Originally Posted by thebwit  I think the problem is that the fighters we are seeing aren't as entertaining coming out of the program as they were when it first aired. In addition to format changes I think the show needs something else - what I don't know. Look at the fighters who have made it to the finals in the first two seasons versus the rest:
Diego, Florian, Forrest, Bonnar, Stevenson, Cummo, Imes, Evans
Grove, Herman, Bisping, Haynes, Serra, Lytle, Lutter, Cote, Diaz, Gamburyan, Danzig, Speer
So in the first two, we have Cummo and Imes who haven't gone on to do fantastic things.
Of the later group we have Grove who is about to be cut if he loses his next fight, Herman who is an undercard fighter, Bisping who is doing well, Haynes is gone, Serra will be around for a while as he is well liked, Lytle is starting to do well, Lutter cut, Cote is just starting out, Diaz and Gamburyan are fantastic, Danzig while good is kinda boring in interviews and Speer is very green.
I look forward to seeing the 6 guys from the first two seasons much more than the guys from the later group. Diaz, Lytle, Serra, Gamburyan and Bisping are the only ones I look forward to watching fight.
And not to discount the guys in the house right now, but none of them have shown me anything that makes me want to actually watch them fight again.
I think the best thing for the UFC is to do something similar to the Comeback season, only use it with people who are in title contention. Basically use the show to be a tournament. I could easily see a good season of LW, WW, and LHW who would make for an amazing show. Imagine having all of the following in one house in a tournament style for a title shot: Clementi, Diaz, Edgar, Gamburyan, Griffin, Guida, Huerta, Lauzon, Maynard. You can't tell me that wouldn't be exciting to watch. Or how about the LWs of Alves, Burkman, Goulet, Hazelett, Koscheck, Lytle, Neer, Parisyan, Sanchez, Swick.
I can't see new blood so to speak help bring the ratings back up any time soon. |