Congressman to UFC, Bellator: "Move to a real league system"

[savemgs]

I really can't believe that some people don't understand that UFC rankings are utterly shit and the guys that create them are idiots / don't watch MMA / have some interest in this.

Bisping and his fight against Hendo - yeah, everybody else was unavailable
Dennis Siver up in rankings before his Conor fight
Conor fighting for a LW title, with 0 LW fights
GSP fighting for a MW title, with 0 MW fights - and I am a fan of GSP, but come on...

Right now, Nate is 6th at LW, although he hasn't fought at LW since 2015, and he is 2-3 in his last 5 LW fights
Poirier is 7th at LW, although he fought 3 times in 2017 and 3 times in 2016 - 4 wins, 1 loss, 1 NC (not his fault)


How much do you need?

I know people don't care, but some good fighters, like Whitaker, are being screwed by this dumb system.

It's not fucking hard to create a ranking system where you give points for the number of fights per year, the numbers of wins, what type of win, the win loss ratio, number of succesful strikes, strikes avoided, takedowns etc...

The truth of any combat sport is if you want to be a top guy you need a personality.

Do you think Muhammad Ali would be the greatest of all time in boxing if he had the personality of buttered toast?
Or would have gotten the opportunities that he got?

 

[skysolo]

"Mullin: Okay, so what criteria does the MMA use for the ranking system? The UFC specifically?

Ratner: The UFC, there's a group of sports writers. I'm not sure how many and they are the ones -

Mullin: Do they serve at will of the UFC?

Ratner: They serve? No, they're independent.

Mullin: They serve at will. The UFC reserves the right to remove anybody off that [ranking] commission that they choose."


"Ratner: Last Saturday night we had three world titles.

Mullin: World titles? So when [UFC Chief Operating Officer] Lawrence Epstein came and talked to me and he said they don’t look at the title as being a title but as an award bestowed upon the best fighter that night, would you agree with that statement?


Ratner: I do. Just going back to Saturday night -

Mullin: Then it’s not really a world title.

Ratner: It’s a world title as far as we’re concerned.

Mullin: Not if you’re considering it an award bestowed upon the best fighter. It can’t be. When you have the last three fights for the 185-pound, as I said in my opening statement. When Luke fought Bisping, Bisping was ranked number 4. The number 3, the number 2, and the number 1 contender, did they refuse the fight, like in the boxing world they do?

Ratner: In the boxing world what you have there is step aside and there’s all kind of games -

Mullin: Okay, but did they? Did the number 3, 2, and number 1 contender have an opportunity to fight or did it go straight to Bisping?

Ratner: I am going to make it clear again that I am not part of that -

Mullin: But you said in the opening statement and you said the fighters and the MMA and boxers are treated the same"


Reaction:



Source:
https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2017/11/17/16668308/ufc-bellator-mma-ali-act-markwayne-mullin


Video:

Um What the fuck does Ratner has to do with the ranking system?

 

[Rvd Slmr]

I really can't believe that some people don't understand that UFC rankings are utterly shit

People don't dispute that, but the rankings are just a promotional tool. Who cares if they suck since that's not what title shots are decided upon anyway? I also believe that a mathematical scoring system wouldn't fix anything, since it's still not what will decide who fights who. What if a contender gets KTFO in a title fight, but still has enough points to remain the number one contender? He gets a mandatory second try or you go instead with #2 or #3?

 

[skysolo]

Congressman KO'd the UFC and their goofy ranking system. Meritocracy based or you aren't a true sport

Marc Ratner doesn' have jackshit to do with the ranking system.

Damn you guys are as stupid as this Congressman.

 

[WallyBear]

It's not like it's a UFC-only problem in the MMA world.
Other organizations are the same way and a league system for a combat sport seems to be a weird idea.

 

[Dead Kennedy]

As someone who is definitely not a fan of the US government, I like that he is calling them on their bullshit. Either have it a legit sport and do it right, or keep it the shit show that it is now and don’t try to legitimize anything.
Regardless...

FUCK THE GOVERNMENT!!!

 

[skysolo]

The government should go mind it's own fucking business.

Do you realize that a congress member was grilling a former NAC director.

Two members of the government.

 

[whaleshark]

 

[skysolo]

How are people bashing this? He's 100% right.
We need a proper making system so guys like Mcgregor and Bisping defend or vacate. So the best guy in the division has the championship belt.

It would be nice for the UFC to have a more legitmacy to the titles.

But it is not a requirement. The UFC is a private company. It can get rid of all the titles. It would make no difference. And get rid of the "we" nonsense. You are not entitled to telling a private company what to do.

 

[greatsantini]

When you read Mullin's comments on a league he makes it clear he's talking about employee status. He's saying you want to be a self contained league (own your own titles & pick contenders at your own discretion) then you got to make the fighters employees if you want to keep them independent contractors then we need the Ali Act.

 

[Fight Professor]

Dana "f-ing" White and Rogan should have been there to put that Republican in his place.

 

[PivotPunch]

Mandatory title shots are stupid.
It's one of the reason boxing has been in a decaying State for the past 20 years. Nobody wants to watch a no-name chump compete for title.

