BEHIND THE SCENES MMA ARTICLES & INTERVIEWS
03/20/2012
Hulu’s A Day In The Life Featuring ‘Mayhem’ Miller
By: Christopher “sLapDatSuCKa” Jester
There are very few documentaries about MMA that displays the right amount of truth about the sport, and what it entails to be a fighter. Hulu’s latest episode of A Day in The Life featured Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller as he trained for his fight against Michael Bisping back at the Ultimate Fighter Season 14 Finale. Where A Day In the Life succeeded in its short span of a little over 20 minute duration was the ability to capture who ‘Mayhem’ Miller is.
When MMA fans take a look at the history of ‘Mayhem’ Miller they likely see a seemingly crazed and deranged figure. But this episode was able to illustrate that there is more to ‘Mayhem’ than just the extravagant entrances and bizarre personality. Within that persona is a man who loves life, and who trains because he knows that on fight night he’s going to deliver his heart and soul to win and to entertain the fans.
A Day In The Life did well with the little things that take place throughout a normal day. For example, Miller walking his dog or having breakfast with roommates and training partners Pat Cummins and Siyar Bahadurzada. This little touch of normalcy helps stir new mixed martial arts fans into realizing that these fighters aren’t thugs or guys off the streets.
The relationships between the people ‘Mayhem’ trains with became a running theme throughout the episode. Not only was Mayhem loved by his roommates and training partners, but each person – from his manager and coach, Ryan Parsons, to his wrestling coach, Daryl Christian – considered him family. This sense of family is something that the media following MMA doesn’t delve into much, but it is such an important part as to how these fighters grow and mature in the sport.
The Hulu original series excelled at finding the humanity of a mixed martial artist. An accidental cut in training meant very little to Miller, who considered it just a part of the job. There was no ill will to it and the training partners continued to spar regardless. The show proved It was every bit as much about the relationships as it was to training. Of course there were plenty of shots of him training. It did little other than to show what it takes to be a fighter and that determination and the drive is what it takes to succeed.
Anyone filming a mixed martial artist will see them training at some point, but where it was important in A Day In the Life is how others, like Ryan Parsons, took his training as an extension of Jason Miller. It was obvious that he had much respect for ‘Mayhem’ as a person because of how he puts forth the effort in training. He wasn’t just a coach and manager, but a caring friend.
Hulu’s A Day In the Life did a great job with gathering the appropriate film of ‘Mayhem’ training for his fight with Michael Bisping, but where it succeeded was being able to humanize Miller for its audience. By the end of the episode, when they are showing highlights from the official Bisping/Miller fight, it ensnares this sense of sadness because he lost the fight. But also there is this delight and elation in knowing that he put his heart into that fight. That is the wondrous effects of how well Hulu did on this episode. For new and old MMA fans alike, watching this episode of Hulu’s A Day In The Life is highly recommended.
Follow Christopher “sLapDatSuCKa” Jester on Twitter @sLapDatSuCka
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