Why are Brazilian MMA fighters so ugly?

[Eastwood]

Clearly Brazilians are the top MMA fighters, nearly sweeping every weight class. My favorite is Machida, who was dethroned by you guessed it, another Brazilian. Wherever I have travelled, I see handsome latin men. I cannot figure out how these fighters can look so mean and ugly, I'm sure they are nice people, but what the heck happened to their faces? I have no opinion on Brazilians in general since I've never been there.

I believe only a heavyweight could defeat Anderson Silva (one of the better looking Brazilians)

[Benjio]

Originally Posted by Eastwood

Clearly Brazilians are the top MMA fighters, nearly sweeping every weight class. My favorite is Machida, who was dethroned by you guessed it, another Brazilian. Wherever I have travelled, I see handsome latin men. I cannot figure out how these fighters can look so mean and ugly, I'm sure they are nice people, but what the heck happened to their faces? I have no opinion on Brazilians in general since I've never been there.

I believe only a heavyweight could defeat Anderson Silva (one of the better looking Brazilians)

Eastwood, your thread is pretty hilarious and I got quite a laugh out of it. I'll throw a little of my experience in and let me know what you think. A little while back I began getting into boxing for fitness and started to meet a lot of amatuer boxers at a gym I frequented here in the states. After a few months I began noticing the same thing about them. The guys were in great shape but generally had pretty tore up faces. As I began getting to know a few of them a little better, I discovered that almost all of them had experienced severe facial injuries and traumas. Broken and dislocated jaws, broken noses, fractured eye sockets, hundreds of busted lips, etc. These things heal but usually don't leave your face in its original condition. I'd think that injuries of this nature would be exponentially greater in MMA, but you now have to add the variable of kicks and knees to the face (which are considerably more powerful than the hardest punches a boxer can throw).

You also have to realize that most fighters, even successful ones that are rich, have lived or are living very hard lives. A good fighter can't constantly pamper himself. A lot of them have been to prison. Even more come from very dangerous neighborhoods and have had tumultuous upbringings. These things begin to "weather" on a person's appearance over time.

As far as Brazilians being the best fighters in MMA, that's something I've also noticed. From what I gather, it has a lot to do with the form of martial arts indigenous to Brazil. Capoeira, which is relatively new compared to the older forms of martials arts that were developed in Asia, depends less on set forms and routines and more on improvisation and adaptation. So fundamentally, I'd think the Brazilian Martial Arts would be better suited for mixed martial arts fighting; while a more traditional art, like Kung Fu for example, was designed more with the intention of fighting someone else that knows Kung Fu. Keep in mind that I'm far from a Martial Arts expert, as there are some on the board that I'm sure will give their opinions when they get the opportunity. But I've done a lot of reading and these are just assumptions I've drawn from my own logic.

[Eastwood]

Great explanation and I'm glad you have a sense of humor. Yes maybe less fortunate Brazilians get into fighting, and they were not blessed with a pretty face. There are bastante fighters bonitos not from Brazil : Crocop, Roger Huerta, Frank Mir, Rashad Evans, Kalifornia Kid, Frank Shamrock, and Rich Franklin to name a few.