Though not big news to many because many don't care, Joe Silva is leaving the UFC as matchmaker. Now, why would he do that and why now? Here is what i think..
1) The fighters union will be a reality within the next 5 years. With the union coming and though many are not reporting on it, SHOULD a fighters union come about this would be way more leverage for the fighters concerning who they fight. With all the red tape they have now, having to deal with the union and other rules on top of that would severely frustrate the process. This concerns pay and things of that nature. I am thinking his job would be substantially harder since the UFC would lose some control there.
2) Dana white overriding him. Lets just say for a moment that Joe Silva can't do his job fairly because the UFC wants ratings more than they want to give the fighters the right fights. Overall, Silva has probably had to hold his nose having Dana override him time and time again. I mean why be matchmaker when you don't really have the say so you may need. He's probably reached a point where he has the money he needs to be ok from here on out and so he's leaving because he's simply not allowed to do his job right.
3) Conscious. Joe more than likely never wanted to have to play the game this way. Some people have a legacy they want to protect and Joe Silva, knowing that people like Mcgregor are getting their way and in doing so he can't match people who SHOULD fight him due to Dana protecting him, it's just way more than Joe can take. To see fighters who DESERVE the fights based on the ones who are not getting them its probably making Joe feel like more harm than good is done. Joe more than likely has had to sit there and watch guys like Edgar and Cerrone (who both could have taken McGregor out) seemingly get overlooked and delayed time and time again so ratings could be taken care of. Joe probably doesn't want people to think that he really treated people like this and wants out because nobody knows if it really is him making these fights or Dana.
4) The divisions are pointless now. Joe has had to watch guys who aren't champions get more than the champions. Why have titles and why have rankings if what fighters are working for has no merit? Its totally pointless for a fighter who HAS earned his spot to have to keep fighting number one contender matches over and over again after he has earned it. Damian Maia comes to mind. He has to wait due to what GSP may or may not do, he has to wait because Woodley wants the biggest money fights. The divsions, weight classes have no real structure anymore. Its become so much about money and ratings that a fighter can't catch a clean break concerning the fight owed to him.
5) Exciting fights. This term to me has KILLED the UFC's hope for fighters who are not big talkers and mouthpieces get fair shake. Joe is probably sick of trying to match people up due to them being 'exciting fights" or not. Why is a fight not exciting when you have a BJJ guy fight a striker but excitng when you have a lot of standup? Having to match guys based on their skills and NOT their wins has crippled the process for too long. Whether a guy is exciting or not he should get the fight earned to him. I mean its mixed martial arts not just slugging it out. I mean we all know Nate Diaz could have taken Mystic Mac down but for 'some' reason in this last fight did not. Guess it wouldn't have been 'exciting' enough.
6) Fighter reluctance. Of course you cant make anybody fight anybody. Yet when you have guys like Quinton Jackson who doesn't WANT to go to the groud because he's simply to lazy to train anymore for ground skills complain about "I dont want to fight boring ass wrestlers that only want to take me down" . You have to wonder just how much of this frustrates the process as well. You have woodley holding out for money, you have people like Conor demanding who he fights next. In a way the fighters may not admit it but there are plenty of them who don't want to fight certain guys. Joe may have been fed up with the ducking and avoidance and trying to find the right fight for the guy who wants to avoid the BJJ guy because he only wants to do standup.
1) The fighters union will be a reality within the next 5 years. With the union coming and though many are not reporting on it, SHOULD a fighters union come about this would be way more leverage for the fighters concerning who they fight. With all the red tape they have now, having to deal with the union and other rules on top of that would severely frustrate the process. This concerns pay and things of that nature. I am thinking his job would be substantially harder since the UFC would lose some control there.
2) Dana white overriding him. Lets just say for a moment that Joe Silva can't do his job fairly because the UFC wants ratings more than they want to give the fighters the right fights. Overall, Silva has probably had to hold his nose having Dana override him time and time again. I mean why be matchmaker when you don't really have the say so you may need. He's probably reached a point where he has the money he needs to be ok from here on out and so he's leaving because he's simply not allowed to do his job right.
3) Conscious. Joe more than likely never wanted to have to play the game this way. Some people have a legacy they want to protect and Joe Silva, knowing that people like Mcgregor are getting their way and in doing so he can't match people who SHOULD fight him due to Dana protecting him, it's just way more than Joe can take. To see fighters who DESERVE the fights based on the ones who are not getting them its probably making Joe feel like more harm than good is done. Joe more than likely has had to sit there and watch guys like Edgar and Cerrone (who both could have taken McGregor out) seemingly get overlooked and delayed time and time again so ratings could be taken care of. Joe probably doesn't want people to think that he really treated people like this and wants out because nobody knows if it really is him making these fights or Dana.
4) The divisions are pointless now. Joe has had to watch guys who aren't champions get more than the champions. Why have titles and why have rankings if what fighters are working for has no merit? Its totally pointless for a fighter who HAS earned his spot to have to keep fighting number one contender matches over and over again after he has earned it. Damian Maia comes to mind. He has to wait due to what GSP may or may not do, he has to wait because Woodley wants the biggest money fights. The divsions, weight classes have no real structure anymore. Its become so much about money and ratings that a fighter can't catch a clean break concerning the fight owed to him.
5) Exciting fights. This term to me has KILLED the UFC's hope for fighters who are not big talkers and mouthpieces get fair shake. Joe is probably sick of trying to match people up due to them being 'exciting fights" or not. Why is a fight not exciting when you have a BJJ guy fight a striker but excitng when you have a lot of standup? Having to match guys based on their skills and NOT their wins has crippled the process for too long. Whether a guy is exciting or not he should get the fight earned to him. I mean its mixed martial arts not just slugging it out. I mean we all know Nate Diaz could have taken Mystic Mac down but for 'some' reason in this last fight did not. Guess it wouldn't have been 'exciting' enough.
6) Fighter reluctance. Of course you cant make anybody fight anybody. Yet when you have guys like Quinton Jackson who doesn't WANT to go to the groud because he's simply to lazy to train anymore for ground skills complain about "I dont want to fight boring ass wrestlers that only want to take me down" . You have to wonder just how much of this frustrates the process as well. You have woodley holding out for money, you have people like Conor demanding who he fights next. In a way the fighters may not admit it but there are plenty of them who don't want to fight certain guys. Joe may have been fed up with the ducking and avoidance and trying to find the right fight for the guy who wants to avoid the BJJ guy because he only wants to do standup.
