DOCSLIB.ORG

Embattled Identities

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Embattled Identities Embattled Identities: Constructions of Contemporary American Masculinity Amongst Mixed Martial Arts Cagefighters by Jaime Holthuysen A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Approved April 2011 by the Graduate Supervisory Committee: Hjorleifur Jonsson, Chair Takeyuki Tsuda Andrea Ballestero Salaverry ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY May 2011 ABSTRACT Masculinity has been increasingly recognized as a critical and relatively unexplored area of inquiry in anthropological gender studies. This project seeks to expand anthropological research on masculinity to contemporary American society. Using the case study of a male-centered popular new sport, Mixed Martial Arts (also known as cagefighting) this project integrates theories of embodiment and feminist perspectives to explore how masculinity and masculine hegemony are shaped, contested, and perpetuated in the United States. Using a multi-level framework this project explores: 1) How is masculinity experienced and expressed by Mixed Martial Arts fighters as a form of self-identity? How do their bodies play a role in constructing masculinity? 2) What are the pervasive forms of masculinity associated with Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)? Are they truly representative of the sport? 3) Can these pervasive forms of masculinity be seen as hegemonic? How would hegemony operate in relation to individual experience? Using multiple methods to capture multiple points of view was critical to thoroughly examining the complex notion of masculinity. This study employed participant observation, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, surveys, photo elicitation, and media content analysis, as each presented particular benefits and allowed for the development a more well-rounded understanding of masculinity within the realm of MMA. This study also situates the rise of MMA and its representations of masculinity within the greater perspective of contemporary American society. By doing so reveals how ideologies of prescribed masculinity do not arise out of a ii vacuum but in relation to particular economic, social and political contexts. An emphasis of this study was to examine the daily lives of MMA fighters to understand how their participation in what may be regarded as a hypermasculine activity affects their own perceptions of masculinity. In looking at how masculinity is embodied, the gaps and often contradictions between representation and individual experiences are revealed. Ultimately, the goal of this research is to contribute to a better understanding of masculinity as both an embodied and relational construct. iii DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my mother, who always wanted one of her children to be a doctor (MD). I think this was the best possible compromise! iv v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This research was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University, and the Graduate and Professional Students’ Association at Arizona State University. Funding from the Graduate College at Arizona State University and the Emeriti Faculty Association provided welcomed support during the writing phase of this project. There are many people I would like to thank for their time and assistance. I am sincerely grateful for having the support of such an amazing committee. I would like to my chair, Hjorleifur Jonsson, for his unwavering enthusiasm and encouragement. Thank you for providing me with pertinent advice and guidance, while also allowing me the freedom to follow my own path. Thank you to Takeyuki Tsuda who always has his door open for his students. I am grateful for your insights, questions (and also for your careful readings of my many, many grant drafts.) I would like to thank my final committee member Andrea Ballestero, who stepped up to the plate on rather short notice. I sincerely appreciate your insight and vision for ethnography and socio-cultural anthropology. I must thank my colleague (and unofficial fourth committee member), Dolma Roder. Your feedback on my work over the years has truly been invaluable. Also, I would like to acknowledge the time and efforts of Alex Brewis-Slade and Ed Hackett for their comments and suggestions in reviewing my grant proposals. Thank you to the interns who contributed to this project, in vi particular Juli Hubbard for her dedication. Importantly, I would like to thank all of the participants in this study, and also the owners of Desert Combat for allowing me to conduct my research there. I would also like to acknowledge the American Men’s Studies Association for holding their annual meetings where I met inspiring, innovative scholars and received valuable feedback on my research. Thank you to my friends for providing their kind support on this long academic journey: Jacqueline Chao, Alberto Perez, Muna Ali, Alanna Ossa, Ramsi Watkins, Nahal Namdaran, Lindsey Mulligan, and Andrew Hagar. Last but certainly not least I would like to thank my family. Mum, thank you for instilling the importance of education, and the value of dedication and hard work. My sister Janet, I am eternally grateful for your encouragement and editing. Thank you to Patrick Runez for helping me focus when I needed to focus, and distracting me when I needed distraction. I am sincerely grateful for your loving encouragement. Finally, Mr. G.H. Khan, I could not have done this without you. Thank you for always being by my side. You made writing up so much easier. Without all of you, this dissertation would not have been possible. