We're on the same page this time scurla. :good Like I said earlier, I've heard all this before decades ago with WWF fanatics. The only difference is that this time we are discussing it on the internet rather than in a bar. MMA is already shooting itself in the foot and taking some of boxing's worst traits - it is already splintered into factions (K1, Pride, UFC etc..) and they are diluting their titles for financial reasons (eg. the upcoming fight for the "interim title", winner to face Couture etc..) We'll see in 20 years which sport "wins out". I know where my bet is... :yep
This interview came before the GREAT YEAR OF 2007 for and before the Rampage arm punch that KO'd the UFC.
Rogan and Goldberg declared that Forrest vs Bonnar was the equivalent of Hagler Hearns. His enthusiasm always gets the better of him. MMA under one banner, namely the UFC, will not be good for the sport.Imagine if boxing was controlled by just one promoter!:shock: MMA will survive but i dont see it ever being as big as boxing purely because of how graphic and carnal it can look.The average street pug is not going to give it much credence.Boxing is part of history and has a place in modern and past society.MMA does not.It doesnt even have an amatuer base and possibly wont ever as its a mixture of disciplines. I strongly believe that if the UFC continues its stranglehold on the sport then MMA in the west will suffer.
Good point. That is the flip-side. Either you have the UFC with a monopoly on the sport, or rival codes competing for the same fan base (K1, Pride etc..) MMA is in a lose-lose situation.
Griffin vs Bonnar was a great fight for the UFC and do you know why???They never went to the ground and hugged they stood toe 2 toe just like Boxers and exchanged punches.So Rogan is comparing a UFC fight that looked more like a Boxing match with Boxing. Those type fights are rare in the UFC.
I agree totally. The UFC is beginning to really hurt itself. Over 2007, I have noticed a real decline in the quality of the cards. Truly the inverse of boxing in 2007.
Well, that would be awesome. All the fighters would be fighting one another all the time, that 1 promoter wouldn't have to worry about 'his' fighter losing because they would all be 'his' fighters. The fans would get to see everyone fight everyone without the BS politics. Even though there is a slight difference, boxing promoters inter promote with other promoters to try and get two fighters to fight one another, in MMA two organizations aren't going to do that. Its good for there to be a monopoly in MMA because all the best fighters under 1 banner will fight another, who doesn't want to see that? Hopefully the UFC can buy every company in the world and dominate the market so we can see the matche ups we want to see.
"Boxing is more like wine or champagne. It requires more effort to truly understand and appreciate, but the reward is, to my mind, a higher quality product for a more refined and mature audience." :good :happy :deal :bbb
Both sports can and will co-exist , Boxing is as successful as its ever been. The UFC is great for the martial arts world and gives those guys well paid careers. Neither is a threat to each other in any way , its choice for the fans , they could even watch both. But i do struggle to see a MMA fighter ever gaining the popularity of a Ali or Tyson.
But they won't, and MMA will continue to fight amongst itself for it's own fans until the fans leave because they are sick of seeing the same fighters over & over.
That's true because the sport is too primitive to gain crossover appeal. Oscar DLH or Sugar Ray Leonard would never happen in MMA.
I think MMA is here to stay and I don't know why MMA fans would get more tired of seeing the same MMA fighters over and over again than boxing fans would get tired of seeing the same boxers over and over again.
Because, as I understand it, K1 fighters have contract with K1, UFC fighters have contracts with the UFC etc, so a fan of "MMA" in general may never get to see his favourite fighters against each other because they are in different organizations. Therefore the fighter-base in each individual sport is a lot smaller. Therefore you are seeing the same fighters a lot more often than you are in boxing.
Well I'm sure an MMA fan can watch different organizations to see other fighters but yes, fighters from different organizations cannot fight one another which is a great annoyance to me and many others which is just more reason for a dominant MMA organization to gain all the great fighters which is what the UFC is currently trying to do.
