MMA is often touted as the fastest growing sport in the world, is currently the biggest pay-per-view sport around and is about to make it’s network debut on FOX on Saturday night, but how well known is the sport to the average man on the street?
MMAfighting’s Ariel Helwani took to the streets of Hollywood armed with a microphone and a camera to find out.
The results may disappoint some who are under the misguided notion that MMA is already a mainstream sport with many of those interviewed appearing not to know what MMA even stands for, while others who had heard of it before struggled to name even one fighter.
It’s also concerning that Kimbo Slice is still the man most people associate with MMA even though he was essentially a sideshow that couldn’t hack it in the sport. It shows the impact that Kimbo’s mainstream exposure on CBS a few years ago during his time with Elite XC has had on people however, and the UFC will no doubt be hoping that Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos can also resonate when they step into the Octagon on FOX in just two days time.
Check out Helwani doing a typically excellent job of being a roving reporter below.
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