When I first heard of XARM, which Bloody Elbow was quick to point out is pronounced “x-arm” instead of “zarm,” I knew it would be a mess of an idea. How? Art Davie created it. The co-creator of the UFC, Davie has been itching to get back into MMA ever since he sold the UFC for just a few million dollars. Predictably, he’s been upset that three businessmen tok his creation and turned it billionaire in just over a decade. As a result, Davie is willing to try anything and everything to get back into combat sports. His ideas usually reek of desperation and XARM is no different.For those of you who have not had the benefit of watching XARM live, here’s the primer. Two fighters (yes, fighters…many of them have real MMA experience) are hooked to an arm wrestling table. The harnesses allow them little movement. Then, hands are bound with duct tape. Little else happens before the match begins, sending the men into a hockey fight frenzy. The punching very much resembles a hockey scrum due to one hand being inactive. XARM takes a noted departure from the rinked sport, however, as the match progresses. Actually pinning the arm results in points that can be added to a decision. However, decisions are rare as the fight usually ends with a fighter kicking around or punching over the chest-level table.
I watched Moore vs. Laupua for free off of the XARM site and while it was mildly entertaining in the beginning, I quickly grew bored. The fighters were doing their best to stay out of combat in this bout, leaning back and then counter punching. The novelty wore off as the same punches were thrown over and over, with little to no effect. The announcing left much to be desired as well, with catch phrases like “he’s a man’s man” substituted for true, knowledge based play calling. The refs didn’t do much for my view of the sport’s legitimacy either, as they did not move for the length of the fight. How is the referee supposed to safely stop or correctly score a fight if he is only seeing one side of the action? XARM made EliteXC look perfect, which should tell you all you need to know.
Will this sport stick around? ESPN seems to think so, as evidenced by its recent column praising the sport. However, I don’t believe that it will have the appeal Davie expects. XARM was created to “take the boring ground game away,” but as a result, it has taken away one of the best parts of MMA stand up: the clinch. Sure, XARM creates a strict, striking only environment, but it no longer remains MMA. Davie has said that the UFC was de-volved from its original creation, but in my opinion, XARM is the epitome of de-evolution.
I would be shocked if this ill conceived lambaste of MMA survives anything more than a trial run on the game show network. With the competitiveness of MMA promotions today, Davie lacks the bankroll and the imagination to create something truly unique.
