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‘… The only way I'm gonna learn is if it's done properly’: Gendered embodiment and contradictions of ‘control’ in mixed-gender mixed martial arts

Zoe John Orcid Logo

International Review for the Sociology of Sport, Volume: 60, Issue: 3, Pages: 507 - 524

Swansea University Author: Zoe John Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1177/10126902241275279

Abstract

This article draws from several months of ethnographic research on gender, embodiment and violence, offering insight into situated (and contradictory) definitions of violence in mixed martial arts (MMA). Analysing interview data, violence is defined conceptually by members of one MMA club in the UK...

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Published in: International Review for the Sociology of Sport
ISSN: 1012-6902 1461-7218
Published: SAGE Publications 2025
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67289
first_indexed 2024-08-02T10:07:29Z
last_indexed 2025-06-14T04:47:23Z
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spelling 2025-06-13T14:48:57.7315230 v2 67289 2024-08-02 ‘… The only way I'm gonna learn is if it's done properly’: Gendered embodiment and contradictions of ‘control’ in mixed-gender mixed martial arts 44776bef098b0b18fc785ccba9991954 0000-0002-7921-1235 Zoe John Zoe John true false 2024-08-02 SOSS This article draws from several months of ethnographic research on gender, embodiment and violence, offering insight into situated (and contradictory) definitions of violence in mixed martial arts (MMA). Analysing interview data, violence is defined conceptually by members of one MMA club in the UK through specific frameworks, in which MMA fighting is regarded as ‘controlled’ violence. MMA skills are expected to be embodied relative to those definitions through bracketing processes, with regulating emotions, the significance of context and power dynamics between individuals fighting being key in categorising distance to ‘real’ violence. Analysing field notes and my own felt difficulties as a participant–observer, however, the navigation of women's bodies in mixed-gender sparring interrupts these categorising features of frame. Despite the acknowledgment of intersubjective and reflexive work to embody physically violent skills appropriately, men distance themselves from women in training. The contributions of the article identify how women's gendered bodies – as performative, normative and regulatory – interrupt the everyday orderliness of ‘control’ and expectations of who ‘does’ violence more broadly. The consequences of these gendered expectations are noted, with indications as to what other forms of violence might be ongoing in this highly gendered space. Journal Article International Review for the Sociology of Sport 60 3 507 524 SAGE Publications 1012-6902 1461-7218 Mixed martial arts, ethnography, violence, embodiment, frame analysis, gender 1 5 2025 2025-05-01 10.1177/10126902241275279 COLLEGE NANME Social Sciences School COLLEGE CODE SOSS Swansea University SU Library paid the OA fee (TA Institutional Deal) This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) (grant number ES/J500197/1). 2025-06-13T14:48:57.7315230 2024-08-02T11:02:59.3260259 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Social Sciences - Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy Zoe John 0000-0002-7921-1235 1 67289__32565__f07e6e8dacff46aea858e2259cef4af1.pdf 67289.VOR.pdf 2024-10-09T11:21:58.2275414 Output 292287 application/pdf Version of Record true This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. true eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title ‘… The only way I'm gonna learn is if it's done properly’: Gendered embodiment and contradictions of ‘control’ in mixed-gender mixed martial arts
spellingShingle ‘… The only way I'm gonna learn is if it's done properly’: Gendered embodiment and contradictions of ‘control’ in mixed-gender mixed martial arts
Zoe John
title_short ‘… The only way I'm gonna learn is if it's done properly’: Gendered embodiment and contradictions of ‘control’ in mixed-gender mixed martial arts
title_full ‘… The only way I'm gonna learn is if it's done properly’: Gendered embodiment and contradictions of ‘control’ in mixed-gender mixed martial arts
title_fullStr ‘… The only way I'm gonna learn is if it's done properly’: Gendered embodiment and contradictions of ‘control’ in mixed-gender mixed martial arts
title_full_unstemmed ‘… The only way I'm gonna learn is if it's done properly’: Gendered embodiment and contradictions of ‘control’ in mixed-gender mixed martial arts
title_sort ‘… The only way I'm gonna learn is if it's done properly’: Gendered embodiment and contradictions of ‘control’ in mixed-gender mixed martial arts
author_id_str_mv 44776bef098b0b18fc785ccba9991954
author_id_fullname_str_mv 44776bef098b0b18fc785ccba9991954_***_Zoe John
author Zoe John
author2 Zoe John
format Journal article
container_title International Review for the Sociology of Sport
container_volume 60
container_issue 3
container_start_page 507
publishDate 2025
institution Swansea University
issn 1012-6902
1461-7218
doi_str_mv 10.1177/10126902241275279
publisher SAGE Publications
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Social Sciences - Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Social Sciences - Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy
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description This article draws from several months of ethnographic research on gender, embodiment and violence, offering insight into situated (and contradictory) definitions of violence in mixed martial arts (MMA). Analysing interview data, violence is defined conceptually by members of one MMA club in the UK through specific frameworks, in which MMA fighting is regarded as ‘controlled’ violence. MMA skills are expected to be embodied relative to those definitions through bracketing processes, with regulating emotions, the significance of context and power dynamics between individuals fighting being key in categorising distance to ‘real’ violence. Analysing field notes and my own felt difficulties as a participant–observer, however, the navigation of women's bodies in mixed-gender sparring interrupts these categorising features of frame. Despite the acknowledgment of intersubjective and reflexive work to embody physically violent skills appropriately, men distance themselves from women in training. The contributions of the article identify how women's gendered bodies – as performative, normative and regulatory – interrupt the everyday orderliness of ‘control’ and expectations of who ‘does’ violence more broadly. The consequences of these gendered expectations are noted, with indications as to what other forms of violence might be ongoing in this highly gendered space.
published_date 2025-05-01T17:33:53Z
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score 11.08899

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