Mixed martial arts can be looked at in many ways and, for the most part, any given take is accurate.
For some it's the purest form of sport, bringing two athletes together for a contest that tests the body, mind and spirit like nothing else. For others it isn't a sport at all, sacrificing the framework of legitimate competition to ensure instant gratification for beer-drinking fans. Things can get even deeper from there but really, it's a blank canvas that can be painted any way a person desires.
It's rare, however, that all of MMA's inherent ugliness and all its inimitable glory manifests around one fight.