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTERS 1 INTRODUCTION: THE GENDERED WORLD OF MIXED MARTIAL ARTS............................................................................ 1 Research Questions ............................................................................4 Research Design .................................................................................5 Research and Gender........................................................................13 Relevant Literature ...........................................................................20 Hegemonic Masculinity ...................................................................21 Phenomenological Embodiment ......................................................29 Mixed Martial Arts: A Background.................................................38 Outline of Study ...............................................................................46 2 EMBODYING MASCULINITY: "IT'S NOT THE SIZE OF THE DOG IN THE FIGHT, BUT THE FIGHT IN THE DOG"...........48 Joining Desert Combat .....................................................................48 MMA Class ......................................................................................55 Fighter’s Class ..................................................................................57 Embodying Mixed Martial Arts.......................................................60 Training.............................................................................................61 Self-awareness, Feeling and a Mind-Body Connection ..................65 Sparring.............................................................................................71 viii Page CHAPTERS Lessons From the Cage ....................................................................74 Getting Hit ........................................................................................75 Competition ......................................................................................77 Conclusions ......................................................................................83 3 BODY IMAGE: "FAT GUYS HAVE TO PROVE IT"......................86 Ideal Bodies and Expectations .........................................................87 Cutting Weight .................................................................................95 Relationships with the Body ..........................................................109 Bodies in Parts................................................................................116 Conclusions ....................................................................................120 PART I Discussion: Embodiment, Body Image, and Hegemonic Masculinity .....................................................................................122 Critiques of Hegemonic Masculinity .............................................122 Hegemonic Masculinity and Mixed Martial Arts..........................125 Embodiment and Body Image in Relation to Mixed Martial Arts 129 4 GENDER, SEXUALITY AND RELATIONSHIPS: "YOU SAY YOU LOVE ME, BUT WHAT PART DO YOU REALLY LOVE?".135 Setting the Gender Stage ................................................................136 Female Fighters ..............................................................................137 ix Page CHAPTERS Ring Girls .......................................................................................149 Girlfriends and Wives ....................................................................153 Groupies .........................................................................................160 Women in the Media ......................................................................163 Becoming Media ............................................................................168 Sexuality and Intimacy...................................................................176 Conclusions ....................................................................................184
Load more

Recommended publications
  • U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce
    U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE December 8, 2016 TO: Members, Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade FROM: Committee Majority Staff RE: Hearing entitled “Mixed Martial Arts: Issues and Perspectives.” I. INTRODUCTION On December 8, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. in 2322 Rayburn House Office Building, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade will hold a hearing entitled “Mixed Martial Arts: Issues and Perspectives.” II. WITNESSES The Subcommittee will hear from the following witnesses: Randy Couture, President, Xtreme Couture; Lydia Robertson, Treasurer, Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports; Jeff Novitzky, Vice President, Athlete Health and Performance, Ultimate Fighting Championship; and Dr. Ann McKee, Professor of Neurology & Pathology, Neuropathology Core, Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Boston University III. BACKGROUND A. Introduction Modern mixed martial arts (MMA) can be traced back to Greek fighting events known as pankration (meaning “all powers”), first introduced as part of the Olympic Games in the Seventh Century, B.C.1 However, pankration usually involved few rules, while modern MMA is generally governed by significant rules and regulations.2 As its name denotes, MMA owes its 1 JOSH GROSS, ALI VS.INOKI: THE FORGOTTEN FIGHT THAT INSPIRED MIXED MARTIAL ARTS AND LAUNCHED SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT 18-19 (2016). 2 Jad Semaan, Ancient Greek Pankration: The Origins of MMA, Part One, BLEACHERREPORT (Jun. 9, 2009), available at http://bleacherreport.com/articles/28473-ancient-greek-pankration-the-origins-of-mma-part-one.
