Does the UFC need to go after fighters from other sports?

Discussion in 'MMA Forum' started by moreorless, Oct 17, 2010.


Page 1 of 3
  1. moreorless

    moreorless Active Member Full Member

    1,346
    0
    Sep 19, 2010
    It seems to me that part of the problem the UFC have with "boring fighters" is that they depend on guys working themselves into MMA rather than actually going out there and offering guys money to switch sports.

    You look at alot of the guys with more interesting and varied styles in MMA today(Fedor, Machida, Overeem, Omigawa etc) and they didnt work there way up though minor shows they switched when a promoter offered them garenteed money.

    The UFC's way of bringing though talent ensures a stead stream of wrestlers and the odd BJJ fighter but really top level fighters(or great prospects) from other sports seem to be making the switch less and less often.

    When it comes to UK fighters I'd say thats espeically noticble, a few kickboxers have made the switch but none of them near to being top 50 in the world. Boxing and most likely Judo respesent the UK's biggest potential talent base and neither of them is feeding into MMA at all.
     
    moreorless, Oct 17, 2010
    moreorless, Oct 17, 2010
    #1
  2. floyd1982

    floyd1982 New Member Full Member

    28
    0
    Sep 19, 2010
    The UFC can't afford to pay guys to come over from other sports. The UFC pays for everything (promotion) and works on more of a strict budget then most boxing events.

    Fedor won't come to the UFC b/c of the money issue, the same with other top fighters, the UFC is #1 for a reason. They run a tight ship and have a budget they keep to. That is why they can't just throw money at people to come over and fight in the UFC. Besides, just b/c you get a big name from another fighting background doesn't mean they will be an automatic draw and hence the UFC won't see it as a good investment.
     
    floyd1982, Oct 17, 2010
    floyd1982, Oct 17, 2010
    #2
  3. chimba

    chimba Off the Somali Coast Full Member

    20,005
    7
    Mar 8, 2007
    They should because theyre going to run out of good fighters. But theyre faced with a dilemma, they dont pay!
     
    chimba, Oct 17, 2010
    chimba, Oct 17, 2010
    #3
  4. moreorless

    moreorless Active Member Full Member

    1,346
    0
    Sep 19, 2010
    In the end though I think the UFC's style of keeping to a tight budget is going to have a negative effect on their business. The standard of action we've seen recently has by en large been poor and if that continues fan interest will start to wane.

    It doesnt ever need to be a "big name", Fedor , Overeem and Machida were total unknowns pre MMA. Indeed I'd say going for a young prospect of another MA still building his sucess is a much surer route to sucess, costs less and theres more time and a stronger motivation to cross train.

    If things carry on as they are I see MMA becoming a much blander more uniform sport in a few years as the names brought though in the Japanese dominated era start to retire.
     
    moreorless, Oct 17, 2010
    moreorless, Oct 17, 2010
    #4
  5. scurlaruntings

    scurlaruntings ESB 2002 Club Full Member

    35,621
    12
    Jul 19, 2004
    The UFC values its bottom line first. They're not interested in paying top dollar for fighters when they can run a show with a wage bill of under £500k. Thats a very nice profit margin.
     
    scurlaruntings, Oct 17, 2010
    scurlaruntings, Oct 17, 2010
    #5
  6. scurlaruntings

    scurlaruntings ESB 2002 Club Full Member

    35,621
    12
    Jul 19, 2004
    Thats exactly whats happening. The UFC had very good numbers for last nights show. But i know a ton of guys who went and simply said the show was rubbish.
    Their product is approaching saturation. With shows like that, that even the casual fans aren't liking isn't encouraging for their brand. The fact that the brand is soooo easily accessible now is more bad news for their product.
    Im not optimistic at all as i don't see how it can carry on in this same vein when they simply don't have the cross over stars. All the vets are getting old and are not being replaced with the likewise calibre in skill.
     
    scurlaruntings, Oct 17, 2010
    scurlaruntings, Oct 17, 2010
    #6
  7. MaliSlamusrex

    MaliSlamusrex Boxing Addict Full Member

    4,249
    1
    Nov 10, 2008
    yes lets get a tennis player to fight MMA great idea.
     
    MaliSlamusrex, Oct 19, 2010
    MaliSlamusrex, Oct 19, 2010
    #7
  8. kel

    kel Boxing Addict banned

    5,897
    0
    Jan 20, 2007
    Their strategy now is to head to different countries like in Europe, UK and down under Australia, however, that model will eventually dry up if the quality next generation of fighters ain't coming through.
     
    kel, Oct 19, 2010
    kel, Oct 19, 2010
    #8
  9. achillesthegreat

    achillesthegreat FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE Full Member

    37,070
    29
    Jul 21, 2004
    Aldo, Jones, JDS, Velasquez, what are we worrying about.

    The sport will continue to evolve and grow. Enjoy.
     
    achillesthegreat, Oct 20, 2010
    achillesthegreat, Oct 20, 2010
    #9
  10. timmyjames

    timmyjames PTurd curb stomper Full Member

    12,816
    1
    Nov 14, 2009
    yeah, i agree....it's young (as far as organized leagues) and i see/saw MMA gyms popping up all over when i was back in the usa....and i saw my first like mma event in taiwan of all places
     
    timmyjames, Oct 20, 2010
    timmyjames, Oct 20, 2010
    #10
  11. monaroCountry

    monaroCountry Guest

    The UFC really never had a tournament type of format to bring and breed new fighters. They basically just have TUF which is more for fun and also rely on pure hyping up of (in all honesty) unproven fighters......making the world believe that they are quality fighters, look at Carwin for example who got exposed as not even experienced enough to go past 4 minutes in a 25 minute fight.
     
    monaroCountry, Oct 20, 2010
    monaroCountry, Oct 20, 2010
    #11
  12. achillesthegreat

    achillesthegreat FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE Full Member

    37,070
    29
    Jul 21, 2004
    TUF has produced plenty of quality fighters. Sure there is hype but its silly to ignore guys like Griffin, Evans, Bonnar etc
     
    achillesthegreat, Oct 20, 2010
    achillesthegreat, Oct 20, 2010
    #12
  13. Flash Jab

    Flash Jab Boxing Junkie banned

    12,335
    0
    Jul 29, 2010
    The problem with fighters coming over is it becomes a war between MMA and the sport they come from, and promoters seem to enjoy putting them in the ring with ground based fighters who'll take them down and pound them out or submit them just to prove a point. Kimbo Slice vs. James Toney would've been a much more interesting fight, I really think Dana missed an opportunity by not putting a heavy handed stand up fighter in there with Toney, it may have not got so many views but it would've made more ripples after the fight finding out James Toney had been properly knocked out by a Shane Carwin or a Gabriel Gonzaga.
     
    Flash Jab, Oct 20, 2010
    Flash Jab, Oct 20, 2010
    #13
  14. scurlaruntings

    scurlaruntings ESB 2002 Club Full Member

    35,621
    12
    Jul 19, 2004
    QFT. :thumbsup This would have had classic PRIDE freakshow value for money.
     
    scurlaruntings, Oct 20, 2010
    scurlaruntings, Oct 20, 2010
    #14
  15. (PimpThaSystem)

    (PimpThaSystem) Well-Known Member Full Member

    1,774
    4
    Jun 7, 2009
    Dana did offer up Kimbo/Toney but Toney turned it down stating he wanted an MMA superstar for his first fight.
     
    (PimpThaSystem), Oct 20, 2010
    (PimpThaSystem), Oct 20, 2010
    #15
Page 1 of 3