Does the UFC choose its Champions? - Fight Forum - MMA - UFC - Boxing - K1

jplaca · 05-05-2008, 01:38 PM

As we all know, the UFC can cut any fighter they chose from their contracts. But do you think that the UFC is picking and choosing who will be the champion of their weight division?

With the recent cut of Lutter, and Lutter's comment about how the UFC stuffed Serra into a crowded locker room while GSP was getting 1st-class treatment, I wonder if the UFC is just creating champions based on repuation/fan base.

Furthermore, since many quality fighters are being cut from the UFC, do you think that an organization like EliteXC will pick up these great fighters, ultimately overcoming the UFC's popularity in the long run?

-----

I personally believe that the UFC is making a fatal mistake by releasing too many fighters. Not only will their divisions be thin, but the UFC's reputation will become tainted as a "pro-wreslting", "fake", and "only concerned with money" organization. Meanwhile, EliteXC (a company which seems to take care of its fighters) gains the reputation as the "best place to fight in MMA"

AikaImmortal · 05-05-2008, 02:32 PM

It all comes down to marketing. Tim Sylvia never had a good PPV draw.. he was regarded by most as a boring champion. UFC pays Randy a load of money to come back to dethrone him.. do you think it was about Randy wanting to get back in the game, or do you think the instant title shot was Zuffa's way of trying to get back a champ who the fans adored and who could boost buyrates?

The thing is, the UFC is not a league. The UFC is a promotion. Sometimes guys who deserve title shots don't get them due to marketability I feel. Look at Lyoto. Great record, but is a counterfighter and many people find him to be dull and boring.

Look at TUF.. you have a great guy marketingwise in Rampage.. but instead of let him have a few fights they hold him out until the end of TUF so he can face another star of the UFC.. another guy who has had massive marketing push since TUF 1, and a guy who even casual fans recognize and root for. At the end of the day, it all comes down to financial intrests. Can't say I agree but I understand that it is a business and sometimes the fans wishes come second to the allmighty dollar.

Scarecrow · 05-05-2008, 02:33 PM

Of course they do...or at the very least, they follow their own internal ranking system based on popularity and marketability. We have fighters who are undefeated with no title shot in their near future competing with people who have lost near 50% of their fights in near title contention. Go figure.

BCguy · 05-05-2008, 02:48 PM

I wouldn't really call it "choosing" their champs. But they definitely push their more popular fighters more than they may push better but "boring" fighters. But whoever they give more attention still has to win. Unless you are saying that the UFC rigs all their fights so that they get the champions they want.

OneBigThrow · 05-05-2008, 03:49 PM

from the look of this thread it must be A-OK with the fans...i think its horse****

but hey as long as its your favorite fighter its cool right

EliManningPwndThePatriots · 05-05-2008, 03:57 PM

I totally agree with Aika. It's about marketability, which is why I don't understand why they don't market Rampage more. Rampage was a huge fan favorite and some say Superstar to the Japanese audience. They made toys for h im, etc.

I dont' know why they dont market him better. He has a colorful personality and is hillarious, and BTW brings a damn good fight everytime out.

I guess they figure since they put him on as a coach for TUF, that's all the marketing he needs right now.

I honestly see Ramapge being huge if the UFC just invested more time and advertising into h im.

On the question of if they choose their champs? No. Because The UFC has a habit of bringing in guys that have beaten their champs before either in Pride or another org.

BCguy · 05-05-2008, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneBigThrow

from the look of this thread it must be A-OK with the fans...i think its horse****

but hey as long as its your favorite fighter its cool right

Im not saying it's cool at all. But i am saying that from a marketing standpoint i can understand why they do it. Which is the exact reason why i have mixed feelings towards MMA getting so popular.

jplaca · 05-05-2008, 04:29 PM

Do you think that the UFC will become second to EliteXC or another organization that is picking up their cut fighters?

