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battleaxonista...is a humorless bitch
08/17/09

In reply to Women Attempt To Share Spotlight In Male-Dominated Sports
Nice to see women headlining for once. It'll be interesting to see how Carano's record holds up if she keeps fighting women who are actually in her weight class.

Then again Cyborg took on Hitomi with like a 15lb weight advantage so neither one is innocent there.
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cupscake
08/17/09

In reply to Women Attempt To Share Spotlight In Male-Dominated Sports
I competed in womens freestyle wrestling more than 10yrs ago and since it was slowly catching on I felt at times guys watching our matches for novelty or for hopes that jello or mud would be thrown on us. The more I did it the more I started to earn the respect of the other wrestlers especially the mens team. Our womens team was VERY small so at times we'd have to practice with the guys (we were matched by weight class) and they were brutal. They saw me as another wrestler and not a girl so they went full throttle with me in practice. I appreciated that and if anything it taught me to be a stronger fighter and I learned that a 2 minute fight feels like 2 hours! I support these women and any other woman that wants to go into a sport that's full combat!
My wrestling coach mentioned that it's easier to teach women about wrestling because they think their movements through and not just try to out muscle their opponents like how some guys would.
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Jack_Burton promoted this comment Edited by cupscake at 08/17/09 4:24 PM cupscake was starred cupscake was unstarred

WaltzingMatilda
08/17/09

In reply to Women Attempt To Share Spotlight In Male-Dominated Sports
Hell yes. MMA is no fucking joke. And anyone who sees it as only "bloodsport" with no skill, etc. - needs to spend some time learning about it. I was thrilled that this was going down. Rock on, ladies.
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Emmersct
08/17/09

In reply to Women Attempt To Share Spotlight In Male-Dominated Sports
I watched one of Carano's fights on Saturday (was just flipping through the channels and came across it). It must not have been the main event, because she won after the full three rounds. But I actually thought it was kind of amazing - it's a very brutal sport, but the women's fight was less ridiculously violent than the men's (it seemed more strategy driven than "I will attempt to hit you hard enough to break a bone"). Also, I was really happy about how the women looked - yeah, they were attractive and fit, but in the way people are fit if they eat a lot and work out nonstop (like women who do heavyweight crew, rather than women who do gymnastics). Their shorts came down to their knees (just like the men's), their tops looked comfortable and functional - no sex kitten apparel. No one seemed to have fake breasts. They just seemed like incredibly strong women who liked to fight, and who did it well.

I understand, if you're against all fighting sports in general, being against this, but if you're not, the fight I saw, and the commentary of the fight, was very not sexist, and I was hopeful for the women in the sport.
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Dodai promoted this comment Emmersct was starred Emmersct was unstarred

Dodai
08/17/09

@Emmersct: I agree that it is so much about strategy, and the people who think it's just a bloodsport or merely violent don't really know of what they speak.
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WaltzingMatilda
08/17/09

@Dodai: I think I may owe you a Coke on this one.

Thank you, Dodai. There is so much more beyond that. And a whole bunch of people don't know/get that.
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deltabella
08/17/09

@Dodai: I agree. I was initially very resistant to watching it based on my assumptions of what it would be (thanks to a childhood of watching my brother and his friends practice WWE moves in the yard), but the more I've seen, the more I realize that it's a smart sport. Yes, it's occasionally bloody, but the intent is less "beat your opponent to a bloody pulp" and more "how can I best use my body to outmaneuver my opponent's". Plus, as I meet more women who are involved in MMA, the more I'm impressed by the sheer athleticism involved.
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WaltzingMatilda
08/17/09

@deltabella: Seriously. Anyone that has BJJ or other martial arts training will tell you - it's about using your mind, body and your strengths to escape, to submit and to persevere.

Also - a BJJ warm up with the right crew will make you feel like the least in shape person in the world. I say from personal experience.
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electricbubbles
08/17/09

In reply to Women Attempt To Share Spotlight In Male-Dominated Sports
This is so incredibly badass it's hard for me to even find the words to describe it. They're not dolled up, they're not having a "catfight" - they're just athletes, loving their sport and being the best at it. Stunning.