Especially when they got that ass handed to them by the champ before.

mandatory title shots in boxing have existed forever not just in the last 20 years. If an organization ranks correctly and isn't corrupt which sadly they often are it makes for great fights.

Even nowadays look at the WBC top 10. The top 5 guys are rarely "no-name chumps". At worst they are no-name but very rarely are they chumps. They are only no-name for casuals as well. Same reason Jacare didn#t get a title shot because for most viewers aka casuals he is a "no-name chump"

1 .- Dillian Whyte (Jamaica/GB) SILVER
2 .- Dominic Breazeale (US)
3 .- Luis Ortiz (Cuba) * CBP
4 .- Andy Ruiz (Mexico)
5 .- Mariusz Wach (Poland)
6 .- Tony Bellew (GB)
7 .- Johann Duhaupas (France)
8 .- Charles Martin (US)
9 .- Oscar Rivas (Colombia/Canada) NABF
10 .- Agit Kabayel (Germany) EBU

Dillians Whyte is not great but far from a chump and he is certainly not no-name. In boxing the issue is that there are too many weight classes and organizations. Not the system. And you hear MMA fans also call for more weight classes like a CW division same with the UFC so it#s only a matter of time until it happens in MMA as well even the way it is now

You are most likely a causal boxing viewer that#s you call some fighters no-name but the way you look at boxing is the way most people look at MMW and guys like Jacare

 

[LockardTheGOAT]

What the Congressman fails to realize is that unlike baseball, football, etc. prizefighting is and always has been about what is most marketable especially considering it's primary form of revenue is based on ppv buys. Comparing it to nationally broadcast team sports is apples and oranges.

It was a good read TS and thanks for posting, but Mr. Mullin doesn't get it.

It would appear that it is you that doesn't get it. I'm sure he knows fully well how the MMA world operates, he just doesn't agree with it and think it should operate more as a legitimate sport if it's gonna call itself one.

And combat sports hasn't always been that way either; In the days of Ali, there were rarely situations where someone was gifted a title shot or denied one just based on name recognition.

 

[The-AxeMurderer]

It would be nice for the UFC to have a more legitmacy to the titles.

But it is not a requirement. The UFC is a private company. It can get rid of all the titles. It would make no difference. And get rid of the "we" nonsense. You are not entitled to telling a private company what to do.

"WE" the fans need some sort of proper ranking system.. If you watch this sport you have a say, If you bought a PPV you have a say.

If the masses demand it, they will do something.

 

[Nightwish]

Its only a matter of time for referees to start attacking fighters or corners bringing chairs to the octagon. UFC is everyday more a bad joke.

 

[Congo66]

This is such a moronic argument especially as it's being made in the US where most sports have a conference system so the best two teams usually meet in the conference final and not the actual final and they don't play everyone home and away so your fixtures play a big part in how well you do.

Mullin seems to be an idiot, boxing does not do what he claims it does with regard to a late notice opponent (or in terms of any voluntary title fight) as you can see from Joshua and Wilders last fights.

This congressman should stick to what American politicians seem to do best, groping women.

 

[L.T.]

UFC is about entertainment, if you want to watch a real sport with legit A-level athletes go watch football(soccer for americans). We can only dream to have an athlete of Cristiano Ronaldo's caliber in MMA lol

You really think Ronaldo would allow himself to be punched in the face? Fighting is about self-sacrifice. Pretty boy Ronaldo could never be a fighter. Elite fighters are a rare and special special breed. Respect it.

 

[Mr. Hammer]

It would appear that it is you that doesn't get it. I'm sure he knows fully well how the MMA world operates, he just doesn't agree with it and think it should operate more as a legitimate sport if it's gonna call itself one.

And combat sports hasn't always been that way either; In the days of Ali, there were rarely situations where someone was gifted a title shot or denied one just based on name recognition.

No, you don't get it. The ppv business model is not the same as ad revenue-driven broadcast tv. Prizefighting exists through people ordering the fights.

 

[skysolo]

"WE" the fans need some sort of proper ranking system.. If you watch this sport you have a say, If you bought a PPV you have a say.

If the masses demand it, they will do something.

No you actually don't.

And if "we" fans have a say then we have already spoken. "We" want big fights with mcgregor, lesnar, rousey. So what would a "proper ranking system" have to do with big shows?

 

[greatsantini]

This is such a moronic argument especially as it's being made in the US where most sports have a conference system so the best two teams usually meet in the conference final and not the actual final and they don't play everyone home and away so your fixtures play a big part in how well you do.

Mullin seems to be an idiot, boxing does not do what he claims it does with regard to a late notice opponent (or in terms of any voluntary title fight) as you can see from Joshua and Wilders last fights.

This congressman should stick to what American politicians seem to do best, groping women.

He's not talking about league play he's talking about employee status like NBA, NFL & MLB players have
"If the UFC or Bellator want to have their own ranking system and their own titles and have no one else fight for them, they need to move to a real “league” system. They need to make the fighters their employees. But if they want to continue operating like they do in boxing where the fighters are viewed as independent guys, then they should follow the same rules they do in boxing."