What was once an outcast sport, banned in most countries, and portrayed as two bloodthirsty behemoths kicking the crap out of each other, has quickly evolved into a world-class sport in which athletes showcase their skills, talent, and athletics — inside a cage. Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA, is quickly shedding its dirty stereotypes and is now being referred to as the fastest growing sport in the world. While in Taiwan the sport has yet to achieve the popularity that it has in the west, there are still plenty of MMA athletes all over the island that have spent months training to compete this Sunday afternoon in Taipei.
Royal Chiou, who was once nothing more than an avid fan, hosts his seventh MMA event this Sunday at Luxy, which will be transformed from night club to fight club with the construction of the Octagon. Chiou founded Pacific Rim Organized Fighting, or PRO Fighting, Taiwan’s only MMA organization, and with it he hopes to raise awareness of the sport in Taiwan.
Chiou says there is an art behind the blood spills, as the sport fuses several disciplines like boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, tae kwon do, wrestling, muay thai, karate, and other styles. “MMA is a mix of traditional martial arts styles and the most effective techniques from each, which has created a whole new modern martial art in its own right,” said Chiou in an interview with the Taipei Times.
Photo Courtesy of Danny Chu
Despite once being dubbed “human dog-fighting” by outsiders, there is no denying that this controversial sport has since gone mainstream in the west. Ultimate Fighting Championship, or UFC, has found a home on cable-television and the name is plastered onto advertising around the globe, resulting in a billion dollar industry. Chiou believes it’s only a matter of time before the sport will catch on in Taiwan, in the same way other western sports such as surfing and skating have. “Taiwan, as always, is a bit behind the rest of the world,” said Chiou. “And it’s still is a bit hesitant and conservative when it comes to MMA.”
“MMA is very controversial because of the way it looks,” Chiou continued. “It’s fighting, it’s in a cage, and fighters bleed. In actuality, it’s very safe and it’s been found to be safer than traditional western boxing even. More fighters in boxing suffer long-term brain damage than in MMA.”
Hagan “The Renegade” Cooper, one of the fighters that Chiou has admited for Sunday’s match, agrees that the sport is dangerous but says that fighting is when he feels the most alive. “In MMA it is certain that you will be hurt, but anyone who wants to compete in this sport needs to accept that,” he said. “I fight to represent the pride of my gym, my coach, and all the guys that train with me. I fight because it’s fun and also I like to prove to myself that I’m not too old yet.”
Cooper, a New Zealand native who has resided in Taichung for the last nine years, spends close to 15 hours per week training at the Taichung Muaythai gym. After studying martial arts for many years, he saw MMA as a chance to put his skills to the test. But finding the motivation to fight and risk injury wasn’t easy at first.
“I think the biggest motivation for me when I first started was just overcoming my fear,” said Cooper. “I was scared to fight, I was scared to lose, and overcoming those fears was a huge battle for me. Working through injuries has also been difficult. But I think the single toughest thing has been finding good people to train with. Most people simply find the training too hard, and they’d rather sit on the sofa.”
Besides enduring strenuous training, Cooper says that the sport is an exercise of self-control in all areas of his life. There are times when he will eat nothing but boiled chicken breast to prepare for a fight. “I think average people may not appreciate the discipline that it takes to be a fighter. It is common for fighters to abstain from sex for a month before a fight.”
This type of regimen is common amongst fighters. Taiwanese kick boxing champion Jeff “The Machine” Huang went from working in the finance industry to spending up to 30 hours per week training on a strict diet of absolutely no carbohydrates of any kind. After training in Brazil and New York, he is competing for the first time as a welterweight, an MMA weight class, after dropping from 94kgs to 77kgs in seven months.
“I quit my well-paid job and bought a ticket to Brazil,” Huang told the Taipei Times. “I went to one of the best academies in the world, knocked on their door with a really lame ground technique and no knowledge of the Portuguese language. I almost got killed several times.”
That’s not the only obstacle he overcame. Huang’s Taiwanese parents strongly opposed his step into the world of professional fighting, but his passion and dedication towards martial arts drove him to follow his dreams.
His dreams, however, along with many other fighters, are sometimes still overshadowed by the sport still being largely misunderstood.
“One misconception that really bothers me personally is when people think MMA fighters are not smart people,” said Cooper. “I also think the media often adds to this misconception by portraying fighters as bloodthirsty thugs. I think many of the people that compete in this sport are smart, well educated people. They compete because it enriches their lives, and helps them to become better people. Not because they like to hurt people.”
Chiou agrees. “An MMA athlete is required to possess strength, speed, agility, incredible stamina and endurance, fast twitch reflexes, and intelligence.”
With PRO Fighting, Chiou wants to reward aspiring fighters like Cooper and Huang by creating a culture for them locally. “I try to create a platform where everyone has an opportunity to compete and test themselves,” he said. “When selecting fighters for the PRO Fighting events, I try to see who I can include first locally and also internationally by studying their styles and seeing which fighters, when matched up, would make for the most interesting fights.”
Chiou has handpicked a lineup of 20 fighters who will compete in a total of 10 fights. Every fight has three rounds that are five minutes each. Fights end by knockout, submission, judges scoring, or doctor stoppage. “That’s the thing about this sport. You can never count out any fighter,” he said. “Each fighter has a puncher’s chance. You can’t even blink an eye because you might miss an incredible knockout or some crazy kick or throw. A fight can literally end at any second.”
The event isn’t just about blood and guts — entertainment will be provided by dancers, DJs, ring girls, and other performers. Food will also be served. The fights happen this Sunday at 6pm at Luxy, 5F, 201, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段201號5樓). While ringside and front row tickets have sold out, general admission tickets are still available for NT$600, which includes one drink. Tickets can be purchased from Luxy’s office on the 10th floor or by calling 0917-840-519.
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