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[lwbrewer]

Definitely not were I was hoping the UFC would go well said all

[Bearded Big Country]

Im hoping that this recent strange booking will end. I fear that the UFC is hurting bad enough that Dana and co. need to push big name fights over real contenders.

[iced]

Originally Posted by Y2JUBAE

They may follow that business model, however, what happens in the cage doesn't follow the sports entertainment model at all.

UFC is sports. The day UFC starts predetermining the outcome of the fight, then it will be considered sports entertainment.

I understand the hate on the UFC for it's matchmaking, but that doesn't change what happens in the cage and that's all that matters.

yeah i agree with you. it is too bad that they are going down a path that caters to the sideshow entertainement aspect of things ......but as long as they are not messing with the actual fight itself, what can ya do?! it really seems uncharacteristic to me the way Zuffa and company has been handling themselves the last year (chael fiasco and other bizarre match ups) but maybe this is what they have been looking to do all along. im puzzled and hella disappointed by it though...that is for sure.

(great read btw)

[Bork_Lazer]

I have a lot more to say on this issue then what I'm about to type, but I am at work so I will just point out a few things.

1, I think the UFC is far from being sports entertainment.

2, 1,000 great matchups/deserving title shots and a few bad ones and all of a sudden the sport becomes sports entertainment.

3, how anyone can say that the UFC doesnt care about the sport is really beyond me. The UFC built this sport from the ground up and in that process they had to sell out a little, who doesnt!? They are trying to bring the sport into the olympics, so how do you figure they dont care about the legitimacy of the sport. Oh let me guess all they care about is money, is that what it is. So let me get this straight, you guys calling it sports entertainment wanted the UFC to have done all that it has done for the sport without money? or from an endless supply of money, like santa claus or robin hood?

I dont want to come of as a douchebag, but before you crucify the UFC remember that when Zuffa took over, this shit was illegal, it was almost as bad as crack and now its on FOX. Simply put, that huge turn of events cost money.

[IrishX(aka bornbear)]

Originally Posted by ziggy

As long as I get to see some good fights thats all that matters.

That's actually the problem right there. It's not so much about titles as seeing the best fights. Instead of seeing the best fights and matchups we get lesser ones based on BS reasoning.

[trustkill]

Originally Posted by ziggy

I find a lot of these replies a bit absurd. To discredit the UFC as a sport. In the end it's still Mix Martial Arts. How they proceed to show it like is different i agree. However do not take away from these athletes and the sport. Everyone is always so concerned about title shots and everything. Would you rather it be like Boxing where they have 150000 titles and every fight is for a championship.

First and foremost, you're right, the UFC's bungling doesn't diminish the athleticism and determination we've come to know and love from these fighters.

My gripe is that the UFC set themselves up to be better than boxing by having fewer weight classes, and they themselves even said that. But the have no business calling themselves a "Championship" if title opportunites are NOT decided by the #1 ranked fighter fighting the #2 ranked fighter in any given weight class.

To be honest I really don't care if a match is for a title. As long as I get to see some good fights thats all that matters. That article is a bit off though because WWE didn't start to be called sports entertainment until the 90's. but anyways

Yes, some of the best fights happen between non-contenders that don't have any impact on the overall championship scheme, but if you want to call UFC a true "sport" there needs to be an overarching, unifying theme, and that's supposed to be that the best fight the best to determine who's best.

Let's use Nick Diaz as a case study. During his first run in the UFC, he built a name for himself through his aggressive style and brash attitude. UFC decided to capitalize on that popularity by attempting to put him on TUF, which he refused. They turned on him, and fed him a series of unfavorable match ups which destroyed his contendership standing and sent him packing. Then, when Strikeforce builds him back up (by not having him fight any wrestlers) the UFC amazingly deems him a contender, signs him to a new contract, and give him endless title opportunities. What's my point? Zuffa's "championship" model is built heavily on manipulation and opportunism, and not a legit sporting competition.

There are endless of examples of this, just ask John Fitch. What about Roger Huerta--they marketed him as the second coming of you know who, until he criticized their pay scale. In response, Zuffa adapted their "marketing strategy" via feeding him a series of unfavorable match ups. True, we can always appreciate the individual fight for what it is, but all these individual fights are supposed to add up to an unbiased assessment of who's the best. And that just isn't happening in today's UFC.

[sonofsteven]

Originally Posted by Y2JUBAE

They may follow that business model, however, what happens in the cage doesn't follow the sports entertainment model at all.

UFC is sports. The day UFC starts predetermining the outcome of the fight, then it will be considered sports entertainment.

I understand the hate on the UFC for it's matchmaking, but that doesn't change what happens in the cage and that's all that matters.

This ^^^ is it right here. What happens in the cage is as pure as it gets. People just cant help being black or white on an issue and ignoring the gray area where so many answers lye. Yeah it is being marketed more like the S.ent. aspect and that is not good for us purists however sports dont operate for free and this model is making money hand over fist thus PROGRESSING the sport aspect along with the SE aspect. Currently this is argueably the most beneficial model. When they are big enough in the public eye they will have to dial that entertainment aspect back and just make the fights based on deservedness of the fighters accomplishments. A beneficial evil if you will.

[W.Silva>C.Norris]

When you book your championship fights based on fanbase instead of accomplishments, you fall into the category of sports entertainment. The Dallas Cowboys may sell a lot of jerseys, but they still need to win their way into a championship game. Thats because football is a sport, and the NFL represents that sport.

The ufc should change from the Ultimate Fighting Championship, to the Ultimate Popularity Contest now, since fighting is no longer the most important aspect of their business.

[hass]

If the UFC keeps going this route or using this business model, then there is no legitmite need for belts or ranking. While popularity is influenced by wins and losses, it is popularity that will trump win/loss records, ranking systems, and/or tournaments that you would compare to playoffs in MLB, NFL, NBA, etc. However, the one on one results of the two fighters can still be pure. So, ultimately, the legitimacy and purity of the UFC is only within the cage as no consistent structure (looking at a fighter as a number rather than a name, draw, or other value) of determining the best fighter in the division exists.

Who knows, it can stay part entertainment/part sport as it is now or it can change. $$$ always taints everything...

[RearNakedStroke]

No, they don't need to decide. They already have. Hopefully Bellator steps it up because I'm a lot less interested in the UFC than I was a year ago even though they have all the star power.