in retrospect what was a bigger detriment to the failing UFC, adding the WMMA or Flyweight divisions

[MilesAbove]

You know who doesn't sell PPV? 99.9% of MMA.

Maybe the problem isn't the fighters but the method of platform, PPVs.

 

[J0N0]

For me personally it's the WMMA out of the two.. although I can definitely see the argument that the female fighters have brought in more mainstream coverage; guess who buys the tickets, the ppv's, fightpass etc? The hardcore fans, a significant number of whom don't want to watch it.

For a long time now the UFC has pursued the mainstream to the detriment of the regular fans with over-sanitised production, an over-abundance of champions, pretty ladies & tiny people fighting and far too much focus on promoting a small number of individuals over the 'event' itself, which all went downhill once they stopped naming events imo.

When I started watching the UFC I thought I was watching the toughest, most dangerous people on the planet risking life and limb for glory. That's exciting!!

Now it's girls talking about how fab they look in reebok, and midgets moaning about how much they get paid. How the fuck am I meant to care about that?

 

[Mammothman]

FLW and is not even close at least Ronda brought a lot of money and crazy moments

 

[tehShuffle]

Neither. The problem is the way they are handling belts and contenders and not giving the rightful challengers title shots.

 

[giantveggie]

Flyweight, Reebok, FOX, and immediate rematches

 

[BenRichards]

Both aren't as bad as USADA though

Usada

Neither, it's usada by far..

How many fights have been pulled? Fighters that sell stuck on the sidelines suspended since this bullshit. Flw ain't bad but I don't think it'll ever be huge regardless of who's champ. Wmma sells especially if it can match beauty to the brawn Ronda, holly, tate, etc..

 

[MilesAbove]

For me personally it's the WMMA out of the two.. although I can definitely see the argument that the female fighters have brought in more mainstream coverage; guess who buys the tickets, the ppv's, fightpass etc? The hardcore fans, a significant number of whom don't want to watch it.

But there's the thing... hardcores will buy nearly regardless. Also, many of the hardcore fans stream illegally. The casuals are the ones that tend to buy because they don't know the illegal outlets. And what they care about changes depending on the demographic and storyline.

UFC simply doesn't build storylines well outside of the blond-haired, blue eyed, loud-mouths and the "bad black man" scenarios. Then you have a couple of outliers like Diaz who can pull from his hardcore base who are only into MMA for him.

For a long time now the UFC has pursued the mainstream to the detriment of the regular fans with over-sanitised production, an over-abundance of champions, pretty ladies & tiny people fighting and far too much focus on promoting a small number of individuals over the 'event' itself, which all went downhill once they stopped naming events imo.

All this I can agree with for sure.

When I started watching the UFC I thought I was watching the toughest, most dangerous people on the planet risking life and limb for glory. That's exciting!!

Now it's girls talking about how fab they look in reebok, and midgets moaning about how much they get paid. How the fuck am I meant to care about that?

Not sure the midgets are the problem here (fully aware you and others just aren't into it. I'm just looking at causation determinants). I believe the fighting-safe to assure a paycheck, champs hiding, and probably far too many shows where personalities are impossible to get to know..... tend to be the bigger problem.

 

[VVarhead]

I can not watch WMMA.

 

[Mpower]

Neither

 

[Brueskie]

The move to Fox.

 

[mjmj]

You guys know this is a troll thread, started by a troll account, right?

 

[Lockard The GOAT]

WMMA has drawn a couple of their biggest ratings ever on Fox + Given the UFC one of their biggest superstars of all time in Ronda.

Flyweight has done just the opposite.

 

[les elroy]

When I started watching the UFC I thought I was watching the toughest, most dangerous people on the planet risking life and limb for glory. That's exciting!!

Now it's girls talking about how fab they look in reebok, and midgets moaning about how much they get paid. How the fuck am I meant to care about that?

Damn good points there.^^^^^^^^^^^

I quit paying even passive attention to both, but it definitely is wmma watering down the ufc more IMO.

 

[moreorless87]

Rousey drew some massive buyrates during her run so I don't see how that can be viewed as a negative business wise, the 125lbs division though has never drawn flies with Might Mouse actually being less popular as champ than he was at 135lbs.

 

[EGarrett]

The Ronda "era" showed that WMMA could be profitable, in an extremely temporary, deformed, credibility-destroying, blight-on-the-entire-sport kind of way. Flyweights have never created any interest at all.

 

[Wolf Of Sherdog]

wmma killed it for me. Barely watches anymore events. Been watching since 98 but its starting to die out with all the reebok shit and female mma and cm punk stuff

 

[Deleted member 506663]

Neither, shit handling of mma like it's a circus is the culprit.

 

[J0N0]

But there's the thing... hardcores will buy nearly regardless. Also, many of the hardcore fans stream illegally. The casuals are the ones that tend to buy because they don't know the illegal outlets. And what they care about changes depending on the demographic and storyline.

UFC simply doesn't build storylines well outside of the blond-haired, blue eyed, loud-mouths and the "bad black man" scenarios. Then you have a couple of outliers like Diaz who can pull from his hardcore base who are only into MMA for him.

All this I can agree with for sure.

Not sure the midgets are the problem here (fully aware you and others just aren't into it. I'm just looking at causation determinants). I believe the fighting-safe to assure a paycheck, champs hiding, and probably far too many shows where personalities are impossible to get to know..... tend to be the bigger problem.

There's definitely a small number (100k-150k maybe) who will buy every event regardless like you say; but in my head after that there's another 100k-150k who seem to buy anything decent (I think those two are 'hardcore' fans).. then after that there's 200k-400k who will buy the bigger events; and after that it's the super casuals who will buy Conor or Ronda etc because it's in the news and probably never watch again, which seems to be who they're obsessed about courting.

And yeah, I agree; the storylines which come out now are rarely genuine or interesting; it's more often than not about *I want to fight X because I'll make more money*, or *I want to fight Ray Borg to make sure I break a record* where as when there's a genuine grievance between actual bad asses like Jones & DC that sells like a motherfucker because it's compelling and you feel invested.

 

[koclem]

You guys know this is a troll thread, started by a troll account, right?

 

[90 50]

If wmma was shirtless like men's mma it would draw more.