Blood in the Cage

Abstract

This study, titled “Blood in the Cage: The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s Appeal to Filipino Males” aims to discover the underlying appeal of the popular mixed martial arts promotion, The Ultimate Fighting Championship, to its core viewership in the Philippines (the 18-34 males). It also mainly delved on the effects of watching the UFC to its audience’s general mood and behavior. The research also took into consideration images and symbols of masculinity and violence as shown by the UFC product and the correlation of these factors to viewership patterns in the said demographic. To accomplish this, the study mainly made use of a survey, distributed in two formats—online and traditional. Both surveys had an equal sample of 120 respondents, all of whom were members of the UFC main targeted audience. The questions in the survey were divided four research variables relevant to the study’s objectives, namely: Demographic Characteristics, Exposure, Appeals and Effects of the UFC. Theories from existing studies on media violence and images of masculinity were then applied to put these survey results in context. Conclusions derived from this study are indisputably relevant the fields of policy- making, marketing as well as the academe. Better media laws can be derived with better knowledge of the effects of raw violence on television. Improved marketing strategies can be formed with a detailed knowledge of product appeal to target audience. New insights and further gains in research will be achieved in the study of media violence, gender studies as well as male psychology.

Tiu, M.E. (2012). Blood in the Cage: The Appeal of the Ultimate Fighting Championship to Young Filipino Males, Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis, University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication.

Keywords: UFC, MMA, Mixed Martial Arts, Media Violence

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