I grew up watching boxing when it was mainstream and on tv almost every week on wide world of sports, now you never see boxing on regular tv and most fights are PPV if they are decent fights.

Along with that, I along with millions of other boys in school I also wrestled and my kids wrestled, with that I have an appreciation of what MMA fighters do. How many kids boxed in JR high or high school. I would think the number of boxers in schools would be very low if any at all. Wrestling is a sport known by everyone world wide from kids to their siblings, parents and grandparents that can be viewed and appreciated by all.

With that stated I would bet that 95% + of the people on this board have never put on a boxing glove yet alone actually boxed anyone in their life, compare that to how many kids and families have organized wrestling in their background against how many kids and families have boxing in their backgrounds. MMA is far more universal then boxing ever was or will be and is much more entertaining then boxing in my opinion.

Cross over appeal and the fact that in boxing you don't get the best fighting the best on any kind of consistent basis is the reason MMA has come so far in such a short time.