Can a non english/ESL fighter achieve Ronda/Conor fame?

[Chagaev]

If Dana and Co were to get behind a fighter and really push, they can definitely make a difference.

Yeah, but they decide to do it based on the marketing potential of the fighter.

Some foreign bumpkin blabbering about disrespect can be 8-0 with only two decisions and still not getting a TS, nevermind the company's hype machine.

 

[mmarcelo]

Manny Pacquiao has done pretty well for himself as a star.

Best example.... guys without English must be spectacular in both performance (their main form of charisma) and winning streaks before any hope of popularity and then a couple of good speeches translated. Anderson, Fedor and Cro cop in their primes are the most successful cases I can think of in mma... still mainly Anderson and not at the same level

 

[ILove4MinutesHyuna]

Are you talking about mega fame in the U.S. ? the entire world? a certain region?

There are many regional stars that are barely stars in the U.S. There are even more national stars by country that are virtually unknown in the U.S. You can be the most famous athlete in Japan. Probably some baseball player. Have a tone of endorsements there, be on TV shows, commercials. Recognizable by every Japanese person. Thats 130 million people an entire country behind you. Ngannou dosent look or sound like most people in the U.S. but he does so in Africa especially French speaking parts. The UFC is global so whoever becomes heavyweight champ he will have a region or at least country to appeal to. According to wiki there is about 220 million people who speak French daily world wide and 54% are in Africa. Ngannou does not have to speak English to become a big star in that part of the world. I dont think its a tragedy if he is only known to 10 million Americans but world wide 500 million people know who he is.

 

[AdamantiumPimmel]

As soon as Ngannou started talking about racism, it was over, he's not going to be popular!

 

[Yashabo]

As soon as Ngannou started talking about racism, it was over, he's not going to be popular!

 

[Roman_23]

GSPs English is quite good though. Just pronounciation is French. He understands everything and has vocabulary of average american ufc fighter if not broader.

Edit - my pick would br Anderson Silva. His english comes down to - "is normal, this is a biiig spor"

 

[in the liver]

I was watching a video on Stipe vs Ngannou. The gentleman said "If Ngannou wins, and a couple after he will become a star". I honestly don't see it. Every single time he talks, either Lenny from Of mice and men pops in my head or recently John Coffey from The Green Mile.

Which non english/ESL fighter is the closest to mega fame or possess the abilities to get there? I can't think of one.

every time conor says he runs boxing or "head clean off" i cant help thinking of this guy

 

[MMAart]

GSP.

 

[dildos]

They had subtitles for Bisping in TUF so I assume most Americans have no idea at all what Conor is saying.

That suggests that being able to be understood by Americans doesn't matter.

Look at Conor before he was a superstar and look at him now. Ngannou just needs a load of shitty tattoos, a ginger beard and to loose to a very average fighter in a non tile fight after beating Stipe and then he'll be up there with Conor.

<45><45><45>

 

[yeguiza]

back in the day, saku was huge

 

[Chagaev]

Ngannou dosent look or sound like most people in the U.S. but he does so in Africa especially French speaking parts. The UFC is global so whoever becomes heavyweight champ he will have a region or at least country to appeal to.

Appeal for what, three fiddy?

According to wiki there is about 220 million people who speak French daily world wide and 54% are in Africa. Ngannou does not have to speak English to become a big star in that part of the world. I dont think its a tragedy if he is only known to 10 million Americans but world wide 500 million people know who he is.

They could make him a God in Cameroon, if they're not spending sixty bucks on PPV like Muricans do or an average or 1K on a ticket, like Muricans&Irish did at 205, it won't mean shit.

 

[Seven30]

I was watching a video on Stipe vs Ngannou. The gentleman said "If Ngannou wins, and a couple after he will become a star". I honestly don't see it. Every single time he talks, either Lenny from Of mice and men pops in my head or recently John Coffey from The Green Mile.

Which non english/ESL fighter is the closest to mega fame or possess the abilities to get there? I can't think of one.

