Jon Fitch cut, other UFC roster cuts (merged threads)

[kflo]

Originally Posted by Godzilla3232

If the UFC is actively going after the best fighters to determine who's the best there's actually a point in speculating. If the UFC is only interested in "entertaining" fighters then why bother? You don't speculate about who the best fighter is when watching the WWE because they're not trying to find the best fighters; that was never the point.

the wwe isn't a fight.

mma is a fight.

fitch isn't the best fighter. no need to speculate.

the ufc can't have every possible fighter. noone is wondering if fitch is really the best, but he's just not going to be able to prove it. if he keeps winning, maybe he'll get back in the mix. it's happened many times before.

[Yolandabecool]

With extra cuts in the future, and names thrown out such as Faber; surely common sense would realise that consecutive losses will be more common within the top ten due to fighting better competition.

Rankings exist for a reason - Consecutive losses should only count if your ranked outside the top ten.

[csroster]

Originally Posted by SCTwins

You're right.

The WWE comparisons are stretching so far, and its an argument presented by those with a superiority complex who can't rationalize an argument without belittling anyone who doesn't agree.

If its do similar, then why do I have ZERO interest in the WWE?

Oh, that's right, because the fights aren't friggin choreographed and rehearsed.

Sports entertainment is not a concept that is incredibly hard to understand. Of course the UFC wants competitive fights, just not at the cost of losing the interest of their audience.

Because they promote different things is why you're not interested in both. Just because they're both entertainment promotion companies doesn't mean you have to like them both.

You can like watching the NFL and not like watching the NBA.

[KGB256]

Originally Posted by Glen S

BS...its not WWE...job is to win fights...if not it takes away legitimacy of the sport...

It's really simple. A fighter can keep his job by winning consistently or by being an exciting fighter.

Exciting + Consistent = Marquee Superstar (e.g. Jon Jones)
Boring + Consistent = Secure (e.g. Jon Fitch circa 2010)
Exciting + Inconsistent = Secure (e.g. Clay Guida circa 2011)
Boring + Inconsistent = In danger of being cut.

Fitch was 1-2-1 since 2010. He hasn't finished a fight since June 2007. He languished in midcard hell after losing to GSP in 2008, and then struggled when he was on the cusp of getting himself another title shot.

[prelude2pain]

Are people really that surprised Fitch got cut? It's not fair but the UFC is a company and they believe Jon isn't worth the cost. I don't think he deserves to get cut however it's easy to see why they would do it. They've always been selective and biased with some of their cuts and Dana admitted it's only going to get worse.

[Hans Gruber]

Originally Posted by Yolandabecool

With extra cuts in the future, and names thrown out such as Faber; surely common sense would realise that consecutive losses will be more common within the top ten due to fighting better competition.

Rankings exist for a reason - Consecutive losses should only count if your ranked outside the top ten.

Exactly. The line between winning and losing is very thin many times.

Look at Edgar. He lost 3 in a row but to Top 10 fighters. No way should he be cut.

(Fitch should not have been cut either)

[ben236]

Originally Posted by jodka

Maybe, but factor to the point of buy or not?

Possibly... They won't be saying OMG FITCH IS ON THE CARD SO I'M TOTALLY BUYING IT!!!

But having Fitch on the main event against a game opponent such as Silva or Maia would clearly be a determinant as to whether a card is stacked or not, which also plays into a person's decision whether or not to drop 50 bucks on a card.

Originally Posted by jodka

Think about it, what motivates a person to buy a PPV? For the VAST majority it is ONE fight, the main event. Any UFC based in America will sell 200k+ PPVs based on the UFC name alone. Guys like Anderson or Jones can get that to 600k. GSP can get it to 800k. Brock can get it to a million. (Rampage as well, with the TUF build-up versus Rashad.)

No... A lot of people don't necessarily buy because of ONE fight. UFC isn't boxing. People are more likely to drop money down on a stacked card than a non-stacked card.

Originally Posted by jodka

A guy like Fitch? I'm not sure he adds 5k buys, or even 1k buys. I honestly have no way to know other than the fact that I've never, ever had a person over for a fight because they wanted to see Jon Fitch.

It's all speculation... But again, I think he definitely plays a factor when matched up against a game opponent that affects a lot of people's decision as to whether or not to buy a card.

It certainly does for me at least.

[TheComebackKid]

Originally Posted by Godzilla3232

The Gracies didn't invent MMA, they introduced their own fighting style and mentality to it, but that's just one style.

The Gracies invented the UFC which is what we're talking about right?

You saying the rules have to prefer that style and mentality COMPLETELY defeats the purpose. Control is a part of fighting and a part of MMA, and as long as it works it should exist and be utilized in MMA. You don't want to watch MMA, you want to watch restricted fighting where certain techniques and styles aren't allowed. That's fine, there are a lot of sports out there that don't allow the things you don't like to watch; go watch them.

No it doesn't defeat the purpose. Control is not fighting. Take basketball for instant. Dribbling is absolutely part of the game but its not the game itself. You use dribbling to score points but you dont' get points just for dribbling. In MMA you use control to score points(inflict damage) but control is not the game itself. If thats what you enter the octagon to do you need to do something else for a living.

Every sports organization implements rules and scoring criteria to promote a certain style of play. I'll use the shot clock in basketball as an example. Back in the 50's teams used to score a few points, get a lead, and then dribble the clock out. Obviously that is not what basketball is about and it turned alot of fans off. So the NBA adopted the 24 second shot clock to promote a faster and more entertaining style of play that better captures the essence of the sport. They've also done this with illegal defense rules, widening of the lanes, 3 second violations, backcourt violations, hand checking rules, ect. They are constantly changing the rules to promote a faster more entertaining style of play.

If you were around in the 50s I bet you would have said 'you don't want to watch basketball, you want to watch restricted game of scoring baskets where certain offensive and defensive techniques and schemes aren't allowed' lol.

Luckily for us vision-less, boring, cranky, purists like yourself do not run sports organizations.

[jodka]

Originally Posted by Godzilla3232

No, we're left to wonder who's the second, third, fourth, fifth, etc. best. We're left to wonder how many elite grappler's the UFC passed over in the last year because they weren't thug enough. Two years from now if GSP is still champion we'll be left to wonder if he's REALLY unstoppable, or if the guy who could stop him wasn't BLAMMING hard enough. People who watch MMA to see who's the best at it LOVE having to wonder about that shit.

Lol. So because the UFC released their 9th ranked WW, who has already lost to their Champ and #1 contender in dominant fashions and just got completely dominated by Maia, we don't know who is the best?

At this stage, Fitch was not even in that discussion, PERIOD. If they released Hendricks or Condit or Diaz or Maia, sure, I'd get your point. But Fitch has had plenty of time to prove whether he is the best or not and he clearly is NOT.

If anything, as a fan of MMA and not just the UFC, we should be excited because there is now at least the possibility of Askren getting to fight a top ten fighter.

[tgo007]

It's all about return on investment. If fitch is making 66k/66k he better be selling tons of ppv and tickets. There better be a lot of buzz in media for his fights.