Should the UFC adopt a tournament format?
 

In another thread the discussion turned to "fan favorites" getting title shots instead of fighters that may not be as exciting, but are more deserving of the title shot.

I thought a tournament style that would mimic a season would work out best.

Start with an 8 man tournament for a specific weight class.
The card would be the 4 elimination fights plus a title defense against the current #1 fighter.

Next month you have 2 eliminations fights plus three exhibition fights.

Third month is the final elimination fight plus the start of another weight class tournament (keeping with the 5 fights per PPV)

Fourth month isa the title defense plus 2 elimination fights and 2 exhibition fights.

Basically, you would keep this pattern going each month.


I guess I like having a more concrete way of ranking fighters instead of depending on human influence.

I like the sound of it on paper. There would be some issues regarding injuries and I'm sure there would be some pay disputes in this type of format. Do you think the UFC have 8 guys in each division for a tournament style for it to remain competitive and exciting?

The UFC does not have enough guys in any one division except maybe lightweight to warrant a tourney. THere are maybe four legit heavyweights and maybe six legit light heavys. THe lightweight division is loaded and the welterweight division is also pretty deep, but from middleweight on up there aren't enought guys.

It is a great idea though.

Too many fighters get suspended for several months by the athletic commission to really be able to have such a tournament in consecutive months. We would basically have to see tournaments playing out like they did in the beginning UFCs....alternates getting to step in deep into the tournaments. Great idea, though it would probably never happen.

Dana White Hates Tourneys

Yeah...but PRIDE loves them and you really have to look at 70000 to 90000 in attendance versus 14000 in attendence. I think people in the US like a playoff system more than nebulus "This guy is better than that guy because I said so" situation.

I agree that fighters get suspended for too long of a period due to injuries to make this work, but it was more of a "perfect world" senario anyway.

Yeah, I for one would love to see an open weight tourney for UFC as well. But, unless UFC moves it out of the country, this won't happen. Oh well, I'm still greatful for what we've got though.

good idea, bad concept

exactly what i was thinking.