That's not what I get at all. Lenny & John Coffey were both examples of people with an obvious or implied learning disability. Ngannou just has a foreign accent, as English isn't his first language. By no means has anything that he's said or done suggested that he's "slow."

This seems more of an example of your own perception of abnormally big, strong individuals, as opposed to an honest observation based on things that Francis has said or done. How did you perceive Brock when you first came across him?

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

if it were that easy, they would be able to create a star if they so chose. So why don't they?

Dana only wants to promote fighters who'll bend over for him. One thing he's repeatedly praised Ronda for is that she took whatever contract UFC offered no questions asked. So of course someone like him would love her. <45>

 

[FleximusPrime]

No, or at least no time soon, there's a reason Dana calls Conor the unicorn. If it was easy they'd all be doing it and Conors fan base and support are on another level and not to mention he still has this novelty value about him that's freshened the whole thing up in terms of attracting new followers and the sheeple love that but just look how quickly Ronda fell from the heights she was at as soon as she was "exposed" and as history has proved the higher you put yourself on that pedestal the further you have to fall and if Conor falls (Whch he is setting himself up for without a shadow of a doubt) it will be a big one and you had better believe he will be ultimately forgotten too, such is life.

 

[tramendous]

GSP is ESL and he is the GOAT. He's had PPV buys bigger than Ronda and PPV buys in the same neighbourhood as Conor (in MMA). He might not be quite as known to the casuals as Ronda and Conor, but he isn't that far off.

The answer is Georges St Pierre.

but gsp is a cis white male

 

[somocjcsom]

I was watching a video on Stipe vs Ngannou. The gentleman said "If Ngannou wins, and a couple after he will become a star". I honestly don't see it. Every single time he talks, either Lenny from Of mice and men pops in my head or recently John Coffey from The Green Mile.

Which non english/ESL fighter is the closest to mega fame or possess the abilities to get there? I can't think of one.

GSP

 

[bigconan]

I was watching a video on Stipe vs Ngannou. The gentleman said "If Ngannou wins, and a couple after he will become a star". I honestly don't see it. Every single time he talks, either Lenny from Of mice and men pops in my head or recently John Coffey from The Green Mile.

Which non english/ESL fighter is the closest to mega fame or possess the abilities to get there? I can't think of one.

If you can't speak english, it makes it extremely difficult to achieve great levels of popularity and success...most fights happen in the usa and the usa is an english speaking country for the most part...

 

[bigconan]

GSP is ESL and he is the GOAT. He's had PPV buys bigger than Ronda and PPV buys in the same neighbourhood as Conor (in MMA). He might not be quite as known to the casuals as Ronda and Conor, but he isn't that far off.

The answer is Georges St Pierre.

What are you smoking? gsp doesn't even come in the same universe in ppv sales as conor does...not even remotely close.

 

[Myrddin Wild]

Well, Ngannou speaks good enough english that I don't think it will be a factor. He searches for words sometimes... but he's getting better... & GSP has done that his whole career... & it hasn't bothered his popularity.

It's an interesting question... for someone who actually does not speak english at all. Being that English speaking countries are the one's leading the sales... & the superstars are driven by the casuals... I gotta say that I kind of doubt it.

I'm a hardcore fan... & I get tired of reading subtitles... no matter how much of a fan of their fighting style I am. I can only imagine how easy it is for casual fans to simply skip non-english speaking interviews & back-story programs n stuff.

I don't really see any at the moment that are even close. Most fighter's on the roster can't even manage a tree fiddy PPV buy... much less be speculated about reaching the superstar level that GSP & Mac have achieved.

 

[bigconan]

I aggree with your post in general, not this though. She's looked pretty good a number of times when not photoshopped (talkshows, weigh-ins etc). It's more that she doesn't carry excess weight that well.

Ronda looks decent right before her fights..at weigh ins, etc...but her normal walk around weight, she at times looked like a football linebacker...or just some overweight walmart chick...who you wouldn't even notice out in public.