MMA seems to be the most genuine of the fight game now, although I hate to consider the aches and pains for the participants as they get older.
My #2 grandson was involved in the sport some years ago, but at the urging of his wife, let the sport slide.
I drove my #1 grandson while a teenager, about 90 miles round trip, twice a week, to attend instruction from an outstanding kick boxing sensei.
Although he never went the cage fighting route, he did study more and became among other things, a MMA instructor as a Spec Ops Marine. In fact it served him well in Iraq, where when herding terrorist prisoners, one decided to attack...in front of western reporters.
Knowing he couldn't shoot the prisoner, although he had a right to, he simply subdued the prisoner with a parry, while landing a strike of his own.