UFC well and truly taking over from boxing?

I think people are more into McGregor than they are MMA. Much the same as you get a casual fan base talking about AJ and little else. So it's certainly growing massively owing to the development of a more casual fan base but it's difficult to compare to boxing really at this stage.

I watched some of the UFC card myself but I don't know how any of them are. The thing that really bothers me about this though is people saying McGregor would be competitive with Mayweather at boxing. Skip Bayliss even put it on Twitter

 

I feel your pain.

 

There's footage of him sparring (I think) Chris van Heerden and he really didn't look very good at all. But until McGregor can go a year without trying to get Mayweather for a fight, then I think boxing remains bigger.

 

McGregor has loads of casuals who just watch when he is on.

 

No way a pvssy from Liverpool drinks 14 cans.

 

connor would not have copied smoking joe for the press conference before hand if so just taking the boxing game talk style persona and giving it to a complete new audience
he is hardly threatening to eat your kids are fook you till you love him

 

As someone mentioned it's McGregor appeal rather than MMA appeal. Those type of casuals will only watch McGregor and Rousey fights.

And as someone mentioned, it's the exact same thing with AJ. A huge element of his fanbase know absolutely zilch about boxing and only watch his fights.

Tbh I don't like UFC and I deplore casual fans who COMMENT (I don't mind if they watch) on boxing as if they have any knowledge on it. So I really would like it actually if UFC attracted casuals away from boxing.

 

I remember the days when UFC fighters had to become WWE wrestlers to become a household name!

 

Monday morning in my office nobody was talking about the UFC. MMA is very much a niche sport in Europe. Mcgregor is star no doubt and one of the biggest draws in sport

 

It took over years ago. YEARS AGO.

Manny does terrible numbers now, and Floyd's aren't much better (didn't he do something like 4-500k AFTER 3.5 MILLION?) and Floyd wants Conor under Boxing rules? Says it all.

The HW Division is at an all time low.

There's no new stars, the dream fights (Ward/Kov) never do huge numbers and the rising stars are either mollycoddled or don't want to fight the best (GGG had to fight a Welter ffs).

The ONLY saving grace is the non-Americans that are willing to fight anyone/put in great performances (GGG, Loma, Joshua, Kov etc).

The best fight the best in the UFC, unlike boxing. Molina/Joshua? Berto/May? LOL!

UFC make the best fight the best, their numbers over the year are ridiculous and when they bother to push a star, they PUSH them really well.

On the contrary: Porter/Thurman was everything that is right with Boxing when it gets it right. As it will be when Garcia fights Thurman. And GGG might still face Canelo and Jacobs, so 2017 could be a great year for boxing, but it's poor at building stars.

 

Just like Boxing is a niche sport in America now.

UFC still sell out every show when they hit Europe, but the difference between them and everyone else is like a 5* hotel and a hostel, so there's that.