MMA News Forums » MMA Forums » General MMA Forum

[POINDEXTER]

I don't know what to say. The current UFC has about 7 years of work in making their commitment to MMA and what they mean to the sport. Obviously, nothing is perfect. But, IMO, their efforts is what has created the possibilities for fighters getting paid. I guess that is the only reason I am not backing M-1 or EXC. I could be wrong, for sure.

[JMH]

Originally Posted by POINDEXTER

I don't know what to say. The current UFC has about 7 years of work in making their commitment to MMA and what they mean to the sport. Obviously, nothing is perfect. But, IMO, their efforts is what has created the possibilities for fighters getting paid. I guess that is the only reason I am not backing M-1 or EXC. I could be wrong, for sure.

Well look at it as a back-handed opportunity for the UFC if you a loyalist.

UFC can say, see, i told you they suck, if it flops and still retain the saturday night slot once a month in ppv's or if it does succeed, the UFC can further strengthen their branding power by going to a rival network.

either way? I'm totally into free fucking live fights on saturday nights!

[POINDEXTER]

Originally Posted by JMH

Well look at it as a back-handed opportunity for the UFC if you a loyalist.

UFC can say, see, i told you they suck, if it flops and still retain the saturday night slot once a month in ppv's or if it does succeed, the UFC can further strengthen their branding power by going to a rival network.

either way? I'm totally into free fucking live fights on saturday nights!

I am perhaps too loyal. Consistency has made me complacent. But you are right, I can't complain about free fights. I would watch some of the IFL if I caught it on - and they had some bad fights - and I'll watch replays of fights again and again. Free fights on a weekly basis = goodness.

[Palma]

Originally Posted by POINDEXTER

I don't know what to say. The current UFC has about 7 years of work in making their commitment to MMA and what they mean to the sport. Obviously, nothing is perfect. But, IMO, their efforts is what has created the possibilities for fighters getting paid. I guess that is the only reason I am not backing M-1 or EXC. I could be wrong, for sure.

You make it sound like Zuffa's number one goal wasn't to make a shit load of money...

[whitey64]

I dont really know how anyone can say this will be bad for all of MMA if this turns out to be a big flop. For one you DO NOT have the best fighters in this org, its a second rate show with the bad rapping and shit dancers not mention that Kimbo Slice is the main attraction, if this guy fights Shammy on their first show then its all over for Elite XC Shamrock isnt dumb enough to stand with Slice so it will be a quick submission victory and then on the other end you will have Dana White with a big smile on his facing saying "Well their biggest start just lost to a guy that no longer could hack it in the UFC and he had his ass handed to him 3 times by someone who we dont want anymore"...so in the end if EliteXC flops it only makes UFC even more legit then they already are.

[Supe]

I agree to an extent. This is a huge oppurtunity for, not only EliteXC, but MMA as a whole. I really hope they put together a good card and really get some outside to decide on how production should be handled. They need to focus on the technique and skill of the sport and really get away from glorifying any brutal knockouts or things of that nature. I hope they get someone else to headline the first event. As much as i enjoy Kimbo's fights, he is just about the last person in the world i want as the face of the first prime time, major network event.

[POINDEXTER]

Originally Posted by Palma

You make it sound like Zuffa's number one goal wasn't to make a shit load of money...

That's true; they've managed to do this though, IMO, by combining it with a long term vision, yes, to continue to make more money into the future, but it is this self-interest, that on some levels has turned out to be good for MMA. I agree that they aren't representative of MMA as a whole - they use/sell it - and it could and does exist without them, and that perhaps their main goal, to make this shit load, could end up being, and is in a smaller degree, not necessarily in the interest of MMA as a sport and its future. I guess maintaining a balance here is the precarious part. Without some sort of foresight, though, any organization is fucked - and this seems to be a problem for the smaller entities.

[Diegonightmare]

Like others, I have seriously mixed feelings about this.

MMA getting exposure on this kind of scale is great. Free live fights on Saturday nights is great.

But I am seriously ambivalent about it being EXC and not the UFC. I don't care how you want to spin it, slice it, dress it up - Kimbo Slice is a streetfighter who has made it big in MMA without fighting anyone that's even within telescopic view of the top 20 HW's in the world, and Kimbo is clearly EXC's poster boy. IMO having a CBS fight - especially if it's their very first one - headlined by Kimbo against anyone is just a bad idea, whether he wins or loses.

The image the sport already has among the segment of the population - even that coveted 17-to-34 age - that doesn't watch it is that it's brutal, it's no talent, no technique, and it's basically little more than a glorified streetfight. We all know that's unfair and wrong, but that's what those who don't watch MMA and who dislike it generally have to say about it. Serving them up a main event of Kimbo vs. some can with a 4-3 or 3-6 MMA record, and letting Kimbo KTFO him out within 3 minutes, will serve only to cement that perception in the public.

That, IMO, would be a giant travesty and do our sport harm which, if not irreversible, would take years to overcome.

As an MMA fan, I'd love nothing more than to be wrong and for this to go spectacularly well and bring in lots more fans, lots more (positive) attention to the sport, lots more money and, correspondingly, lots more exciting young talent.

But I fear I'm not wrong. I already regret that this was EXC and not the UFC, putting on CBS cards with fighters that will promote the good image of the sport like Rich Franklin, Rampage, Evan Tanner, GSP, Huerta, Nogueira - great, well rounded fighters that acquit themselves well in interviews and showcase a fantastic all around MMA game, showing the dedication and skill that the top fighters have and sharing the beauty that the sport can create.

For now, all we can do is wait and hope it goes well.

[Masscore]

The best way for this to be a success IMO is for the main event to be Nick Diaz vs. Jake Shields. Both guys are exicting fighters, with great personalities, and could make for a 5 round war. EliteXC needs a Bonnar v. Griffin to happen. They need people to call their friends and go "Dude, turn it on to CBS right now, this fight is fuckin crazy." The first main event has to be a title match too, it can't be Kimbo vs. some slob. Now this does not mean don't put Kimbo on the card all together, just make him maybe the event opening match.

I just see with the EliteXC's line-up their is very little they can really do as compared to the UFC or even Dream. Maybe Shamrock vs. Lawler for the EliteXC MW title could be a main event too. But Shamrock won't go for it because Lawler has a legit chance to beat him...

[Diegonightmare]

Shamrock is who I was thinking as well, given that we're in the boat of it being EXC and not UFC.

Shamrock is a very well rounded fighter who could showcase the MMA game very well, and with his colorful (read: confrontational) style he could become a big draw in the same way that Tito became a big draw in the early days of the UFC: if marketed right, folks would tune it to either watch him beat someone down or get beaten down.

Showcasing just about anyone besides Kimbo beating up on some no-name can, after the pre-fight rundowns finished graphically recounting Kimbo's street-fighting provenance, would be preferable.