UFC needs some new blood
You might think that it is kind of strange to criticize the UFC for not featuring enough new fighters. After all, two seasons of The Ultimate Fighter (also known as TUF) and Ultimate Fight Night shows have allowed the UFC to bring in many more new fighters than it would have been able to otherwise.
But, Jake Rosen raises a great point in his new article, "Ultimate Repeats":
So why is the UFC in this predicament? Ironically, because of the success of TUF. Following the success of the first season of TUF, the UFC decided that it would promote its new reality show stars and not bother trying to outbid its Japanese rival for the top establised talent. This made a certain sense since the TUF fighters would fight for next to nothing and the general public knew them much better than the true MMA stars in Pride. Plus, Pride's (now cancelled) TV contract, PPVs and large shows meant it had a budget the UFC could not match.
The result is that until TUF produces a steady stream of contenders (if it ever does), the UFC decides that it really wants to spend the money to pursue the top MMA talent or Pride implodes, we will be stuck with rematches and lackluster title fights.
Update 6/14: I see in this article from Complete Vale Tudo Access that the UFC supposedly paid K-1 $16 million dollars to have Royce Gracie appear in its last event. That number (if true) was staggeringly high because, in order to secure Gracie for the fight, the UFC had to agree to share revenue with K1 and there were reportedly 800,000 PPV sales.
So, obviously, the UFC is willing to spend considerable amounts of money for certain marquee fighters under the right circumstances (just like it is willing to pay Ken Shamrock to fight a rematch - there's that word again - against Tito Ortiz). The problem for the true MMA fan, however, is that the world class fighters who should contend for a UFC title are not well known enough to guaranty increased PPV buys on name recognition alone. So, for now they continue to fight outside the UFC.
|
|
|
But, Jake Rosen raises a great point in his new article, "Ultimate Repeats":
In today's Zuffa-owned fight climate, rematches have morphed into something other than an intermittent novelty. They’ve become an epidemic, the manifestation of a shallow talent pool. No longer does Management recruit intriguing new challengers. They’re content to re-package and re-purpose contenders, dressing the fight in propaganda that might lead one to believe it makes an ounce of sense.Besides the rematches for the heavyweight and light heavyweight title, the UFC is going to have Matt Hughes fight Georges St. Pierre rematch for the middle weight championship. Since the UFC does not have a super heavyweight or light weight champion, that means each of the UFC's next title fights will be rematches.
Don’t believe it? Consider: as the current light heavyweight champ, Chuck Liddell’s history of defense has consisted entirely of rematches. He won the belt from Couture; he defended it against Horn; he fought Couture, again; he is now set to oppose Renato Sobral in August.
That’s four fights and not a single fresh opponent for a celebrated champion who is nearly 38 and has perhaps a handful of fights left in his prime.
And what of Sylvia-Arlovski? We’ve now reached the saturation point where not even three months will pass before these two will resume their confrontation. I suspect Arlovski — the UFC’s Great Belarus Hope for a marketable heavyweight — has contractual guarantees that he will be granted a rematch. I find it little comfort for what has turned out to be a monotonous season of repeats.
So why is the UFC in this predicament? Ironically, because of the success of TUF. Following the success of the first season of TUF, the UFC decided that it would promote its new reality show stars and not bother trying to outbid its Japanese rival for the top establised talent. This made a certain sense since the TUF fighters would fight for next to nothing and the general public knew them much better than the true MMA stars in Pride. Plus, Pride's (now cancelled) TV contract, PPVs and large shows meant it had a budget the UFC could not match.
The result is that until TUF produces a steady stream of contenders (if it ever does), the UFC decides that it really wants to spend the money to pursue the top MMA talent or Pride implodes, we will be stuck with rematches and lackluster title fights.
Update 6/14: I see in this article from Complete Vale Tudo Access that the UFC supposedly paid K-1 $16 million dollars to have Royce Gracie appear in its last event. That number (if true) was staggeringly high because, in order to secure Gracie for the fight, the UFC had to agree to share revenue with K1 and there were reportedly 800,000 PPV sales.
So, obviously, the UFC is willing to spend considerable amounts of money for certain marquee fighters under the right circumstances (just like it is willing to pay Ken Shamrock to fight a rematch - there's that word again - against Tito Ortiz). The problem for the true MMA fan, however, is that the world class fighters who should contend for a UFC title are not well known enough to guaranty increased PPV buys on name recognition alone. So, for now they continue to fight outside the UFC.