OneBigThrow · 05-05-2008, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Which is the exact reason why i have mixed feelings towards MMA getting so popular.

yea man, defintiely

i like the fact that we are getting new fans to educate but I feel like the UFC thinks it has to go out of its way to impress them and keep em on board

i think the art of fighting is awesome enough to keep them around if they are really into this type of sport

if they arent, thats fine, but we dont need to compromise the sport's sanctity

BCguy · 05-05-2008, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jplaca

Do you think that the UFC will become second to EliteXC or another organization that is picking up their cut fighters?

Not anytime soon. The LW , WW , and LHW divisions are so stacked in the UFC right now that it's so hard for other orgs. to keep up. Plus we are seeing the MW starting to get a little better. A lot of people equate MMA with UFC because the UFC was the first org. to get really big. It's like the Microsoft of MMA and i sadly don't see that changing for a long time.

Ztous · 05-06-2008, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jplaca

As we all know, the UFC can cut any fighter they chose from their contracts. But do you think that the UFC is picking and choosing who will be the champion of their weight division?

With the recent cut of Lutter, and Lutter's comment about how the UFC stuffed Serra into a crowded locker room while GSP was getting 1st-class treatment, I wonder if the UFC is just creating champions based on repuation/fan base.

Furthermore, since many quality fighters are being cut from the UFC, do you think that an organization like EliteXC will pick up these great fighters, ultimately overcoming the UFC's popularity in the long run?

-----

I personally believe that the UFC is making a fatal mistake by releasing too many fighters. Not only will their divisions be thin, but the UFC's reputation will become tainted as a "pro-wreslting", "fake", and "only concerned with money" organization. Meanwhile, EliteXC (a company which seems to take care of its fighters) gains the reputation as the "best place to fight in MMA"

I think in way they do this but I find using GSP as an example a little funny. They gave him to Hughes because they wanted Hughes to be champ again and then they stacked the deck against him when he was trying to climb back up the ladder.

As far as the cut fighters making EliteXc stronger that is highly debatable since the only fighters they're getting rid of on purpose are usually those who have lost there last couple of fights and I really don't see how much popularity they gather from guys who got beaten out of the worlds largest MMA stage.

nurspec · 05-08-2008, 08:18 PM

This is the problem i have with the UFC.
I find the fact that more credit isn't given to "Spider" Silva for beating the best level of competition since Sakuraba was dominating a crime.He is the best fighter on the planet currently based on the level of comp and the nature in which he has dominated that talent.Yet,he is not as publicized by the UFC as Chuck was,why is that?

How come certain fighters can get title shots after losses ,given an alarming amount of chances even though they can't buy a win in the UFC.

Why does "Spider" have to constantly fight the top fighters one after the other,when a lot of champs get a tough fight then a relatively easy one in order to build an impression of invincibility."Spider" deserves a lighter work out just so he can have an easy pay day ,that has always been the case in the fightworld.IMO Rampage and Silva are the only Champions constantly facing the top fighters in their division . Again,How come?

MK3Design · 05-08-2008, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nurspec

This is the problem i have with the UFC.
I find the fact that more credit isn't given to "Spider" Silva for beating the best level of competition since Sakuraba was dominating a crime.He is the best fighter on the planet currently based on the level of comp and the nature in which he has dominated that talent.Yet,he is not as publicized by the UFC as Chuck was,why is that?

Because he doesnt speak English

Ztous · 05-08-2008, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nurspec

This is the problem i have with the UFC.
I find the fact that more credit isn't given to "Spider" Silva for beating the best level of competition since Sakuraba was dominating a crime.He is the best fighter on the planet currently based on the level of comp and the nature in which he has dominated that talent.Yet,he is not as publicized by the UFC as Chuck was,why is that?

How come certain fighters can get title shots after losses ,given an alarming amount of chances even though they can't buy a win in the UFC.

