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Originally Posted by joeodd2  Oh and how about this one?
Lack of Personality. Ya know Mohammad Ali was like a shot in the arm for boxing, his skill and persona elevated the sport to unprecedented levels. Most fighters are boring to listen to and come across as awkward when promoting fights. Not saying that fighters need to be like pro wrestlers, but sometimes I wonder what average fans are thinking when they hear those boring interviews. Maybe that's just the way it will always be, and maybe that's what makes guys like Sonnen, Don Frye, Bas Rutten, Jason Miller, and other personalities in MMA so special. But it would be nice if guys would show a bit more personality and not play it so safe in front of the camera, most fighters are probably pretty funny and personable when you get them away from a camera..... |
Randy's personality doesn't sell PPVs. Mayhem/Sonnen does.
Someone earlier compared it to pro-wrestling pre fight hype. I compare it more closely to boxers trying to hype fights. Both are PPV, both have 2 fighters who seriously think they are going to destroy one another. I have no problems with any fighters pre-fight hype....except when they don't follow through with what they say (again comparable to Mike Tyson's last few fights...talking the talk, but unable to walk the walk)
Freak fights hurt MMA...like Toney, or any other person who wants to fight that doesn't understand what all aspects of MMA.
Amateur MMA should be pushed heavily in every state and country, have agreed upon standard rules for all....even if they make it safer, like shootwrestling or Pancrase (no closed fist shots to the face)
Basically, if you can get your average soccer mom to watch an MMA event and not cringe or roll their eyes or suck their teeth, then you have achieved success.
Keep improving announcing. They should try and better explain why fighters don't try this or that, or what they are trying to do and why they can't.
I think what does hurt MMA, honestly, is perceived violence and conservative people. Basically people not understanding the sport. People who don't know what they are talking about, but are more than happy to let you know what fighters should do in a fight.
People who know little about the sport but talk about it. There should be more MMA lobbyists/reporters willing to report on TV channels behalf. When the UFC or any organization comes to town, they put a random reporter to talk about the event or how it is affecting the city. I have noticed our local sports radio station recently had one of the owners of Bloodyelbow on his radio show. Normally the sports radio show will talk about hockey, baseball and some football, but when there is a local MMA event, they just don't have the knowledge to talk about anything intelligent relating to the event. I think all of the knowledgeable reporters in MMA should keep trying to touch new markets and try to help other people understand what people are talking about.
Another example would be the show Pardon the Interruption (PTI) Both reporters are over 50, going on 60 and when it comes to MMA, their comments make me cringe in an awkward way, because they are really out of their element and don't really get it. Same when my local TV sports guy does his 10-20 seconds segment on the most recent MMA or even UFC event.
It would be nice if their was like a MMA reporters union that has a small budget to do their own reports for the Associated Press. If the knowledgeable reporters attended events, did on the scene reports and then released these reports to the Associated Press, then I wouldn't be forced to listen to some ex football or hockey player turned sportscaster try and report on a sport he really doesn't know much about.
More and more celebrities attending fights, and interview them on why they like fights. Maybe have MMA awards, where all the reporters vote in different categories for all things MMA. If my mom were to see George Cloney talk about why he loves MMA, they maybe she would like it better.
Most of my ideas require that MMA reporters work together to help expand the sport in the right direction.
I agree with an article posted on here about a week ago dissing the good old boys mentality of some commissions. Like having a former boxing ref get seniority to ref an MMA fight over a John McCarthy approved ref. Athletic and boxing commissions are created by the government for the public yet for some reason, most commissions records and information is private. It would be nice if their was an authority for MMA in the US or world. Rank referees and judges like NFL or NHL referees and make their work not seniority based but performance based.
So when a commissions looks up Cecil Peoples or Doc Hamilton, Jon Schorle, or whoever, they can see what kind of guy they are getting. In boxing this was done by HBO. I would like UFC to do the same if they believe in the commission that sanctions their fights. Like in an HBO Friday Night Fights or whatever, when the ring announcer lists the judges, they show the judges 3 most controversial fights and their decisions in those fights. Announcers aren't afraid to comment on the judges and public vilify them....like Teddy Atlas going off in the Emanuel Burton fight. I would like to see the commissions be more transparent. But I guaranty that a guy like Mike Goldberg is afraid to speak his mind....I can't see Goldberg going to the head of the commission and question him directly on why a certain judge scored a fight the way he did live on the air at a PPV event. (again like Teddy Atlas)
I really like that Joe Rogan isn't too afraid of that shit. Like last night instantly try and figure out the greasing controversy.
Around the time of the Abu Dabi UFC, I remember reading that some commissions review fights with judges and get feedback on their work. I think more judges need to be publicly outed and maybe made an example of.
As an example, if I see Jon Schorle poorly ref a fight, I want the commission (who are created for the public) come out and say that, and explain what they think his problems are and what he needs to improve upon. He should more down in rank, and not be able to move back up until his next review...maybe like 3-6 months later. Not do everything behind closed doors....if anything is done at all.
If will take more poorly judged or reffed MMA fights in order for this to happen.....but every week, I see at least one poorly reffed or judged MMA event, but I have noticed it's getting better and better.
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Originally Posted by BSums I couldn't agree more. I'm sick of spending money on PPV's to see only a handfull fights. Showing the undercard would also be great exposure for all the lesser known fighters. I'm all for it. |
Agreed. I like DREAM and Sengoku events because I get to see 10+ fights.
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