Carano's quote really resonates with me, and I think it should resonate with any woman who steps over from the traditionally female-dominated cardio machines and into the weight rooms. I always get a combination of "Whathefuck is she doing?" and "Oh yeah, wanna fuck that slut" looks. (Not that I don't love me some cardio, it's just a lot of women shy away from lifting weights/using machines because it's 99% men there and they can be intimidating)
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emfish55
08/17/09

In reply to Women Attempt To Share Spotlight In Male-Dominated Sports
Wow, this is awesome. I've never had anything against women in combat sports, but I have also never done it myself. But a couple years ago I became friends with a woman who does BJJ and krav maga (an Israeli marshal art), and have since learned a lot about the sport and the women who do it. It's great because my friend is incredibly strong, determined, and disciplined, but she's also super girly. We originally bonded over clothes. But just hanging out with her has reminded me of what it is to be an athlete, and reinvigorated my interest and practice of athletics I'd left behind in college. I've gone from an occasional gym-goer with the vague goal of "getting in shape" to a very active athlete who participates in a variety of sports, and works out with specific strength and endurance goals to improve my practice. My health has improved without having to work at it, because I've rediscovered the joy of sport.

It's true that female athletes are often sexualized or exploited for their bodies in magazine shoots and advertising. But if the end result is that more women participate in combat sports, or sports in general, and begin to see their own bodies as more than just decoration (or worse, something to fight or be ashamed of), all the better.
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Meangirl.is.for.the.Horde
08/17/09

In reply to Women Attempt To Share Spotlight In Male-Dominated Sports
This even did totally up the profile of women's MMA. Unfortunately, with the bout over so soon it really felt like you got just a taste, then had your plate yanked away. With men's MMA first round knockouts are lauded because they make for good highlight reels and there are 7 other fights on the card anyway.

Gina was a gracious loser and Cyborg was a dominant competitor and athlete. I hope to see much more of both of them in the future as women's MMA becomes more mainstream.

And Cyborg's joy after the fight and being carried on the shoulders of her husband (who also fights MMA) with her huge awesome smile was totally a treat.
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Dodai promoted this comment

Dodai
08/17/09

@Meangirl.is.for.the.Horde: Gina was most definitely a gracious loser, and watching Cyborg being carried out grinning -- and signing autographs for fans -- was amazing.
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MizJenkins
08/17/09

In reply to Women Attempt To Share Spotlight In Male-Dominated Sports
Well that's nice I guess. As a matter of personal taste, however, I still don't want to see two women punch and kick each other in the face...

Well, unless it's Heidi Pratt and Katy Perry...in which case, it should be a fight to the death. Hopefully mutual.
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deltabella
08/17/09

@MizJenkins: Hang on... are you saying you don't want to see anyone punch or kick each other in the face, or just two women?
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MizJenkins
08/17/09

@deltabella; AnotherJenn: No, just women. I guess I don't have a problem with women fighting per se I just don't want to watch them fight each other. I don't know, I find it untoward. I don't suppose the answer is for them to fight men either...

I guess when I think about it that only applies to boxing though. I frankly don't want to see anyone do this professional cage-match/ass-whooping stuff. Proper martial arts aren't meant to be exhibited in such a sensational fashion. You save all the violent killing moves for...you know, killing people.
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Edited by MizJenkins at 08/17/09 3:33 PM MizJenkins was starred MizJenkins was unstarred

deltabella
08/17/09

@MizJenkins: I'm genuinely curious about this, so please don't take this as being combative (ha!), but why do you feel like it's ok for men to fight, but not women?Is it a "sisterhood solidarity" thing?
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MizJenkins
08/17/09

@deltabella: I'm trying to figure that out...I don't know, I almost feel like women are just better than that. Kind of like how cats don't fetch. You throw something and they just kind of look at you like, "you're kidding right?"

And this is coming from a woman who can and WILL beat someone's ass if necessary - I don't think women have to be meek or docile - but in all the ass-beatings I have found it necessary to dole out I've never come to blows with another woman. And here we're talking about women beating on each other purely for sport. Personally, I am happy to leave that in the purview of men.
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Adreamerdreaming
08/17/09

@MizJenkins: I respect your opinion. But let me tell you, as a former martial artist who fought many fights for sport, you have no idea what you're missing! It's not just about throwing a punch, it's about taking a punch and having the strength to keep on going. It's my stress outlet, screw meditation! ;)
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Calraigh promoted this comment Edited by Adreamerdreaming at 08/17/09 3:52 PM Adreamerdreaming was starred Adreamerdreaming was unstarred

