Straight Up Chatting with UFC Expert: "Americans Can Sometimes Come Off As Arrogant About MMA"
"Americans are often perceived as boastful and overconfident in the realm of Mixed Martial Arts"
By Mike B
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Making it big in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) demands a whole lot of grit. Once you're in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), you join the elite. But for many European fighters, breaking into the top organization proves to be a tough nut to crack, and it's not just the fighters themselves who are to blame, according to a UFC expert.
The UFC and other top MMA organizations in the USA have a glaring dearth of German fighters, or any European fighters for that matter. "There's a reason for that," said Din Thomas in an interview with ntv.de. The former MMA fighter sees a wealth of untapped talent in the German market but isn't shy about calling out athletes and promoters.
Are cage fights too raw for mainstream acceptance? MMA might be on the verge of a breakthrough in Germany. Thomas is now a UFC and ESPN expert, with a unique perspective on MMA in Europe and Germany. "I love unpolished talent. There's a lot of potential here; it just needs to be discovered and given a chance." This includes giving these fighters their shot on the big stage, where they can make their mistakes. The 48-year-old has developed a soft spot for Germany. After spending several months training at MMA Spirit in Frankfurt am Main in 2014, he found the atmosphere and the people, the hospitality, enchanting. Since then, Thomas has been frequently visiting Germany, knowing the big stage for MMA now exists through Oktagon. Sold-out arenas, cheering crowds, and a TV product virtually indistinguishable from the UFC. However, there are reasons why such a prominent product in Germany remains largely overlooked in the USA. "For some reason, Americans can be quite arrogant about this. If it ain't American, it's second-rate. I don't buy that, and I feel the need to shine a light on what's happening here."
The numbers that Oktagon delivers are better than in the USA, Thomas points out, referring to the record event in Frankfurt's stadium with 58,000 spectators. "That's a start. But the US market wants to know: Can the athletes compete in the top leagues? Until German MMA professionals make the transition to the top, it will be difficult to say: 'This is one of the major organizations.'" Once that happens, Oktagon will find a place on the American MMA map.
Check out Live Events and Highlights from Oktagon MMA on RTL+.
For Oktagon to earn a spot on the American MMA scene, persistence pays off. "We've seen how quickly promoters come and go. Only if you've built trust over a long period of time can success and respect become inevitable," says Thomas.
Making it to the UFC or other major US organizations requires a bit of personal responsibility from European or German fighters, reminds Thomas. No American organization would fly in a German fighter to substitute someone. But if the MMA professionals are already in the USA for training, there's a chance they could be placed there. Another way is to compete in Cage Warriors or Brave FC, both of which already have some name recognition in the USA. "Competing there may not be financially rewarding. But it's a risk many are willing to take, prioritizing places where they can earn more money."
Sources: ntv.de, [1] MMA Fighting
- Mixed Martial Arts
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- USA
- Germany
- Cultural Differences
- Competition Rivalries
- Media Bias
- Historical Dominance
- Global Expansion
- Despite the arrogant perceptions towards MMA in the USA, Din Thomas, a UFC and ESPN expert, believes that Germany has a wealth of untapped talent in mixed martial arts (MMA).
- For German MMA professionals to gain recognition in the USA, they need to compete and succeed in top US organizations like the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), either by transitioning from European fights or by competing in Cage Wars or Brave FC, which have some name recognition in the USA.
