Transparency would have rendered nearly all the current UFC criticisms invalid

[legatoblues]

I guess I could be expecting just a little too much here, given their track record, but the harder the UFC tries to call a spade a rake, the worse it gets for everybody.

They're trying to sell an image of a "legitimate sport". Good on 'em. But they've also realised that people like freakshows and fun fights, despite this going against the idea of a legit competition. So what do they do? Balance both ends out by clearly stating their intentions and laying out the various scenarios that could result? Nope....the head goes in the sand and they keep trying to sell us something that doesn't exist.

Bisping v Hendo II is the easy example here. 12 ranked Henderson getting a title shot is absurd. But on the other hand, it is a great fight to make - for many reasons - and there's never going to be a better time that right now. Selling it as a legit title fight is an insult to the fans and fighters, but there would have been no problem at all if right from the start they laid out a clear plan: Bisping v Hendo II as a non-title event, a reward for both the fighters and the fans, with a 4-man tourney (not necessarily a single night) between Rockhold, Bisping, Jacare and Romero for the #1 contender, winner to fight Bisping for the belt regardless of the outcome of the Hendo fight.

Sure, there would be complaining about Bisping not defending the belt right away, but it is far more legitimate, fair and understandable compared to what we have now.

The McGregor situation is a bit more complicated, but still could have been handled in a much, much better fashion. The biggest issue I have with it is the sheer uncertainty. What happens if he wins the LW belt? Will he aim to hold and defend both? Will he try for the WW belt too? Will either of the belts be given up, or will they be put on hold until....who knows? I don't have a problem with the fight itself, but it's all those questions that leave a dirty taste in the mouth.

TL;DR version - Telling the whole story at the start makes things better for everybody at the end. Kids all around the world learn this from a young age, why can't the UFC?

 

[basementdweller]

because the UFC is playing monopoly, and headbutting their way into a circus freak show will make fighting fans start looking at other companies

 

[Bend NvR Break]

The UFC is like any other mega company. They want to have an image of legitimacy and respect but really just want to rake in as much money as possible by any means necessary.

 

[D'z]

The McGregor situation is a bit more complicated, but still could have been handled in a much, much better fashion. The biggest issue I have with it is the sheer uncertainty. What happens if he wins the LW belt? Will he aim to hold and defend both? Will he try for the WW belt too? Will either of the belts be given up, or will they be put on hold until....who knows? I don't have a problem with the fight itself, but it's all those questions that leave a dirty taste in the mouth

You don't think Dan deserves the title shot but you're ok with a guy that's gone 1 and 1 with a mid-tier LW fighting for the LW belt?

 

[legatoblues]

You don't think Dan deserves the title shot but you're ok with a guy that's gone 1 and 1 with a mid-tier LW fighting for the LW belt?

Put that way, no, I'm not ok with it. But I am ok with the champ of one division getting a shot in another. I do believe they've completely ballsed up the whole thing by not having a clear and transparent plan about it.

In the McGregor example, I'd have done it like this.

• McGregor wins FW belt.
• Announced the fight for the LW belt and immediately clarified the possible scenarios following by saying he will defend the FW belt against Aldo v Edgar winner regardless of results at LW.
• RDA pulls out. Announce Diaz fight as a completely meaningless, shits and giggles fun way to save a card, McGregor will still fight for the LW belt either way and the rest of the details will remain the same

Although my point really is that the details aren't what matters, it's the communication that is the key here. If they publicly announced that the plan was for McGregor to fight for each and every belt in the UFC until he loses and immediately retires, then as much as that's a immense load of bullshit, it's still better than saying one thing and doing another, or not saying anything at all.

 

[legatoblues]

The UFC is like any other mega company. They want to have an image of legitimacy and respect but really just want to rake in as much money as possible by any means necessary.