Why does "Spider" have to constantly fight the top fighters one after the other,when a lot of champs get a tough fight then a relatively easy one in order to build an impression of invincibility."Spider" deserves a lighter work out just so he can have an easy pay day ,that has always been the case in the fightworld.IMO Rampage and Silva are the only Champions constantly facing the top fighters in their division . Again,How come?

Silva fought Leben than he fought for the title so I don't put a lot of stock in the violin story your trying to sell. Same goes for Rampage he fought an easy fight then for the title. When your the champ you have you have to fight the best and your a complete fool for thinking GSP hasn't been fighting "top" fighters.

fight2night · 05-08-2008, 10:40 PM

They can never pick and choose, it's a fight and anything can happen. But the UFC most certainly does have an idea as to who they would like to have as a champion and what fights would sell better then most. Did Tito Ortiz really deserve a title shot after winning a close decision against Griffin, and beating Shamrock two times in a row? Probably not but they wanted to set up the rematch between him and Liddell in December and the buy rates went through the roof. When Sylvia beat Arlovski in their second match, he was granted an immediate rematch cause who wanted to see Sylvia as the champ with all do respect? Take Machida for example as well. Every person they throw at him he defeats and he has still yet to get a title shot, mean while if Liddell prob. beats his next opponent he will get another crack at the belt.

Rumbin · 05-08-2008, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BCguy

Not anytime soon. The LW , WW , and LHW divisions are so stacked in the UFC right now that it's so hard for other orgs. to keep up. Plus we are seeing the MW starting to get a little better. A lot of people equate MMA with UFC because the UFC was the first org. to get really big. It's like the Microsoft of MMA and i sadly don't see that changing for a long time.

Sadly? The UFC puts on extremely awesome cards with insane production values give or take once a month. Just because they dont show 10 fights doesnt mean the UFC isnt the best. PRIDE boys need to hop off the soap box. The UFC is worth 50 bucks a month hands down.

Rumbin · 05-08-2008, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fight2night

They can never pick and choose, it's a fight and anything can happen. But the UFC most certainly does have an idea as to who they would like to have as a champion and what fights would sell better then most. Did Tito Ortiz really deserve a title shot after winning a close decision against Griffin, and beating Shamrock two times in a row? Probably not but they wanted to set up the rematch between him and Liddell in December and the buy rates went through the roof. When Sylvia beat Arlovski in their second match, he was granted an immediate rematch cause who wanted to see Sylvia as the champ with all do respect? Take Machida for example as well. Every person they throw at him he defeats and he has still yet to get a title shot, mean while if Liddell prob. beats his next opponent he will get another crack at the belt.

Tim/Andrei 3 was really as the Tito/Ken backdrop

AikaImmortal · 05-08-2008, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rumbin

Sadly? The UFC puts on extremely awesome cards with insane production values give or take once a month. Just because they dont show 10 fights doesnt mean the UFC isnt the best. PRIDE boys need to hop off the soap box. The UFC is worth 50 bucks a month hands down.

Or 2 gigs a month. You pick.

Personally, the UFC production values are terrible compared to the Japanese promotions. Even Shooto in the small Korakuen Hall have put on better produced shows than the UFC from time to time.

Rumbin · 05-08-2008, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AikaImmortal

Or 2 gigs a month. You pick.

Personally, the UFC production values are terrible compared to the Japanese promotions. Even Shooto in the small Korakuen Hall have put on better produced shows than the UFC from time to time.

I perfer to support the org. instead of downloading. I still think Zuffa has the best production values of any org. I <3 the black backdrop with the misty rain Aiki

Ztous · 05-09-2008, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AikaImmortal

Or 2 gigs a month. You pick.

Personally, the UFC production values are terrible compared to the Japanese promotions. Even Shooto in the small Korakuen Hall have put on better produced shows than the UFC from time to time.

What is good production values exactly? Because if it is always the best shot of the fight and always consistent content then the UFC is hand down the best but if your definition of "production value" is fireworks when they enter the ring then I would take the UFCs "bad" production value any day of the week because they tend to have more competitive matches.