Hey friends,
I'm back writing! It’s been a minute, I know!
After literal years off and focusing on Instagram video content, I've got to a point now where I have the itch to get back to yapping on a newsletter. Some things just don't translate to 90s videos with an instrumental Doom track behind it.
Anyway, I wanted to revive the Substack to be able to write some essays and do more deep dive content.
Thanks for sticking around, legends.
Clara x
Fighting in the age of identity
If you're in the MMA community, you'll have seen 'Fighting in the Age of Loneliness' on Youtube, detailing the history of MMA, and why in the early 2000s the sport was flourishing amidst a sea of existential threats prompted by war. It's beautiful, and it's one of the pieces of content that inspired me to start telling stories about MMA. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend taking some time to watch it.
I wanted to try and reframe it in the context of 2024. So much of that film still remains true. The world is still lonely and chaotic in equal measures - lovely unfettered capitalism - and combat sports still are a sanctuary in that.
But, post-pandemic, large swathes of the modern world have been grappling with their sense of identity.
Political scientist Francis Fukuyama argues that identity is a modern concept built around the belief that we have inner selves that are not being adequately respected by the society around us. It builds on a universal human need for self-esteem and the affirmation of our inner dignity.
And, from our own experiences of the pandemic years, it’s not hard to see why that idea is more or less front and centre in all of our minds.
Our government flip-flopped on pandemic policy and made decisions not based in science, allowing large parts of the population to die as collateral, to protect markets and business interests. Money and power were a hotter commodity than human life.
Communities around us either stepped up for mutual care, or we were left to fend for ourselves.
People made redundant by their workplaces realised they were simply a cog in the machine, a machine they gave service to and found meaning in.
We saw people for who they were in the wake of vaccinations, Black Lives Matter and economic policies. Many have not been able to reconcile past relationships with these newly shared beliefs. In 2020 alone, there were 28,000 members of the subreddit for people to seek support after losing their family members to QAnon conspiracies.
Aside from that, populist governments have been slowly pitting members of society against each other by calling on identity politics to entrench their power. How many people now fear the trans 'threat' - mass hysteria around bathrooms and hormones - despite having never encountered a trans person in their lives, and probably never having seen an issue with trans people until very recently.
It was a devastating pandemic in so many ways, and those who survived were thrown into an identity crisis: who am I, where do I belong and what the fuck am I doing?
As a result, people have been grasping for meaning in their lives over the past few years.
How many people do you know right now training for a marathon, climbing or chatting about Hyrox?
Well, physical improvement is one of the basic ways to find control in your life, and prove to yourself that you do have some agency in spite of external factors.
Medical professionals have been extolling the virtues of physical activity for years for health, but it feels like the pieces are falling into place for so many people, choosing to exercise for purpose and meaning over purely health and aesthetic reasons. A pretty decent coping mechanism.
But beyond general physical activity, martial arts have a particularly unique appeal in this crisis. And, they’re thriving as a result.
This part comes from my own experiences, as I was part of this post-pandemic ‘oh fuck, who am I?’ wave. I got on the mats in 2022 and haven't looked back.
“Fighting for me is like a quest to find out who I am so I can get better. A quest to be better than I was yesterday.”
Eddie Alvarez
It’s not a new phenomenon. In fact, fighting is one of the oldest recorded things humans have done, and not just for the sake of fighting.
Wrestling was depicted in works of art from Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt, and later in the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh. The earliest known depiction of boxing comes from a Sumerian relief in Mesopotamia (Iraq). Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War' recorded martial art philosophy and strategy during the 'Warring States' period of Chinese history that is still guiding martial artists today.
Despite limited to no communication across civilisations during this time, most have references to fighting - not just for combat purposes but for honour and sport. Whether or not we possess innate knowledge is something we’ve probably left to our A-Level philosophy essays, but there’s definitely a human instinct driving us to fight.
"For me, it’s just like, ‘All right, I’m going into this fight, and I’m fully expressing myself, and I’m not having any fears, and I’m not going to worry about losing, and I’m not going to worry that if I lose, I don’t get this, this and this.’ It’s just more about self-expression and self-discovery now.”
In this crisis of identity, millions of people are finding comfort, sanctuary and strength in this most human of acts, that millions have done before, and millions will continue to do. In 2022, in the United States alone, the market for martial arts studios and clubs had grown to be worth an estimated $9 billion.
