It's always interesting conversation when I tell my buddies who work around the country in sportsradio why I've chosen mixed martial arts as a sport to specialize on. You get that sideways look.

"Really you like that more than NBA, NFL or baseball? They just don't get it and still look at the UFC, and other promotions as a circus and one that only a small crew of fans follow. I know they're wrong. You know they're wrong but it's not always easy to convince the non-believers.

Andrew Sharp, an editor from SB Nation, attended his first UFC card this weekend and put into words nicely some of the things that make MMA so infectious.

Screw the primal nature of fights and the blood, the first thing I mention is the melding of fight specialties and strategy.

Rookie fan at UFC 109 captures why MMA is so big