About: Kojo Koram

Kojo is a human rights lawyer and writer living in London. He has represented refugees, the homeless and Louisiana death row inmates. Filled with excessive anger on account of being short, black and from the north of England, Kojo directs this anger into hate-filled polemics against the Tories, The Royal Family and The Black Eyed Peas. This led to him developing a freelance writing career alongside his human rights work, including founding his own politics and culture magazine 'The Job Centre.' He still dreams of becoming WWF Intercontinental Champion one day.

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Original Opinion

The Return of Girl Power

By Kojo Koram · February 27,2013

| 419 Views | Uncategorized

Rounda Rousey: The next big thing in MMA

It is the nature of privilege for those who hold it to be blinded to its existence. I have competed in sports all my life and never really appreciated the additional challenges that female athletes, especially female fighters can face. Last saturday I watched two female martial artists light up the world of combat sports in the UFC’s first ever female fight and whilst I wasn’t shocked by Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche’s stunning performances, I was shocked by the sinister and repulsive abuse that that these women had to endure from supposed fans just to display their talents on a stage equal to the men.

Bygone sporting memories have the ability to invoke emotion like few other things. Whether its England winning the 1966 world cup or The 1980 U.S ice-hockey team beating the Russians in the Olympics, sporting landmarks can turn monosyllabic, misanthropic old crusties into dewey eyed romantics. I believe that in my twilight years, I’ll be boring my grandchildren senseless with embellished tales of Rousey V Carmouche, who have blazed a historic trail that could reverberate way past the sports world. For those who disagree or who simply have no idea what I am talking about allow me to explain:

First, I am a huge combat sports fan. My love affair began with me boxing at an amateur level and gaining an infinite amount of respect for the sport. After growing tired of the endless corruption endemic to professional boxing, I turned my affections to the better organized Ultimate Fighting Championship, the worlds leading MMA company. Now, my passion for watching people get in a cage and beat each other bloody is not shared by too many of my peace-loving, tree-hugging friends so I rely on internet forums for most of my combat sport information. I also spend an inordinate amount of time defending this community, protesting against accusations from aforementioned hippie friends of us being blood thirsty savages no better than the crowd at the Roman Coliseum. I would retort that fighters and fight fans are in fact the last people likely to be violent or aggressive due to the respect they have for these noble arts and humility that comes a result of the discipline of their training. When it was announced that women were now to also compete in the UFC, I expected most fight fans, mature and respectful as we are, to be excited at the prospect of these talented newcomers. Yet upon hearing this news those same forums that are usually filled with informative and measured analysis were suddenly overrun with streams of vile misogyny. Intelligent contributions came from guys such as Polish Headlock: “Do you watch the WNBA too? Women’s sports just aren’t as good as men’s sports.  It’s science.” Crochuck added “I think most guys just watch in case a boob pops out.” Red scorpion took time out of crystal meth and pornography marathon to say “no interest at all…women don’t belong in the cage but in the kitchen.” Thanks Red Scorpion!

What caused this eruption of sexist abuse? It wasn’t just the anonymity of the internet as these same forums are usually surprisingly free of the racial and ethnic slurs that litter 90% of youtube videos, no matter the topic. Something about these women had so unnerved these guys that they rushed to their computers in mummy’s basement, desperate undermine the achievements of these ladies if only to the echo chambers of the net. Looking at the fighters it easier to see why ‘Red scorpion’ would be intimidated. Liz Carmouche is a former U.S Marine who had done two tours of Iraq before coming an elite martial artist. And she was the underdog! Champion Ronda Rousey is an arm-breaking, Olympic medal taking, certified Californian badass who has won all of her professional fights in the first round. If you haven’t heard about Rousey yet, enjoy it, because you wont be able to escape her soon. For me, she has something of the young Cassius Clay about her. I can hear the cries of ‘blasphemy!’ But before Clay became the transcendental Muhammed Ali, he was just a young, brash fighting sensation who horrified and captivated mainstream society because he defied their expectations of him as a black man. No more smiling for the camera and being deferential to authority, one of Ali’s defining legacies is that he taught black men that they no longer had to be meek and mild in order to exist in the white man’s world. Change black to woman and what about that may not one day apply to ‘Rowdy’ Ronda?

It is this legacy that really threatens the guys who spent time and energy protesting against letting these women fight on such a big stage. If they didn’t like combat sports full stop that would be one thing but they are fans of the sport, just not for women. They claimed it wasn’t fair that the girls were being headlined above more experienced male fighters. In the end the co-main event between two male legends was 15 minutes of pure boredom and it was the back-and-forth battle between Rousey and Carmouche that saved the show. I feel for the ‘Red Scorpions’ of this world, I really do. From female Olympic boxing for the first time last summer to the recent removal of the ban on women in the frontline of the U.S military, the strict divisions in gender roles are evaporating before their eyes. Rousey is the poster girl for these new Amazons and they must fear the way she has managed to retain her femininity while showing the mental strength and brutal athleticism of a true fighter. Poor guys. If they need something to calm them down they should think about this: a hundred thousand little girls across the world probably also watched Rousey take out Carmouche last saturday night!

