Again, you missed the point. MMA is not some specific niche sport like NFL, MMA is basically fighting and every country has some sport like this. I named my country because MMA as a combat sport is usually compare to boxing. Boxing is established worldwide, MMA is not, that's the point. That's why you can see people from so many countries doing well in boxing. You are saying that MMA is a niche thing like NHL that will only have athletes training it in just a few countries and is already at it's peak. That's not the case, the base for MMA are sports that are popular worldwide (Wrestling, Boxing, Judo, Kickboxing) and yet many of those countries that do well in those sports don't have MMA gyms. This sport is only going to get bigger.
Also don't be so quick to dismiss other countries. That is such an american stereotype lol. Mayweather is the best boxer of the last generation and his toughest fight was against an argentinian. If we can do well in boxing, there is no reason to think that we can't do well in a similar combat sport if in the future we have as many MMA gyms as we have boxing gyms now. But the point wasn't about just my country, many countries are not involved yet that have a big history in combat sports (mexico, thailand, iran, philipines, france, etc...). No need to shit in Argentina to dimiss the point, I know we are not giants or anything, but there are many other countries outside the US that could do well if their athletes start training MMA.
1. I think you're actually the one missing the point, now in multiple areas. First of all the NFL is not a
niche sport. That is the biggest sport in the US currently and for years now, and along with the NBA/basketball, all of the top athletes in the US are funneled into the sport of NFL football and basketball. So it was relevant to discuss, and I realize basically no other countries play football. Others do play basketball though, including Argentina.
The point was that the meta/skills/techniques of MMA have peaked and plateaued seemingly, outside of what...the calf kick and fence wrestling recently? We've come a long way since UFC 1 in 1993 to ~2000-2003 to 2005-2009. Since then not that much has really changed. Some better athletes, some crisper and better technique in singular areas.
2. My intention was not to shit on Argentina, it was to say that
your situation is not reflective on the entire world or sport of MMA. You're talking about the 4th biggest city in a country with 44 million people in it, in the most southern area of South America, who's people really only care about soccer and then much less so boxing, maybe niche basketball. Again I don't know the exact details but I think that's pretty accurate.
All of your BJJ gyms also seem to be on the northern border and/or in Buenos Aires the capital. So yeah I guess if you don't live there you're fucked, that sucks. But again...Argentina is pretty much irrelevant in the MMA scene, is what it is. Off the top of my head let see: Malaysia, Thailand (ironically), Greece, Italy, France, the entire continent of Africa in actuality, the entire middle east currently, etc. Are all irrelevant overall in MMA as well.
TLDR: I don't think the sport of MMA is in it's "infancy" because it isn't as globally popular as soccer. That seems to be your rubric. Soccer only needs a partially inflated ball to be played, hence why it's the popular sport. Poor people can play it, dirt poor can play it. I don't think that applies to MMA. Unless you're a phenom talent (Ngannou), you have to pay your way basically to learn BJJ/MMA, or otherwise have to grow up wrestling or boxing (again gym membership).
