UFC and MMA Thread

Time To sell some ferraris and invest in pay per view. Poor fighters are really gonna struggle to fight more than once a year. when a fighter gets cut from the Ufc, where do they go now? Trust me, all these fighters will be fighting Not to lose instead of fighting to win!!! the fights will be even more boring! At least strikeforce was exciting, bye bye pride, wec and now strike force. What a shame.

 

This news is HUGE! Perhaps the biggest news in the history of the sport. Although Dana is saying that SF will still operate independently. I wonder if it will be like when they bought the WEC, and kept them under the WEC banner until their TV commitment was over, then absorbed all of the WEC into the UFC. That would be the only scenario that makes any sense.......why buy SF and not absorb their fighters the first chance they can? Can you imagine? Every single weight class instantly gets a lot more interesting, especially the HWs.

I wonder what will happen to the fighters who are on the outs with the UFC, like Paul Daley for example.......?

GSP/Nick Diaz? Velasquez/Fedor? Oh, the possibilities......

I don't know about that.

When the day comes where the UFC absorbs all of the SF fighters, I have to imagine a few possibilities, like maybe a contract to run on Showtime, as well as Spike, ION, and Versus. Perhaps it will spell the end of PPVs. I really hope so.

Also, when that day comes, I would hope the amount of events would maybe double, so there's an event every single weekend. That way, fighters get to fight as often as they do now.

I have no problem with all of the top fighters being under 1 banner, just like there's the NHL for hockey, NFL for football, etc. The smaller organizations will always exist. I want all of the very best fighters to be able to fight each other. As much as this HW GP that SF has going on, how credible is it without guys like Velasquez JDS, Carwin, etc. in it?

 

I totally agree with you! One of my biggest peeves is that the mid-card fighters don't get paid anywhere near what a mid-card boxer gets. That's largely due to it being less mainstream and much "younger". Now, with one VERY STRONG organization, you have the chance to run many more fights / cards, and you have negotiating strength with Showtime, HBO, etc. for bigger purses.

Dana actually has a plan, and he's executing it. Brilliant move, since it was obvious SF couldn't do it on their own. As I mentioned, this has been in the works for a few months, but now it's really coming together.

Fighters will get even better, they'll get paid better, and on the whole, the sport will get much more visibility!

 

Only time will tell. This sport is still evolving rapidly. It's still in the diaper stage. So I hope your right and it is something that will overcome all the obstacles, BUT... all this will impact the sport at its present. How could it not????? All I’m saying is it'll leave ALOT of fighters hanging. Hanging by either: When there next fight would be or where do they go from here if they lose. Sure there are a lot of other organizations, but it seems the "B" rated organizations are getting snatched up and the "C" & "D" are left. Boxing's biggest problem is that there is so many belts. So I understand what Dana is trying to do. But i'm just bummed that alot of fighter won't shine anymore. think about it, All these heavyweights... Do you really think we'll see Cro-Cop fight again on the main card. HELL NO! (not that i really care) but stuff like that. Were will Dan Henderson go? Can he hang with all the 205lbs. in the UFC? HELL NO!!!!! Werdum was there, and he was gone. now what? He's back again???? uh OK? Were will HW Rogers go after he gets his a** beat in this tourney? He'll come to the UFC? HaHa, that's a joke. From the fighters point of view it's doom for the decent guys. Like I said, the fighter will fight to NOT lose. rather fight to impress. Fighters need to fight atleast 3 times a year to stay on the top of there game. It won't happen here guys!!!!
Here is a list of the fighters from stikeforce: http://strikeforce.com/fighters/ Comm'on, Most of these people do not even belong in the UFC. So now, were do they go??? MMA needs different levels of organizations.
Man, that's the most I've ever typed!!!!!!!!!!!! This is just all my opinion. Had to Vent.

 

^^^^^SH** I wrote all that????^^^^^

 

Haha......breathe man, breathe.

 

Not to rehash what's been said, but I'm kinda worried about where this goes also.
This is not like NFL, NBA, NHL, etc as there is not going to be that many fights per year. I bet UFC makes a lot of money on PPV, so I can't see them abandoning that format and if they dilute there product by having fights every week, I'm guessing people will not pay that often.
There needs to be lower levels than just UFC. Not everyone can compete at that level.
Thank goodness Bellator has said they will not sell out to UFC (that said, if UFC offers money everything changes).

 

I think they have to look beyond just PPV. This is part of the growing pains of a company like this. Case in point - WWE - they make a ton of money off PPV, but use house shows to generate the interest.

UFC does little of that. I would say that they need to run regular "dark" shows, and PPV only the big fights or title fights.

Talent shouldn't be in issue over time - this is still a burgeoning sport. In my neck of the woods - home to Frank Edgar, Kurt Pellegrino, and the Millers - we live and breathe folkstyle wrestling, a major core to MMA. NJ is one of the leading states for wrestling, and we've got some real wringers here (e.g., Jordan Burroughs, Darrion Caldwell) Most of these kids will either compete in college and that's it, or leave altogether once college comes around. At my tatame, it's AMAZING how many kids want to make a go at MMA - I am talking in the hundreds just in my local area, and they are already cross training BJJ and Muay Thai while still in high school (some still in elementary school).

