Dirt

I have had an on-and-off interest in mixed martial arts. More off than on, but I always find myself passively digesting news from the sport.

It seems that the only information that is reaching my consciousness lately is either big matches being called off due to injury or main eventers being popped by drug tests.

The latter has happened for the first huge bout of the year and has occurred this past weekend as well.

Nick Diaz, who fought Anderson Silva on Saturday night,  was found to have more marijuana in his system than the Nevada State Athletic Commission would allow.

Also, and this is even more of a story, Silva was found to have anabolic steroids in his system.

I know I am going to appear hypocritical considering I enjoy professional wrestling, but MMA is meant to be an above board sport.  There is so much dirt here.

Cocaine and marijuana use, PED taking, matches being postponed due to injury - there's just so many factors here that could drive this sport into the ground.

Would I be surprised to see interest in the sport begin to wane? Of course. My interest is only piqued when:

a) There's a big match on the horizon
b) A big match is called off
c) Fighters are popped for drug violations

With 66.6% of these interest gainers being for negative reasons, I can totally understand it if people are turned off with what seems to be a continuous trend.

The solution is simple.

Clean it up.