Lackadaisical. A word I have never used, much less know the meaning of (until this column).

And the reason I’m expanding my vocabulary? Because the other night I saw an Ultimate Fighter Championship coach use it on TV.

This man, who is a professional UFC fighter, beats others into a state of unconsciousness for a living.

How could he know this word when I, a writer, don’t?

Of course, he wasn’t discussing a book or a news article — he was making a note about a fight between one of his students and an opposition fighter.

Fists were flying, sweat was dripping down their bodies and blood ran down their faces; and this man was using the word “lackadaisical.”

I commented on it, and my significant other (the only reason I was watching it) told me that many of the fighters have university degrees and were really very smart. One example he gave was one of the men had left his career as a teacher to become a fighter.

Now, I don’t mean to sound pretentious or arrogant, but I really thought that guys who fight for a living must not have much brain power, as I can’t understand why someone would willingly do it.

I had to investigate more.

The UFC is relatively new — it was established in 1993 as a mixed martial arts organization.

To make a long story short, the fighting style was brought to the United States in an attempt to find “the Ultimate Fighting Champion.”

The concept is easy enough. Fighters use karate, jiu-jitsu, boxing, kickboxing, grappling, wrestling and sumo fighting styles, among others, to beat each other into submission.

The UFC’s official website lists just 31 fouls in a fight. These include “eye gouging of any kind,” “kicking to the kidney with the heel” and “putting a finger into any orifice or into any cut or laceration on an opponent.”

Guys, did you catch that last one? Any orifice. Why would you involve yourself in an activity that could lead to having a finger in “any orifice?”

UFC joined with Spike TV (touted as a men’s network, of course) to offer audiences a reality show with young men fighting to get to the top.

Now, who’s shocked to hear that the top ratings for the show were with males 18-34.

Due to its popularity, Spike now offers the reality series (now in its sixth year), 10 live UFC Fight Night events and 26 taped programs of UFC: Unleashed.

Anyway, I’m totally off track. The point is, educated, intelligent men are choosing to use their brawn over brains to beat each other instead of working a nine-to-fiver.

Some may argue that other professions are just as dangerous (firefighter, police officer for example) but their job isn’t 100 per cent dependent on laying the smack down on others.

Just last year, a Houston man was reported to have become the first combatant to die from injuries while fighting with mixed martial arts.

The man, Sam Vasques, 35, took a hard right hit to the chin and was out cold. (That meant that his opponent won.) He collapsed in the ring and the fight was brought to a halt. Medical technicians worked on him for several minutes before he suffered what seemed to be a seizure.

An autopsy report, released last month, said he died accidentally due to complications of blunt trauma of the head with a subdural hemorrhage.

I admit, that’s just one death in many years — which is amazing in my opinion.

I guess my main concern is safety. Why can’t they wear helmets and other protective gear?

Probably because no one will get hurt and that seems like the point.

I know I wouldn’t, in my right mind, attempt to battle others as a hobby, not to mention a job.

I can’t even get a flu shot without flinching.

But, I will concede that by participating in the reality TV series, the men can learn proper techniques and ways to protect themselves. I just don’t want to see anyone get hurt.

I guess I’m just lackadaisical when it comes to fighting — I’ll never understand it.