Baseball has the Yankees. Football has the Cowboys. The UFC has Brock Lesnar. Sports need bad guys. The kind of teams and people that galvanize the audience to turn on the tube and root, root, root for the other team.
 
After the disastrous strike of 1994, Major League Baseball needed a comeback. Much has been made of how the Mark McGwire/Sammy Sosa home run race rekindled America’s love affair with the national past time. But the success of the New York Yankees was far more responsible for the rebirth of baseball than McGwire and Sosa. Even the lowliest franchise would sell out when the Yankees were in town. Who didn’t want to see the hometown boys take on Torre and company?
 
People hate a winner. Especially a winner who plays in a big market and has a payroll that exceeds the GDP of Ecuador. It’s fun to root against the Yankees. It’s even more fun to taunt their fans and talk trash about how they have yet to win a championship in the 21st century (Note to Mets fans: You should probably still keep your mouths shut).
 
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Dallas Cowboys. Sure, they have a large fan base spread throughout the country. But there are an even larger number of people who despise them. Personally, I want to dry heave when I hear the term “America’s team.” But there’s no doubt the Cowboys are good for the NFL. They put butts in seats. Like it or not, they’ve helped the NFL become the #1 sports league in North America.
 
Which leads us to Lesnar. Before UFC 100, MMA was still considered an extreme sport outside the mainstream. But then Lesnar fought Mir and we were treated to a butt whooping that hasn’t been seen since Ivan Drago fought Apollo Creed. After his victory Lesnar bad-mouthed the events sponsors, trash talked his semi-conscious opponent and announced his plans for some post-fight coitus with his better half. Naturally, the blogosphere has been abuzz with anti-Lesnar propaganda. But it’s not just MMA blogs hammering Lesnar. Major sports publications are now writing about the UFC and sticking to the “Lesnar as bad guy” narrative.
 
This is all great for the UFC. The more people who are exposed to the sport, the more people will be willing to tune in. The more people who tune in, the more advertisers are willing to pay. Once big advertisers are on board there will be more money to pay fighters and lure them into the octagon for the matchups MMA fans crave. (Lesnar vs. Fedor Emelianenko anyone?)
 
So don’t be afraid to show your dislike for Lesnar. On the contrary, wear your anti-Lesnar emotions on your sleeve. You’re doing UFC fans a big favor.