Steve Cairns

Nice article K, I enjoyed your point of view that may still be polemic in it’s infancy. The problem I fear you face is the same as any other online blogger and that is the development of immediate commentary and the inherent level of debate that brings. The inability of commentators to deconstruct an argument is the problem most bloggers face and it is nice to see you haven’t risen to the bait.
dbtheonly

Okay, you want women to have the right to beat each other senseless for the amusement of the crowd..
Have you seen Cassius Clay/Muhammed Ali lately? Is this really the role model you want for American youth, of any color or sex,?
Wilt Chamberlin, Bill Russell, Lew Alcindor, Willie Mays, Jackie Robinson, Larry Brown Bob Gibson & Curt Flood were all meek & deferential?
Wouldn’t Tammy Duckworth be a better role model?
- http://twitter.com/kimsim355 Kim Simpson
  
  Aren’t you missing the point? If men have the right to, as you say ‘beat each other senseless for the amusement of the crowd,’ then women should too. I think you are overlooking the fact that these women have perfected a skill to pretty much an art form; they have worked tirelessly to train themselves to be amazing athletes. Like all combat sports, MMA comes with risks, but there are much greater precautions taken, and better medical care given than in Ali’s day. And furthermore, it boils down to choice. These women, like the boxers before them, and all other martial artists, choose to do this sport. To say that fighters are less inspirational, and less suitable as role models than those who have served their country in the army and made it into politics shows a) a fundamental lack of knowledge about what interests young people, and b) a misplaced trust in a political system that isn’t actually doing much at all to help said people. This article isn’t saying that women can’t excel in other areas, such as politics. But it’s not an article about Tammy Duckworth (who is, might I stress, also an incredible woman). Instead, it is merely pointing out that its extraordinary that men are so threatened by physically superior women, and it is celebrating and recognising these women for what they’ve achieved. It’s your right to express your abhorrence of martial arts as a spectator sport, in the same way that I can express my abhorrence of anybody having to be in Iraq at all, but you can’t argue that these women are not good role models. Ultimately, I’d far rather my daughter was an MMA fighter than an army recruit.
- Benthedailybanter
  
  MMA is a sport my friend. Sure, it can hurt, but there hasn’t been a single death in its history, and it’s comparatively incredibly safe. I’ve spent years training Jiu Jitsu/Boxing/Muay Thai, and have met some of the kindest most honorable people on earth. Martial Arts teaches discipline, respect and humility. And yes, it’s still fighting, but that’s a fundamental part of human nature. Better to do it in a gym or ring with rules and under strict supervision. You might want to meet some practitioners before passing judgment.
  - dbtheonly
    
    Ben,
    
    “MMA is a sport my friend”. That is the issue isn’t it? I respect your attachment to Martial Arts & your discipline & humility. I just don’t see the sport in beating another human being senseless.
    
    As Mr. Koram writes, “And finally are you really asking if Muhammed Ali, probably the world’s most beloved sporting hero is a good role model?” The world’s most beloved sporting hero? & I thought Americans were egotistical. Looks like Brits can sling the hyperbole as well. Ali was a world known athlete whose body has been destroyed by the beatings he took for “sport”. We’re having the same discussion about American Football. The “sport” seems to be destroying its’ players. A good role model? Not in that respect.
    
    Mr. Koram, from his view ‘across the pond” perhaps didn’t see that there were several (many?) Black Athletes during the 60s who fought racism as hard off the field as they played on the field. Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul Jabar) & Frank Robinson have grown old but their sports have not destroyed them as boxing has wrecked Ali.
    
    Mr. Koram, “I would retort that fighters and fight fans are in fact the last people likely to be violent or aggressive due to the respect they have for
    these noble arts and humility”
    
    Two words: Mike Tyson.
    
    Ms. Simpson, I will plead guilty to being unaware of what appeals to young people today. I do not begrudge women the right to partake in any “Sport” they choose. Tennis, track, & even fencing strike me as preferable as the intent of the game in each case is not to injure the opponent. Boxing, MMA , & such have, as their goal, the injury of the opponent. No. That’s not a sport.
    
    “I can express my abhorrence of anybody having to be in Iraq at all,” I don’t know there are millions of Iraqis who have every right to be there. I’m perfectly fine with that. US Servicemen & women? As those Iraqis desire.
    - http://twitter.com/kimsim355 Kim Simpson
      
      Aha, I see what you did there – very droll! Of course I did in fact mean service people. But I expect we’ll just have to disagree, as I don’t really fancy being dragged into a debate on that score – it was merely an illustration.
      
      In terms of MMA, I did feel much the same as you a few weeks ago. But seriously, watch some interviews with the people who fight. It’s not about violence and injury; it’s about strength, and agility. Hell, if you’re fast enough, you don’t get hit – to quote Ali: ‘float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, your hands can’t hit what your eyes can’t see!’. It is about so much more than two people beating each other.
      
      In terms of violence outside of the ring, Mike Tyson is an anomaly. There are violent people in all sorts of sports – some footballers in the UK are regularly in court for it. There are violent people in all professions. It’s not the martial arts that makes people violent.
      - dbtheonly
        
        Ms. Simpson,
        
        Yes I can be a smart-Alec. I work on it but sometimes it escapes my best efforts.
        
        You are, of course right, one can be injured in any sport. These injuries are as regrettable as they are unpreventable. We do what we can to prevent those injuries and accept that life is risk. The difference lies in the point of the sport. You & I play tennis, you being young, talented, & fit beat the old, awkward, & fat me. Fine, you win. But in the fighting sports, you win only when I lay senseless at your feet. Do you really not see the difference? Referees stop fights at the point when one fighter is no longer capable of resisting, senseless but still on his feet. Sorry, I don’t see the huge difference.
        
        But I compare MMA & boxing to another sport, American Old West gun shooting. It’s quite fun practicing the quick-draw & shooting for accuracy. It would be much less fun were it to be aimed at another person. It’s the fact that the practice of the sport inevitably will destroy the practitioners that bothers me. Even Ali wasn’t good enough not to get the crap beat out of him several times. I do not begrudge women making the choice to partake in fighting events. These men & women are fine athletes. It’s watching them be slowly destroyed that bothers me.

Original Opinion

The Return of Girl Power

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