The echelons that make up MMA
A MIXED ECOSYSTEM: Fighters generally fall into one of nine essential categories
Last weekend provided a great opportunity to sit back and take a wide-angle view of mixed martial arts as Saturday’s Bellator MMA event in New York and the UFC’s Fight Night show in Oklahoma City Sunday provided a full sampling of what this sport has to offer.
In addition to delivering a full spectrum of performances and outcomes, the duelling shows also combined to deliver a fairly complete and clear picture of the MMA ecosystem and how it works.
While we often fixate on the athletes at the top of the food chain and those with the potential to one day get there — plus a handful of others we’ve grown attached to over the years — part of the beauty of this sport is you need more than just the best for it to function properly.
Here’s a look at the different types of competitors that make up the MMA ecosystem and why each are vital to the continued growth and development of this sport.
Champions
The person everyone is chasing. In most cases, they are the gold standard for their respective divisions and represent the absolute pinnacle of performance inside the cage. They are a cut above even the very best challengers, and that extra something often shows through in the most tense, competitive moments.
Elite contenders
These are the fixtures at the top of the rankings — the men and women who are always a win or two away from challenging for championship gold. They’re better than the vast majority of the competition, but either can’t beat the champion or haven’t yet had a chance to try.
Contenders
Depending on the division, contenders reside in the 5-10, 5-12, 5-15 range in the rankings. They’re usually established competitors who have proven themselves over a period time and maintained residency inside the top-15 while never quite cracking the upper echelon.
Gatekeepers
Larry Merchant used to call Joe Frazier a “Truth Machine,” the idea being that stepping into the ring with “Smokin’ Joe” would make it clear what kind of fighter you really were. While the gatekeepers of the mixed martial arts world aren’t at the same level as the former heavyweight champ, they function in the same way: they’re the people you’ve got to beat to prove you belong or validate the “future contender” hype you carry. Gatekeeper isn’t a dirty word and shouldn’t be viewed as such, either.
Journeyman
The dictionary definition is perfect: any experienced, competent but routine worker or performer. This is your MMA middle class — the men and women who grind out good careers winning two and losing one; losing two and winning three, picking up paycheques and putting on quality fights every time they step into the cage.
Prospects
Upstarts whose ceilings are undefined and whose true place in the ecosystem has yet to be determined. No one stays a prospect forever, but the process of figuring out where an emergent talent maxes out is one of the most intriguing journeys to follow in MMA.
Fading stars
Maybe they used to be a champion. Maybe they were an elite contender or a fan favourite or a cult hero. Whatever the case, their best days are behind them, yet they’re still plugging away — putting on the gloves, stepping into the cage and trading on their name.
Quad-A fighters
Cribbed from the baseball world where it’s used to describe players who rake in the minors but can’t get it done in the big leagues, it applies to MMA well. Regional shows around the globe have standouts that smash the competition locally, only to struggle mightily when they try to advance to the next level. Sometimes it’s a matter of timing; sometimes it’s a matter of skills.
Professional opponents
While you don’t see them on the bigger shows, anyone that has checked out a local event has seen these types — competitors with a winning percentage that lands several miles south of the equator, yet who continue to get regular bookings. They’re the MMA equivalent of an entrance exam — if you can’t pass this test, perhaps you should consider doing something else.
E. Spencer Kyte covers MMA for The Sun and The Province. Follow him on social media: @spencerkyte.