I what way could PFL be interesting that people will pay ppv and stop watching UFC?

[Trabaho]

Only way is if they drain ufc fighters over the months or years. We watch where the best and most interesting fighters fight. And that is the UFC. Francis isn´t enough. They need more and more monumentum, which results basically in a money thing, more money gets more top fighters to sing. UFCs roster is like 20 more deep and interesting. But they are getting started. It could be great for the athletes. Monopolies are good for the company.

 

[leifi]

Only way is if they drain ufc fighters over the months or years. We watch where the best and most interesting fighters fight. And that is the UFC. Francis isn´t enough. They need more and more monumentum, which results basically in a money thing, more money gets more top fighters to sing. UFCs roster is like 20 more deep and interesting. But they are getting started. It could be great for the athletes. Monopolies are good for the company.

Should be easy to bring someone like Khamzat over in the end since he can only fight outside of U.S

Making a kickboxing fight between two mma-fighter could also work.

 

[ryun253]

PFL buys out the UFC

 

[Jibsta69]

They would really neeed to grab both casuals and hardcore attention.

- Bid on UFC big names after their contract is expired. Only issue, UFC only has a few big names of its own that would draw attention to casuals. McGregor is locked in a contract, so is Jones. Same with retired fighters like GSP.

- make their own star. Again very difficult because UFC is MMA to most casuals. they would basically need someone like McGregor 2015 to grabs peoples attention. Those are hard to find even for UFC.

- Embrace the freak show fights. Jake Paul vs Nate Diaz in mma is a freak show and honestly probably be terrible fight to the knowledge mma fan. It could still be plaintive a casual what their seeing isn’t low level and would still draw buys and maybe give exposure to other guys on the undercard they could show off. Obviously they gotta be careful with and not do it too often.

- Do the little things different but try to be better. Make better promos, better posters, make the entrances feel special and not looking someone trying to find the bathroom in the arena. Most of this stuff wouldn’t matter but little things add up.

- Avoid boring fighters. One of the advantages of being a tier lower UFC is they don’t need the best. If there’s a big name ufc fighter available in free agency or a hot prospect but they boring to watch, don’t get them. Let ufc deal with them. Fans love the just bleed type. Try and blur the lines in exciting fights to make fighters in these fights look like they are the best in the sport.

All in al, it does seem easy to do at first cause UFC production, card depth, champions with exciting fighting styles, exciting fighters and draws is poor now. UFC actually reminds me of WWE since their competition WCW went under. But that’s the thing, many people think UFC is mma and the name of the sport. They been in cruise control over stuff like that cause they know it, which makes it harder for any other company to try and overthrow.

 

[Ozze]

To me the secret would have to be signing with a proper, large, broadcast company who's willing to give a run for it's money to the UFC/ESPN.
Because they would need to be constantly reminding viewers of this league, of the fighters, etc. Make it seem bigger that UFC.

For sure snatching a few prime fighters would be good (not signing former champions on their way out) but it's not the real answer as fans mostly still think that the UFC champions are the best ones.

So in short, get a broadcast partner that's down to make this happen and advertise the shit out of it, talk about it in their sports coverage, have their stars talk about as well and all that.

Fake til you make it.

 

[Robbocop]

It's an interesting question why other MMA orgs haven't challenged UFC since Pride. The only event I can think of that challenged UFC since Pride was Affliction in my opinion, and that went belly-up very quickly, if I recall correctly because Josh Barnett tested positive for PEDs just before their third event. Which I agree, seems like a company is overleveraged if it goes belly-up after one failed event. But as I do recall, they were paying the fighters some crazy purses.

PFL $1 million dollar final prize does sound like a cool concept and a real meritocracy, like no bullshit involved. However still I can't get too interested, it is hard to say why. I would mention, that maybe if they had more one night tournaments, I would be much more interested, and also a less restrictive set of rules.

 

[Brigfa2]

Any organization that immediately switched to Pride rules and implemented a ring would garner huge interest.

Nope average UFC watcher doesn't care about shits like that, they don't give a fuck about elbow and shit too.
They would maybe get around 50 old af pride fans that's it.

 

[Ace70 V2]

Any organization that immediately switched to Pride rules and implemented a ring would garner huge interest.

Pride rules yes. Ring, no. Rings give people too much space to run.

