Academy Award-winning actor Mel Gibson often sympathizes with UFC fighters who suffer stomach-churning damage in the cage.
MMA isn’t for everyone. Combat sports feature some of the most brutal injuries you’ll ever see in the cage, along with graphic lacerations that turn some of the most stable stomachs into knots.
The perception of MMA fighting, from its early label as ‘human cockfighting’ to a worldwide phenomenon, has evolved over the decades of competition. Top names like Jon Jones, Conor McGregor, and Alex Pereira wouldn’t’ve become as popular as they are without the UFC’s determination for excellence.
Mel Gibson, one of the prominent figures in film, is a massive fight fan. While he’s one of several celebrities who are regulars at UFC events, he sympathizes with fighters who suffer unthinkable damage inside the Octagon.
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Mel Gibson describes the roller coaster of being a regular UFC attendee
During a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Gibson admitted he sometimes can’t stomach the damages that fighters suffer through in the Octagon.
“I’m addicted to the UFC, I love it. But I know that these guys are…I feel kind of sorry for them,” Gibson said. “I knew one of the guys fairly well, and usually I’m pretty immune to [nausea]. He was fighting Alexander Volkanovski and it was Brian Ortega, and he was getting his a** handed to him. He almost got him a couple of times.
“But because I knew Brian, it was like my son was in there. I almost started crying, and it got to me, ‘I should probably feel like this about all these guys but I don’t know them as well'”
Gibson isn’t the only celebrity who often discusses the UFC and upcoming fights. U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump has attended numerous events in recent years and is a longtime friend of UFC CEO Dana White.
Gibson’s admissions aren’t uncommon, even amongst the loyalist UFC watchers. Graphic injuries, including leg breaks, draw emotional reactions from fight fans, pundits, and fellow fighters.
Mel Gibson, Mark Wahlberg, and Leonardo DiCaprio are among Hollywood’s biggest UFC fans
The specific fight that Gibson mentioned in his above quotes took place at UFC 266. In one of the greatest UFC featherweight fights ever, Brian Ortega fought through extreme damage against Alexander Volkanovski to go the full five-round distance.
UFC events are not nearly as buck-wild and graphic as they were in the early days of the sport. Fights are considerably safer with up-to-date equipment and more restrictions, although that doesn’t stop some fighters from suffering nasty gashes and scarring.
Gibson isn’t backing down from his UFC fandom anytime soon, and his admissions echo the same sentiment that many avid fans of combat sports deal with regularly.