    [Show full text]
  • The Rise and Rise of the UFC (Or Will Oversaturation Lead to Its Downfall)
    (Cite as: Laws of the Game, ISSN: 2058-7244) Volume 1, Issue 1 Article 2 From rags to riches: The rise and rise of the UFC (or will oversaturation lead to its downfall). R Savage-West Abstract In 1993, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) promoted a “no holds barred” mixed-martial arts contest designed to answer the perennial combat sports fans' question - can a wrestler beat a boxer? Considerable blood, sweat and (some) tears later, the UFC has turned into a multimedia corporate behemoth. This article will analyse the origins of the Ultimate fighting Championship and its continued struggle to gain mainstream acceptance and regulatory approval. In particular, the article will analyse how the UFC has shifted between subscription-based channels, event pay-per-view television, free-to-air shows and non-traditional media channels such as social media and user-generated content depending on how acceptable its product was deemed for the public. The article will conclude by arguing that while UFC has expanded globally and now dominates the mixed- martial arts industry, the ever-increasing demand for high-quality events taking place against a backdrop of corporate respectability, may eventually alienate its core market and lead to an ultimely demise…. Keywords: Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Mixed-Martial arts (MMA), regulation, commercial, media [First submitted as part fulfilment of the degree of LLB hons, Staffordshire University] Recommended Citation R Savage-West, ‘From rags to riches: the rise and rise of the UFC (or will oversaturation lead to its downfall?) (2015) 1 Laws of the Game 2 [Available at: www.staffs.ac.uk/lawsofthegame/] Page 2 of 11 INTRODUCTION Just over a decade ago, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was on the verge of bankruptcy and there were concerns as to whether the UFC should even exist,1 let alone be broadcast on TV.2 American politicians such as Sen.
    [Show full text]
  • The Ultimate Fighting Championship and Zuffa: from ‘Human Cock-Fighting' to Market Power Carl J
    American University Business Law Review Volume 6 | Issue 3 Article 4 2017 The Ultimate Fighting Championship and Zuffa: From ‘Human Cock-Fighting' to Market Power Carl J. Gaul IV American University Washington College of Law, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/aublr Part of the Antitrust and Trade Regulation Commons Recommended Citation Gaul, Carl J. IV "The Ultimate Fighting Championship and Zuffa: rF om ‘Human Cock-Fighting' to Market Power," American University Business Law Review, Vol. 6, No. 3 (). Available at: http://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/aublr/vol6/iss3/4 This Comment is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington College of Law Journals & Law Reviews at Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in American University Business Law Review by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP AND ZUFFA: FROM ‘HUMAN COCK-FIGHTING’ TO MARKET POWER CARL J. GAUL IV* The Ultimate Fighting Championship (“UFC”) is the premier mixed martial arts (“MMA”) promotion in the world and is the most recent athletic organization to attain a dominant market share that arguably constitutes a monopoly or monopsony. Antitrust law prohibits organizations from restraining trade or intentionally stamping out market place competition to attain or maintain monopoly power. The UFC’s behavior has raised significant concerns about competition in two separate markets: the MMA Promotional Market and Elite MMA Labor Market. While the MMA Promotional Market appears more competitive than it has ever been, the Elite MMA Labor Market has seen significant reductions in competition.
    [Show full text]
  • Fighting for Respect: MMA's Struggle for Acceptance and How the Muhammad Ali Act Would Give It a Sporting Chance
    Volume 112 Issue 1 Article 13 September 2009 Fighting for Respect: MMA's Struggle for Acceptance and How the Muhammad Ali Act Would Give it a Sporting Chance Geoff Varney West Virginia University College of Law Follow this and additional works at: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/wvlr Part of the Contracts Commons, and the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Commons Recommended Citation Geoff Varney, Fighting for Respect: MMA's Struggle for Acceptance and How the Muhammad Ali Act Would Give it a Sporting Chance, 112 W. Va. L. Rev. (2009). Available at: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/wvlr/vol112/iss1/13 This Student Work is brought to you for free and open access by the WVU College of Law at The Research Repository @ WVU. It has been accepted for inclusion in West Virginia Law Review by an authorized editor of The Research Repository @ WVU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Varney: Fighting for Respect: MMA's Struggle for Acceptance and How the M FIGHTING FOR RESPECT: MMA'S STRUGGLE FOR ACCEPTANCE AND HOW THE MUHAMMAD ALI ACT WOULD GIVE IT A SPORTING CHANCE 1. IN TROD U CTION .................................................................................... 270 II. MMA'S ORIGINS, DARK PERIOD, REFORM, AND RESURGENCE ........ 271 A. Appearance in the United States ............................................ 271 B. John M cCain's Crusade ......................................................... 272 C. M M A R eform .......................................................................... 275 D. The UFC Takes a Chance and it Pays Off ............................. 276 III. ONE STATE'S REASONS FOR CONTINUING To BAN MMA .................. 278 A . M M A vs. B oxing ..................................................................... 279 1. B out D uration ............................................................ 280 2 .