Not all of them will be elite, but there will be enough to support a series of house shows for a long time to come.

 

They do make a lot of money on PPVs, but would make more money if they were on a major network collecting advertising money from sponsors, just like any other major sport.

You're right, I would not spring for a PPV every week, but I would certainly watch a weekly event on network TV. The more talent the UFC acquires, the more interesting fights they could put together. Man, just think of the HW matchups you could put together if you are using both the UFC and Strikeforce talent pools, as an example. 52 events per year pales in comparison to the amount of NHL, MLB, and NBA games played every year.

Absolutely, there needs to be lower levels, and those will always exist. Just like any major sport, there needs to be "feeder" series.

 

It's Starting Already!!!!!!!! Boys, Get Out Your Wallets. This merger is gonna get EXPENSIVE!


Strikeforce never made it to pay-per-view on its own, but that could change under its new ownership.

UFC president Dana White today said the finals of the eight-man Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix might be worth a $44.95 price tag.

"Yeah, I think so," White today said when asked about the possibility of putting the planned event on pay-per-view.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/22831/following-sale-to-ufc-strikeforce-grand-prix-could-mark-pay-per-view-debut.mma

 

Totally agreed. Again, just look at boxing or pro wrestling. The minute boxing stopped doing Saturday specials on ABC was when it started going downhill.

Get low level fights on TV weekly FOR FREE. Only a few PPV's per year - BIG fights.

There's enough talent...I have every reason to believe this IS the plan.

 

Pick 'em!

UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones
Date: Mar 19, 2011
Location: Newark, N.J.
Venue: Prudential Center
Broadcast: Pay-per-view, Spike TV, Facebook

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)

* Champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Jon Jones (for light-heavyweight title) This one won't be easy, but I think and I hope Shogun takes it.
* Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Wineland Have always been a fan of Urijah's.
* Jim Miller vs. Kamal Shalorus
* Nate Marquardt vs. Dan Miller
* Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic vs. Brendan Schaub I just wanna see CroCop do well. He's such a legend.

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

* Luiz Cane vs. Eliot Marshall
* Edson Barboza vs. Anthony Njokuani

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)

* Ricardo Almeida vs. Mike Pyle
* Kurt Pellegrino vs. Gleison Tibau

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian Loveland Can't believe this one won't be broadcast anywhere..
* Raphael Assuncao vs. Erik Koch
* Nick Catone vs. Costantinos Philippou

 

I'm going to go with:

Jones
Faber
Miller (although wouldn't be surprised if Shalorus wins - he's a badass) - Miller's a Jersey boy!
Marquardt
Cro Cop
Almeida (his school is local to me)
Tibau (although Pellegrino is a local wrestling stud - his knee surgery is tough to come back from)
Benavidez (agree with you on the broadcast - sucks that it won't be seen)
Assuncao
Catone (went to my wife's high school)

 

Man, I really want Shogun to win this one!!!!!
Faber
Jim Miller
I would Love to see Dan Miller beat Nate M. (I don't think he will)
Schaub to Finish Cro-cop (Sorry Dan)
Can Luiz Cane beat Eliot Marshall??????
Almeida over Pyle ( I just gotta Go with the BJJ on this one)

 

X2, but Jon Jones is an impressive opponent no doubt about it.



Shogun, TKO round 1, punches

 

Ok now your asking for too much! But i'm with you 100% I'd love to see it!!!!! The only thing im thinking is: Is Jones in the same caliber as Shogun????? That will make the big difference. Let's cross our fingers Boys!

 

I think Jones maybe getting a little too full of himself. Now he's claiming he's an Overeem with better wrestling and better JJ. Last time I checked Overeem currently has 3 championship belts while Jones has none.

Pulling for Shogun.

 

He is, but... everyone and every news source is pumping him up, so how can he not be?

My thoughts on the main card tonight:

Jones (I hope Shogun keeps the title though. Jones has a long time to keep improving)
Faber
Shalorus
Nate the great
Cro Cop

 

Jones is in for a rude awakening tonight. I like him, but he needs to get his ass beat.

 

Some classic Pride Fighting on Spike as we speak...great primer for tonight.

 

It may be so, but I would say Shogun should watch out for those DEADLY elbows. Jones made Hammill's face look like chopped meat (albeit illegal, I agree with Dana - they should be allowed).

 

Well, this is a shift.

When they bought Pride, they made the rules of the game more friendly

No stomping, football kicks etc, and it was good, because we are talking here about SPORT not some street 2 cents ****.....

 

Jones, during his meditating for his preflight at a park in Newark Today, he heard some lady screaming "HELP" I'm being robbed. Jone got up and chased the dude and took him down!!! The cops finally showed up. Pretty cool, hours before the fight!!!

 

For real???!!!!

 

Just looked it up. Seems he and Jackson saw a guy breaking into a car and caught him.
That is bad ass.... He's a stud.