I think that being English means that I have often followed a fighters progression from a name on the undercard in a smaller bill thru winning a British Lonsdale belt, and sometimes defending that three times to win it outright, along with a Commonwealth and European fight. By the time the fighter is at Commonwealth or European level I may have seen him in several fights and so the fact that he is British almost guarantees I will have invested more time and emotional involvement in him as well as being proud that as a fighter he does to an extent represent the country in which I live and love. Then if that fighter fights at international level the stakes jump up again because now he is already defying the odds often just to have arrived at this chance, and the Patriotic element is more about pride that someone you have followed is now at another crossroads. It adds a sense of jeopardy in which, not only can the fighter you have followed be exposed as just falling short, but also your countries pride has a chance to be embellished or tarnished. These are all generalities and maybe explains why a lot of Brits are so vocal and passionate when following their fighters abroad. I think it helps sustain some fighters too and I love hearing Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, etc getting equally vocal behind their own. It is Entertainment as well as Sport and i think it adds colour to the spectacle. I like the flags, but could do without the Anthems. In Football the Anthem is crucial because the Fans and teams seem somehow more directly connected. That extra yard is often run with more urgency when 30 000 people are screaming their team on but in the ring I think the outcome is much more hard to influence. Pre and post fight though, a crowd of your compatriots must help in preparing your resolve and celebrating your victory.