', looking at the failed drug tests of both Brock Lesnar and Jon Jones, and the historical endemic use of performance enhancers in the sport. I'll post the link to this below, but in short, it prompted me to launch this new blog, dedicated to the big MMA stories and analysis of key fights and events.

Over the coming months, I'll be posting some of my favourite MMA moments and fighters, and while my current exposure to the sport will mean I focus initially on the UFC, I plan on posting more and more regularly on other organisations, with Bellator, Rizin, BAMMA and One Championship all on my radar.

So welcome to The Weigh-In, and feel free to share your thoughts with me in the comments or on Twitter @TheWeighInMMA.

UFC 200 blog: http://itsmorethanjustagameblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/ufc-200-rotten-core-of-mma.html