The decline in the attitude of mixed martial artists

I'm a HUGE fan of MMA. Wait, scratch that...I'm a huge fan of UFC and Pride. The smaller shows can suck my cock. The caliber of fighters just isn't the same. And yes, I actually speak from experience, having fought in some of the smaller shows. I'm a good fighter, but I'm also creeping up in age...so rather than get my ass kicked by some 18-year old prodigy, I choose to sit on the sidelines and heckle, much the same as any MMA announcer.

I've been watching UFC from the beginning, having seen the original tournaments that put sumo wrestlers in with kung fu stylists, even though the weight differences were astounding. I remember hating Ken Shamrock from the start, and hating Tito Ortiz since before he started going out with Jenna. (not to get sidetracked, but I also remember Jenna looking like a girl, and not like Donald Duck)

I religiously watch The Ultimate Fighter, and it's a little disheartening to see all of these new kids be all fuckin obnoxious and mouthy. As an old-schooler, I have some advice...shut the fuck up. Try to at least be a little humble. If not to show respect, then do it because you'll look like a lot less of an ass when the guy across the ring knocks your fuckin head around with an overhand right that breaks your jaw.

Now we have douchebags like Junie Browning who was stellar in the preliminary rounds of TUF, and then rapidly deteriorated into a drunken retard who threw like 5 punches a round that connected with nothing but oxygen. We have Nate Diaz, who is actually a really talented fighter, but insists on talking and acting like he's from Compton. Seriously, dude...shut your fucking mouth. Matt Hughes, who thought he was invincible, and then managed to get knocked the fuck out like it was his job. Diego Sanchez, who talks shit about everyone, and then got manhandled by Josh Koscheck.

The one shit-talking exception I have is Brock Lesnar, simply because he's an enormous, ridiculous monster. He can say whatever the fuck he wants, and I'll still watch him, simply because he's huge, and mean.

There are some exceptional fighters that are still pretty humble, and respectful of their peers...Forrest Griffin, Randy Couture, George St. Pierre, Rich Franklin, etc, but they are becoming fewer and farther between. It's also noteworthy that these guys have been around for a while, and are a little older.

I'm sure that a lot of the trash-talk and shitty attitudes are meant to bring more drama to TV, but seriously? These guys are supposed to be professionals...not WWE wrestlers with a backstory. Next thing you know, Vince McMahon is going to come into the Octagon and hit Dana White over the head with a folding chair. Are we going to be subjected to ladder matches, and tag teams? I implore Dana White, the Fertitas, and Zuffa to keep MMA what it should rightfully be....MMA