You MUST watch Episode 6 of Iron Ring

**13ringinheat** · Posted On: 4/17/2008 12:13pm

I think the guy's arm broke when he picked the dude up and at the height of the lift gave the dude an extra jerk before slamming him to the ground. On TV you can hear a crack at that point unless it was just me imagining things.

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 4/17/2008 12:23pm

that is the worst website I have ever seen.

**Beezer** · Posted On: 4/17/2008 12:33pm

T.I. must have said "You can't win from your back" 5 times in that episode. How many MMA fights has T.I. witnessed? Brutal. I hate myself that I even watch this show. The girlfriend of the dude that got his skull crushed was pretty concerned, and the guy next to her is saying "that's what they do, it will be alright". Thanks. I have to take this show off my tivo, but, I won't. I really do hate myself.

**Matt W.** · Posted On: 4/17/2008 1:20pm

The posturing and condescending "advice" of the rappers disgusts me. And half the trainers seem like TMA morons. But, lol, Shonie! Mr. International makes it all worthwhile.

**Moo Cow** · Posted On: 4/17/2008 1:41pm

By the time I made it to the last video, I had a severe headache from all the annoying yapping those guys keep doing. Someone tell those guys to shut the **** up for even just a second.

**Nathan McScary** · Posted On: 4/17/2008 2:59pm

Yeah, that was a sick move. I must say though, this is one of the few instances where I don't feel that you can fault the show/referring for the injuries, as it was stopped right after the slam. A similar move happened in japan recently.

The show is still garbage though...Just in this episode alone you have:

- T.I. telling fighters that you can't win on your back

- The show host telling everyone that the fighter doing the footstomps was doing them wrong because if he had done it right, he would have instantly broken his opponent's foot upon contact.

- The show host continuing to insulting grappling and call it "romancing".

- The show host belittling a white fighter who just went the distance and fought to a draw because he was tired after his fight.

**Matt W.** · Posted On: 4/17/2008 3:24pm

The show host

I thought he was just one of the "trainers". Either way... Yeah, the guy's a F'in moron.

**Nathan McScary** · Posted On: 4/17/2008 3:34pm

Originally Posted by Matt W.

I thought he was just one of the "trainers". Either way... Yeah, the guy's a F'in moron.

Yeah, I'm not exactly sure what his exact title is, but he seems to oversee everyone and is featured so prominently over everyone else that I figured he must be the host or some damn thing. But yes, he needs a beatdown for being a moron. Maybe then he'd realize that he doesn't actually have a clue about how actual fighting works.

**h_sh_m** · Posted On: 4/17/2008 3:52pm

There's definetly a hint racism every now and then on the show.

- Belittling the white fighter (although gassing out during a 2 round fight you knew about ahead of time is definitly worthy of belittling, just not from the guy that was doing it).

- Shouts of "send that boy back to Japan!" and what felt like a tangibly hostile environment from the refs to the coaches, when a Japanese grappler fought an black striker on the last episode. As I could've predicted, there was an early stoppage and the black dude won by strikes even though it was clear the japanese dude was fully congnizant and working to improve his position.

- The obvious anger and disappointment when that white dude in the 1st or 2nd ep ground & pounded some black guy after they failed to select him for a team. Noone congratulated him at all. I would'a given him madd dap for calling someone out and proving himself after I misjudged him. (Bonus: I think I spotted a little fear in the eyes of the bullshit TMA trained coach when he confronted him after the fight. He tried to cover it up as disdain, but watch it, you'll see it.)

- The generally lower quality of the white competitors showcased (not including light skinned hispanics). So far 2 of the 3 that fought, seemed like rednecks that had no business in the ring (the preacher who fought Diamond and the toothless guy who got beaten cause he gassed out before the first round was up - these are not fighters.)

The case isn't airtight, and some of these instances could be attributed to something else, but the way it's been presented so far, I think a pattern is forming. Ofcourse this isn't 'hang you off a tree' real racism, and I'm sure any white crowd pleaser could easily win everyone over, but I just thought I'd mention what I think I'm picking up.

Also it could be argued that there is a need to be somewhat excessively polemic in order to introduce MMA in a more afrocentric context so that it will be more palatable to potential black consumers. Thus the dashiki-clad ref. Once the market is cracked open, they can dial it down a notch.

Oh also:

Originally Posted by Kintanon

That show is gonna get someone killed. The mentality is way too "street", the fighters don't want to tap so they get hurt. The ref waits too long to stop the fights. It's a less than safe environment for the fighters in my opinion.

Stop being a moron. The show is not too 'street'.

-Most of the fighters are either trained professionals or guys who've been swinging for the fences (the least dangerous group).

-You haven't seen people tap because there haven't been that many submissions aired after editing.

-The refs suck because they've been stopping fights TOO EARLY and are generally too quick on the trigger finger.

- There are a bunch of experienced behind the scenes guys who've been involved in MMA for a while, overseeing the production.

I suspect you're saying this because you've fallen for BETs strategy of repeatedly saying they're street. Or because it's a black show. Whatever, despite the hype, everyone there has shown the fear, respect and nervousness typical of a first foray into making a new MMA show.

EDIT: Also, the fights look more 'street' than they are because the fighters are given an incredibly small amount of time to fight, forcing them to be more aggressive.
After than BET edits the fights and removes most 'working for position' part in order to make the fight look even more intense. I can't count how many times someone's trapped in guard, then it cuts to a picture of Santana's face, then all of a sudden the guy's in side control, punching dude in the face.