And it’s not really surprising. The mats, the pads, the bags, the ring, the cage. They don't care who you are outside of that space - an appealing prospect if you don’t know who you are yourself.
The only way you can get better is by doing it. The more time you put into drilling your kimuras, the easier they’ll be to hit, and the harder the break will be. There’s no way to hack, cheat or exploit your way to being a better martial artist, no matter what people may promise you.
It is one of the last remaining spaces in the world that feels meritocratic.
It’s humbling to be bad at something, especially for people who may be at the top in other areas of their lives. Becoming a beginner again in something so physically and mentally challenging provides a unique opportunity to learn more about themselves. How do I respond when I’m losing? Do I quit when it’s difficult? Can I withstand an indefinite process without immediate reward?
It’s hard to find other spaces that strip away all the external noise to allow you to feel all the things human beings are supposed to feel.
“Always look to learn. Learning something new is a great feeling. The feeling of progress.”
There is also a whole body of proof that this can be truly transformative for a person.
We've all seen the Instagram posts of Alex Pereira in the auto shop, an alcoholic in his early twenties.
We all love Charles Oliveira and Jose Aldo, the kings of the favelas.
We’ve all seen how Sean O’Malley has been propelled, by fighting, from shaving his eyebrows off for $50 to endless riches.
Hell, even Gordon Ryan managed to get himself a Ram TRX.
And even for those who don’t participate in the sport themselves, we can learn a lot about ourselves through observation.
The original Olympic games featuring wrestling and boxing were a major spectacle for entire populations. Gladiator culture was one of the most popular forms of entertainment in ancient Rome. People trying to consensually beat each other up through whatever means necessary is, and always has been, really fun.
Max Holloway's astounding KO of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 was heard around the world. The shock and awe. The scream. The adrenaline. That fight could have happened anywhere in the world in any period of history and the reaction from anyone watching would be the same.
We have regulations and commissions now, and rules of these sports have changed over time. But, watching a fight makes sense. Whatever promotion you’re watching or level of production is going on in the background doesn’t matter. At its essence, you are watching two people locked in a mutual agreement to try and hurt each other as much as they can without taking damage themselves.
This elicits emotions within us that we might be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with. And this delve into ourselves can be a journey of self-discovery.
For me, I’d always seen my identity on the lines of being a pacifist vegan working in human rights. I was confused at my fascination with MMA, cheering at the draw of blood from a well-timed elbow or the bend of a bulging, sinewy arm on the verge of a break. It felt like a contradiction. But, it helped me uncover new parts of myself I had no idea were lying dormant: an appreciation for the skill and bravery of my fellow humans, and a desire to try it myself. And now, two of the big ways I fill my time are by doing a martial art and talking about it.
The current outlook for most of us right now is pretty bleak.
The world that was painted in ‘Fighting in the Age of Loneliness’ has only continued to decline. Extreme economic hardships, divided societies, even more horrific wars. No wonder so many people are feeling as though the very essence of themselves is in flux.
For millions unsure of who they are and where they fit in, fighting remains a way to find the answer.
Has influencer boxing helped or hindered the sport?
Jake Paul recently TKO’ed Uber driver Ryan Bourland on his mission to becoming a 'legitimate' boxer.
After fans found Bourland's Linkedin - a guy who'd had one fight since 2018 - Paul was yet again derided.
Is there value in influencer boxing, or is it simply a money and ego-driven quest into a sport steeped in tradition?
It's been 8 years since Joe Weller and Theo Baker squared off in a gym in Sussex, the first time two well known influencers took their beef into the ring.
A year later, KSI took on Joe Weller in East London's Copper Box arena, with KSI winning via TKO.
And, with that, the influencer boxing era began.
Since then, Jake Paul has pivoted to being a ‘professional’ boxer, partnered with the PFL and co-founded MVP promotions. Logan Paul fought Floyd Mayweather and has appeared in WWE. KSI founded Misfits boxing and has a 5-1-1 record.
We have OnlyFans creators choosing influencer boxing to take control of their narrative: to prove they're more than the way they’ve chosen to make money.
We have gamers and Tik Tokkers and meme guys take up the sport to cash in on their 15 minutes of fame. It's gone beyond a few fights here and there to a whole industry in itself - the influencer wing of boxing.