    [Show full text]
  • Mixed Martial Artists: Challenges to Unionization Genevieve F.E
    Marquette Sports Law Review Volume 28 Article 4 Issue 1 Fall Mixed Martial Artists: Challenges to Unionization Genevieve F.E. Birren Tyler J. Schmitt Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.law.marquette.edu/sportslaw Part of the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Commons, and the Labor and Employment Law Commons Repository Citation Genevieve F.E. Birren and Tyler J. Schmitt, Mixed Martial Artists: Challenges to Unionization, 28 Marq. Sports L. Rev. 85 (2017) Available at: http://scholarship.law.marquette.edu/sportslaw/vol28/iss1/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Marquette Law Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. BIRREN & SCHMITT 28.1 FINAL.DOCX (DO NOT DELETE) 12/17/17 11:49 PM MIXED MARTIAL ARTISTS: CHALLENGES TO UNIONIZATION GENEVIEVE F.E. BIRREN* AND TYLER J. SCHMITT** I. INTRODUCTION Acquired for $4 billion in July of 2016,1 the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the world’s premier professional mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. MMA is a combat sport involving both stand-up and ground fighting, in which competitors, known as mixed martial artists, utilize various techniques from disciplines such as wrestling, boxing, Muay-Thai kickboxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, and taekwondo. As with any sport, the amount of money paid to athletes is of great interest among fans, promoters, and fighters alike. In recent years, the amount fighters are paid to compete in the UFC has come under serious scrutiny.2 In 2016, median per-fight-pay in the UFC was around $42,000,3 and most fighters on the promotion’s roster of over 5004 would be considered lucky to fight three times a year.
    [Show full text]
  • UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT of NEW YORK UNITED STATES of AMERICA, Plaintiff, V. CRAIG CARTON, Defendant
    Case 1:17-cr-00680-CM Document 177 Filed 03/22/19 Page 1 of 247 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Case No. 17 Cr. 680 (CM) Plaintiff, v. CRAIG CARTON, Defendant. SENTENCING MEMORANDUM ON BEHALF OF DEFENDANT CRAIG CARTON APPENDIX- EXHIBIT D GOTTLIEB & JANEY LLP Robert C. Gottlieb, Esq. Derrelle M. Janey, Esq. 111 Broadway, Suite 701 New York, New York 10006 T: (212) 566-7766 F: (212) 374-1506 Attorneys for Defendant Craig Carton Case 1:17-cr-00680-CM Document 177 Filed 03/22/19 Page 2 of 247 United States v. Craig Carton Case No. 17 Cr. 680 (CM) Sentencing Memoradum Exhibits Exhibit Number Author D-1 Jerry Geffen D-2 Chris christie D-3 Cortney Baird D-4 Boomer Esiason D-5 D-6 Gary DiBartolomeo D-7 Mary Hawley D-8 Joseph Millan D-9 Judith Chalme D-10 Connie Smith D-11 Reginal Henry D-12 Dana Wachter D-13 Chris Cannon D-14 Christine DeGuisto D-15 Susan Korenberg D-16 Mike Barbieri D-17 Michael Cardano D-18 Christopher Oliviero D-19 Michael Nichols D-20 Shaun McGill D-21 Jerry Recco D-22 William Balanoff D-23 Noam Bramson D-24 Jarrett Lustig D-25 Darren Gurney D-26 Al Dukes D-27 Hamilton Baiden D-28 Suzanne Sanchez D-29 Chris Simms D-30 Neil Kleinman D-31 Lina Garcia D-32 Brandon Steiner D-33 Chris Beldotti D-34 Aimee Skier D-35 Robert Mantz Case 1:17-cr-00680-CM Document 177 Filed 03/22/19 Page 3 of 247 D-36 Marc Rayfield D-37 Bruce Radler D-38 Robert Polding D-39 Tom Wallace D-40 Bruce Gifford D-41 Margarita Velez D-42 Carlos Austin D-43 Luke Thomas D-44 Walto Sabo Jr.
