A very good point. Personally, I don't particularly enjoy watching football, though I can follow the game. I also don't particularly enjoy watching MMA, though I can appreciate good technique (having trained in martial arts for many years). I cringe when actual damage is done, but at the same time I can't look away.

Personally, my favorite form of simulated violence is the sport of fencing[1], though when I fence, I'm not imagining running my opponent through, or imagining that I've eviscerated them when I score a touch, I'm simply imagining the green or red light turning on; it's really just about the game and the technique for me.

1)I do also very much enjoy the Metal Gear Solid series of games, but generally (on the most recent edition) I always try for a no kills finish for a mission, and not just for the points.