Many purists hate that a new generation is getting into the sport - turning it from martial art to spectacle. But, to keep the sport relevant, it needs to grow and reach new audiences. And it is.
According to Statitsa, boxing club membership grew by 4% in the UK between 2018/19 and 2019/2020. Similarly, after the KSI v Weller fight, annual participation in the sport in the UK went from 650k to 750k. Google Searches for ‘boxing club’ and ‘boxing club near me’ also grew during this period. Pretty huge.
It would be inaccurate to attribute this growth in boxing to solely influencers. The world's eyes were drawn to McGregor v Mayweather in 2017, with 5 million PPV buys after their world tour.
But, Logan Paul v KSI 2 had 2 million buys, absolutely astronomical numbers for two guys without professional records.
A recent EY study revealed that boxing was the second most popular sport behind football for Gen Z audiences. Without the research dedicated to deciphering the motivations behind the growth of UK boxing, we might not know why.
But, people like KSI and the Paul Brothers grew their platforms on social media - a DIY space smashing down the Babel-esque industries of entertainment and media, democratising something that felt impenetrable - inspiring millions of people to stream or pick up a camera themselves.
It's not hard to see how documenting their journey into boxing, showing that all it takes is the determination to learn, might have had an impact on overall participation and interest. Especially in boxing, where the different commissions, irregular scheduling and overall structure can seem daunting to those new to the sport.
Time will tell if this translates to long term growth, as it’ll be 5-10 years to see this new wave get into the ring themselves.
But, for now, it’s looking good for the sport of boxing.
A note on the above
I had researched that piece initially for a short video, but realised it was a bit too long and complex for a 90 second Reel.
The articles and stories I’d read in preparation did make me feel more positively about the whole influencer boxing phenomenon, seeing the impact it was having on grassroots communities. Anything that encourages young people to get into a combat sport is cool in my books, knowing firsthand the transformational power it can have.
BUT.
That was before it was announced that Katie Taylor v Amanda Serrano 2 would be the co-main event to an exhibition bout between Jake Paul v Mike Tyson. Two incredibly talented professionals, at the pinnacle of their sport being placed below Jake Paul fighting a 58 year old Mike Tyson. No bloody way.
Katie Taylor v Amanda Serrano 1 headlined Madison Square Gardens, one of the biggest nights for women’s boxing. It had 1.5 million PPV buys. It was an incredible fight between two incandescent athletes, with Taylor winning via split decision.
To Jake Paul’s credit, MVP promotions was a co-promoter alongside Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom. It did look like Paul genuinely wanted to showcase women’s boxing.
But what this recent decision has done is show that he values his ego over anything else.
He’s getting his money by being the promoter, and also through managing Amanda Serrano under MVP. He made his millions shilling merchandise to children in his former life as a daily vlogger on Youtube. He’s got enough money. It’s not about money.
It’s the assumption that people will only tune in to watch boxing if it’s a recognisable name like Tyson, or Paul. And it might be a fair assumption to make, but for someone who has spoken at length about trying to make life fairer for fighters, it’s an incredibly lazy one.
I just hope Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano are getting a bucketload of cash for this fight.
The Other Stuff
The Walkout
I wanted to make a playlist to share some of the music I’ve been listening to the past few weeks. Tell me what you’ve been listening to!
Links links links
For all the other things that don’t fit anywhere but I want to share with you guys.
Jason Rau’s ‘Why Your Armbar Sucks’ [IG] has made a bunch click in my brain and has helped improve my armbar finishes.
Death Grip makes some of my favourite rashguards. Not an ad or sponsorship, I just want to shout out a cool company making cool stuff. Non-cringe designs, grippy waistband, nice and thick material. Nice.
In early April, I posted about Anthony Bourdain’s win in the IBJJF NY Spring Open 8 years ago. Here’s one of my favourite Bourdain pieces about BJJ. [Medium]
LOOK AT THIS ARMBAR [IG] by Thauany Caldeira
Check out one of my training partner’s Substack - Diary of a Meathead. As a non-corporate, non-meathead, I’m not exactly his target audience, but some of you might relate. Shout out to Franco!
Thank you so much for reading this far down. I appreciate it, homie.
Dream, believe and make it happen.