As mixed martial arts (MMA) continues to grow, marketers are challenged with finding acceptable ways to market an inherently violent sport. The inclusion of women as participants further complicates the issue. In order to understand how violent MMA marketing messages may be perceived differently when female competitors are displayed in advertising rather than male competitors, attitude towards the ad was assessed using a series of six advertisements (2 fighter sex x 3 levels of violence) developed for a hypothetical mixed martial arts event. Findings suggest the sex of the fighter displayed in the picture does influence respondents’ attitudes toward the advertisement. Further, those attitudes were influenced by the respondent's own sex and/or his/her perceptions of gendered social roles.
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