The Redefinition of Legitimate Violence in Combat Sports: The Case of MMA in the USA and Europe

Abstract

This paper analyses and compares the differential development of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as a legitimate combat sport in Europe and the USA through the figurational framework of established–outsider relations. In the USA, a relative degree of identification between fighters and the broader public has resulted in a wider acceptance of professional MMA. In Europe, conversely, the situation is more mixed, ranging from a relative rejection resulting in a more controlled amateur version within certain areas of the continent such as Germany, France and Scandinavia, but a relatively successful professional model in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Central European countries such as Poland. The distinctive paths followed by MMA on both sides of the Atlantic demonstrate different civilising patterns. These patterns imply different sensitivities towards violence and different power balances between social groups defining what constitutes legitimate institutional violence in the format of combat sports.