 

[Brigfa2]

Even if PFL signs both Conor and Khabib for their second fight, they would be one and done and no one would give a fuck about PFL after that
And average fan doesn't care about shits like knee and elbow, i love how delusional people are. And only couple of 60 years old guys would tune in for Pride rules, some guy says it would garner huge interest lolllllllllllllllll Funniest shit ever. There is a reason some people think the sports name is UFC

 

[RockyLockridge]

It’s going to come down to fighters

 

[MindGamingMantis]

They would need to drop the tournament cheese and consolidate everything they've acquired into the PFL brand. Build a star other than Kayla, who is not even a quarter of Ronda at peak hype. They would need to have guys make the switch from UFC to PFL in their primes and not accept UFC leftovers the way they and Bellator have been doing.

They need a new ring announcer and to unclutter the screen of all the unnecessary stats, and perhaps change the color scheme of the logo as it looks horrendous.

 

[nostradumbass]

Build stars. Recruit newer fighters and sign before UFC gets to them. Try to get any noteworthy free agent veterans - recruit UFC fighters near the end of their contracts. Put on fights fans want to see. Improve live event production and fighter entrances. Improve tv / ppv video production. Use social media to their advantage and advertise, advertise, advertise.

They don't have the ability to build stars and never have once. The best they can do is try to get existing stars that have already been built elsewhere.

The answer is there is nothing they could do that would make people watch them and stop watching UFC, but their best bet would be to drastically increase their marketing budget and maybe get people to watch both.

 

[StonedLemur]

You mean fire most of the fighters on the roster? Sorry for my english, i am from Finland.

I had a real good friend thats from Finland.
We haven't talked in awhile, but he used to be a good dude.

 

[leifi]

The best marketing strategy would be to make a 10 million dollar tournament in open weight or heavyweight, i know it will no be fair but it will show UFC that PFL will pay the fighters more.

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

How do you untangle the synonymous nature of the UFC and MMA with the general public who purchase the majority of the product? I guess they are on a right track with Jake Paul, but even then they are going to run the risk of exposing him in mma.

I give as much of chance of PFL over taking the UFC as I do the XFL taking over the NFL

 

[WOLVERINEKILLS]

They don't have the ability to build stars and never have once. The best they can do is try to get existing stars that have already been built elsewhere.

The answer is there is nothing they could do that would make people watch them and stop watching UFC, but their best bet would be to drastically increase their marketing budget and maybe get people to watch both.

They could get tgeir easily with the funding. If they have enough $ they could bring Anderson, GSP out of retirement on a ppv headlined by Ngannou vs Werdum. People like us woukd chuckle while PFL would make headlines & money.

 

[FreedomCricket]

They could get tgeir easily with the funding. If they have enough $ they could bring Anderson, GSP out of retirement on a ppv headlined by Ngannou vs Werdum. People like us woukd chuckle while PFL would make headlines & money.

Even still, luring past prime fighters out for 1 or 2 PFL fights isn't a sustainable strategy.

PFL needs a megastar. Someone charismatic and exciting.

Then they need to build up several young, EXCITING, fighters.

The last PFL ppv I watched was boring AF. Simply no violence. Just a bunch of grappling with no ground and pound and barely any finishes.

Last weekends FN card had more memorable finishes than PFL has had all year.


Maybe PFL has to go after the DWCS guys that are borderline.

Let these hungry fighters compete.

In fact most of the DWCS fights are more interesting/ exciting to watch than PFL.

 

[regmma123]

It is just crazy how an UFC Fight Night feels way more special and hyped than anything PFL or Bellator. The difference is brutal

You're not an mma fan if you weren't watching Patricio Pitbull vs A.J. McKee

 

[Barteh]

It's an interesting question why other MMA orgs haven't challenged UFC since Pride. The only event I can think of that challenged UFC since Pride was Affliction in my opinion, and that went belly-up very quickly, if I recall correctly because Josh Barnett tested positive for PEDs just before their third event. Which I agree, seems like a company is overleveraged if it goes belly-up after one failed event. But as I do recall, they were paying the fighters some crazy purses.

PFL $1 million dollar final prize does sound like a cool concept and a real meritocracy, like no bullshit involved. However still I can't get too interested, it is hard to say why. I would mention, that maybe if they had more one night tournaments, I would be much more interested, and also a less restrictive set of rules.

I'd tune in for 1 night tourneys for sure but I'm not even sure if US athletic commissions allow those anymore.

 

[IneedSometop]

They shouldn't care about competing with the UFC. That ship sank once and for all when the UFC bought out Strikeforce. There is nothing the PFL can do short of assassinating Dana and Co that's going to put a stop to the UFC machine.

The PFL should focus on being a solid number two. Step one is finding a good broadcast partner that isn't espn who is going to get behind them with advertising and maybe could fucking help with pacing and production. Step two is throwing more events that way they are in the public eye more often.