Dayman-Fan
08/17/09

@MizJenkins: I think it would helpful if you took a broader view on the sport. Calling it two people "beating" on each other is very deductive. The amout of discipline it takes to train as an MMA fighter is incredbile. The time spent learning different disciplines (boxing, muay thai, bjj, wrestling), getting their black belts from the best trainers in the world, the training camps leading up to the fights, the dietary restrictions in order to make weight. The fights are the opportunity to show how well you trained, how skilled you are, to prove yourself. It's vastly different from two people engaging in an unsanctioned backyard brawl.
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MizJenkins
08/17/09

@Adreamerdreaming: We'll have to agree to disagree as I can't see how getting punched in the face would relieve stress, nor am I interested in letting someone punch me in the face so I can find out...
but I will say that female athletes are the tits in general, so g'on witcha bad self!
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deltabella
08/17/09

@MizJenkins: Have you ever watched an MMA fight? Like, really sat down and watched one? Because I feel a lot of people see the fights as just being brutal "beating on each other" when they really aren't aware of the strategic aspects involved. Plus, MMA includes some aspects of boxing and other striking sports, but also massive amounts of wrestling-oriented fighting. Would you feel better if it were two women purely wrestling, where it's less... I dunno....abusive?
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MizJenkins
08/17/09

@deltabella: No, I don't think I really want to see women wrestling either. Again, I don't question the amount of skill it all takes as a sport...but just...why???

I think it's more a matter of not wanting to see women handled aggressively than not wanting to see a woman be aggressive. I just don't want to see a woman get hit in the face. By anybody.

On some level I worry about the implications of our society being desensitized to the sight of women being brutalized...
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Edited by MizJenkins at 08/17/09 4:15 PM MizJenkins was starred MizJenkins was unstarred

MizJenkins
08/17/09

@Dayman-Fan: I don't mean to be glib and again, I don't doubt that it is a legitimate and strenuous sport, but really I don't see how it benefits society for women to apply their resources in this fashion. If there are women who want to do so I guess they shouldn't be kept from it...I just don't have any interest in watching.
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deltabella
08/17/09

@MizJenkins: On some level I worry about the implications of our society being desensitized to the sight of women being brutalized...

Good point. At the same time though, I wonder if a little girl watching these two kicking ass would feel more comfortable and confident walking into a gym or self-defense class as a young woman because of having someone to look up to like this. And I think anytime you give girls a strong (in the physical sense, as well as the mental) woman to emulate, that's a good thing.
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bluebears
08/17/09

In reply to Women Attempt To Share Spotlight In Male-Dominated Sports
"Any exposure of women combatants is probably good exposure in general."

I couldn't disagree more with this statement. How often have we seen "exposure" of female athletes take the form of layouts in mens magazines? Every time an Olympics approaches there are just tons of these types of editorials. The only "good" that does is in those womens wallets. It's actually demeaning to female athletes in general. And I know she was talking about something different here, but I hear people make this argument all the time and I just think its wrong.
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Edited by bluebears at 08/17/09 3:14 PM bluebears was starred bluebears was unstarred

odinsraven
08/17/09

@bluebears: I agree with what you're saying. And I think Gina Carano does too. She happens to be very attractive, but she doesn't want her career to be about that. She has turned down repeated offers to be in Playboy because she only cares about proving herself in the ring. She wants women to compete and be respected the same as male fighters, not as some kind of sexy sideshow.
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bluebears
08/17/09

@odinsraven: good for her. Thats awesome to hear.
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BearDownCBears
08/17/09

In reply to Women Attempt To Share Spotlight In Male-Dominated Sports
OK, but I want to know how well Cris Cyborg can shoot a harpoon out of her wrist and drag her opponent to the other side of the cage, yelling "COME HERE!" Every legit cage fighter should be able to do that.
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LaComtesse
08/17/09

@BearDownCBears: No. But she throws a mean fan, and can occasionally turn you into a baby.
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Edited by LaComtesse at 08/17/09 3:25 PM LaComtesse was starred LaComtesse was unstarred

annagsquared
08/17/09

In reply to Women Attempt To Share Spotlight In Male-Dominated Sports
Gina Carano was freaking awesome on American Gladiators, and it's a shame she lost, something she rarely does in the first place.
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WaltzingMatilda
08/17/09

@annagsquared: I was just going to say - she was THE BOMB on Gladiators. Mr WM and I would salivate over her. She just plain kicked ass. I mean - how jacked is she?!
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