Does the FOX/UFC opening intro hurt or help the MMA image?

I am happy that the UFC has gone mainstream via the relationship between UFC and FOX.  Truly, I am.  I am excited and definitely not surprised that MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world.  http://bleacherreport.com/articles/941301-ufc-paying-tribute-to-one-of-the-worlds-fastest-growing-sports; http://www.cagepotato.com/worlds-fastest-growing-sport-fact-or-hype/. The sport and the athletes deserve a growing audience to witness the strategic art form that MMA is.  I am in the minority, as a business woman, when I attend board room meetings with CEO's, Vice Presidents and Directors not because I am a woman, but because my sport of choice isn't baseball, basketball, football, soccer or golf.  My sport of choice is MMA, reality fighting, gladiator style.  You can hear a pin drop every time I proudly admit that I am a huge fan of UFC and the elite fighters that fight with such heart.  After the initial silence, the degrading comments begin about how "the fighters are knuckle heads" and how "they aren't the brightest bulbs on the tree" or "it's so violent how can you stand to watch it?"  It's always the same judgements.  I still haven't figured out who ends up more shocked….the

What can we learn from MMA and elite fighters?

I have a thing for cage fighting and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) where the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) come alive.  I've had a thing for it ever since I came across cage fighting over twenty years ago, when it came out on late night T.V.  I knew I had fallen hard for the sport because it was important enough for me to watch the entire show while standing a foot a way from my T.V. with the volume down as low as it could go, so not to disturb my parents.  Yet, loud enough to hear the names of the moves and fighters.  I believe my appreciation of MMA fighting began when I watched Sunday karate movies with sub titles and voice overs, in addition to, enjoying  Jean Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal movies.  

I have a strong appreciation for the true art that it is.  I respect the discipline and the heart that it takes to shut out everything that does not support a fighter's desire to be their very best.  The level of respect the fighters display for one another once the fight is over is heart warming.