Fist, feet and faith: An ‘elite’ interview with ‘Fight Church’ Pastor Jude Roberts

The interest in mixed martial arts (MMA) in the United States has escalated since its advent in 1993. In the last 10 years, there has been a heightened interest in Christian MMA (CMMA). Several evangelical churches across the country have started MMA ministries to attract and retain men and boys. Proponents of CMMA suggest that it helps to build strong Christian values in its practitioners, while its opponents chide the sheer danger of sport because of its violent nature. An ‘elite’ interview was conducted with ‘Fight Pastor’ Jude Roberts (a pseudonym), who was one of the leading voices in the CMMA movement. Over the span of the interview, Roberts concluded: (1) MMA can be used to teach Christian values; and (2) the violence associated with CMMA can be supported by scripture. Despite the growing popularity of CMMA, it is an area that needs to be studied more from an interdisciplinary approach. (Autor).