    [Show full text]
  • U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce
    U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE November 7, 2017 TO: Members, Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection FROM: Committee Majority Staff RE: Hearing entitled “Perspectives on Mixed Martial Arts” I. INTRODUCTION The Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection will hold a hearing on Thursday, November 9, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. in 2123 Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled “Perspectives on Mixed Martial Arts.” II. WITNESSES • Randy Couture, President, Xtreme Couture; • Marc Ratner, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, UFC; • Greg Sirb, Executive Director, Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission; and, • Kristen Dams-O'Connor, M.A., Ph.D., Director, Brain Injury Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. III. BACKGROUND A. History of Mixed Martial Arts Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact combat sport that allows striking and grappling, both standing and on the ground, using techniques from other combat sports and martial arts. The first documented use of the term mixed martial arts was in a review of UFC 1 by television critic Howard Rosenberg in 1993.1 During the early 20th century, various mixed- style contests took place in Japan, Taiwan, and other countries throughout Asia. In 1980, CV Productions, Inc. created the first regulated MMA league in the United States, the Tough Guy Contest, which later became known as the Battle of the Superfighters, in which the company sanctioned ten tournaments in Pennsylvania.2 In 1993, the Gracie family brought Brazilian Jiu- Jitsu, developed in Brazil from the 1920s, to the United States by founding the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) MMA promotion company.3 1 Rosenberg, Howard (November 15, 1993).
    [Show full text]
  • Bellatormma Bellator.Com
    LAST UPDATED 07.19.2018 PRESS KIT #BELLATORMMA 1 BELLATOR.COM Bellator MMA™ was founded in 2008 and is billion people worldwide in over 160 countries. one of the world’s largest mixed martial arts In the United States, Bellator can be seen (MMA) promotions. Bellator, which is the Latin on Paramount Network, the combat sports word for “warrior,” has a vision to enhance television leader. the fight business and offer the most exciting sporting events for fans and viewers across In June of 2015 with Scott Coker serving as the globe, while featuring some of the top- the company president, “Bellator 149" broke athletes in the world. Bellator will uphold franchise records for ratings, peaking at the value of the sport and its fighters, while more than 2.9 million viewers, making it one uniting them like no other organization can of the most watched MMA event on cable with the goal of expanding and showcasing the television in 2015. personality and showmanship that makes MMA the most exciting sport in the world. 2.2 million viewers tuned in for the final fight in Tito Ortiz's storied career, a first round ABOUT Bellator is currently available to nearly 1 submission victory over Chael Sonnen at Bellator 170. This marks the most watched BELLATOR Bellator fight on Spike since February of 2016 and the most watched MMA fight on television in MMA 2017 thus far. In June of 2017, Bellator hosted its second pay-per-view at Madison Square Garden in New York, a card that featured Chael Sonnen defeating Wanderlei Silva, Matt Mitrione besting Fedor Emelianenko and Ryan Bader capturing the light heavyweight title from Phil Davis.
    [Show full text]
  • Sports & Entertainment Law Journal Arizona State
    SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT LAW JOURNAL ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY VOLUME 6 FALL 2016 ISSUE 1 MMA FIGHTING IS A RIGHT WORTHY OF PROTECTION UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT * IULIA TARANU The men who take part in these fights are as hard as nails, and it is not worthwhile to feel sentimental about their receiving punishment which as a matter of fact they do not mind. Of course, the men who look on ought to be able to stand up with the gloves, or without them, themselves; I have scant use for the type of sportsmanship which consists merely in looking on at the feats of someone else.1 –Theodore Roosevelt INTRODUCTION There is a greater purpose to fighting than bruising and knocking out your opponent. 2 There is a greater purpose to winning a belt or trophy than placing it on your home mantel for visitors to view.3 Most people recognize that MMA fighting is mental and physical. But it is more than that. This introduction will explain how MMA fighting is (1) a platform for fighters to express their ideas and views, (2) spiritual, and (3) similar to * J.D. Candidate 2017, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. 1 Brett McKay & Kate McKay, Boxing: A Manly History of the Sweet Science of Bruising, THE ART OF MANLINESS (May 30, 2009), http://www.artofmanliness.com/2009/05/30/boxing-a-manly- history-of-the-sweet-science-of-bruising. 2 Henry Cejudo is the #2 Flyweight UFC champion with a 10- 1-0 record as of November 20, 2016.
    [Show full text]