By As a mixed martial arts fan and hobbyist Jiu-Jitsu player who isn’t afraid of pronouns or needles it’s often hard to relate to the professional athletes you watch every weekend. Saturday night, that all changed for me when Norma Dumont landed a powerful blow against Chelsea Chandler and Chandler responded just as I would, by running in a full sprint in the other direction until the cage forced her to stop. Although many online used this as an opportunity to ridicule Chandler, I finally felt seen.
While this may not be a popular opinion, getting physically struck is unpleasant and I believe in my heart that full-on retreat remains the most effective response imaginable when it happens. Were I a professional mixed martial artist I can say with absolute certainty that I would run away at least once in every single fight I took, and so would you. Congratulations to Chelsea Chandler on her groundbreaking decision to represent not her fellow mixed martial artists, but all of us at home watching it. Cheers to this woman of the people!
