If you wanted to see tattoos you could just as easily have gone to the docks, or even to an Anthropology section of a museum. Extreme coverage (95-99% body suits) still feature in the Jim Rose Circus ('The Enigma' was the worlds most heavily tattoo'd man at one point, and reached fame with them, though he did have an act, it was not enough on its own to warrant his place), and certainly, outside of the orient, heavily tattoo'd women still raise the occasional eyebrow (my wife's full back coverage always gets a lot of attention, albeit largely positive).
A bit of tribal on an MMAist's shoulder has more to do with a lineage of warrior tradition, be it the polynesian warrior's Tao, or the Celt's and Gael's going to battle stained with woad, than a depression era Bearded Lady act
As for rock music making you think of the WWF/E , seeing as how the 'superstars' of that organisation spend hundreds of hours involved with Childrens charities, as well as visiting our troops, I can only say I wish the UFC
was more like them, as it would have a great deal more dignity by following that example.
Seriously, I thought the rules looked like a progression of a training drill that someone said 'hang on a minute - that might be fun!!', and I couldnt agree more 