Is ufc dying or just cutting costs?

[pv3Hpv3p]

Your first sentence doesn't merit a single exclamation point, let alone two!!

 

[LindyBrah]

I think its more to do with the UFC not wanting to seem like they're buying everyone up.

Just a theory though sir.

UFC is a monopsony. Hopefully PFL + Bellator and ONE are able to actually turn a profit sometime soon. The latter has been hemorrhaging capital like it’s going out of style

 

[bubbleboyjones]

So you are saying they singed the second highest paid person after passing up on the first highest paid fighter and an active champ of their own, compromising the integrity of their own HW division doesn’t sound like cost cutting?

When you buy a mule instead of the rolls Royce it usually is considered cost cutting.

They didn't pass up on Ngannou in the sense you were implying in your original post. They made him an offer which Ngannou did not accept and they could not come to terms for an agreement so he was released.

UFC has been able to negotiate deals with vast majority of really major fighters that I can think of in the past 20 years....the biggest outliers are Fedor and now Ngannou. In both cases it's not just a money thing. Fedor's thing was complicated and Ngannou's as well. One thing we know is the UFC does not like to be leveraged on by a fighter meaning if they are negotiating for things that is outside of what is usual for a contract then there are decent chances things can fall apart. Arlovski was another one in 2007 though smaller news story. UFC brass really liked him and wanted him to resign but Arlovski wanted to box was a huge sticking point for them.

I don't want to get into the Ngannou debate again but it's a bad faith argument to say there was no attempt to sign Ngannou because of money.

 

[Credo]

UFC literally dieded in 2001 when Zuffa bought SEG.

Fred Ettish bless

 

[mjfan23]

They didn't pass up on Ngannou in the sense you were implying in your original post. They made him an offer which Ngannou did not accept and they could not come to terms for an agreement so he was released.

UFC has been able to negotiate deals with vast majority of really major fighters that I can think of in the past 20 years....the biggest outliers are Fedor and now Ngannou. In both cases it's not just a money thing. Fedor's thing was complicated and Ngannou's as well. One thing we know is the UFC does not like to be leveraged on by a fighter meaning if they are negotiating for things that is outside of what is usual for a contract then there are decent chances things can fall apart. Arlovski was another one in 2007 though smaller news story. UFC brass really liked him and wanted him to resign but Arlovski wanted to box was a huge sticking point for them.

I don't want to get into the Ngannou debate again but it's a bad faith argument to say there was no attempt to sign Ngannou because of money.


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If a guys market value is 20 million and you offer him 8 million without agreeing to any of his non financial terms in a very controlling and exclusive contract, is it considered a deal or trying to get a steal?

But I agree ufc went out of their normal U Fight Cheap model to at least attempt to sign him!! Points and kudos to them for being a little flexible.

My entire rant is about how ufc used to be the yanks of old but are now more like the As of money ball era. Locking up mid tier talent to favourable long term deals and leveraging their own brand to build them up as assets. Instead of going out for the very best available.

Their rankings and title shots were always meritless but most of us still appreciated the effort they made to compile the best rosters. UFC isn’t even trying to do that anymore.

 

[jeskola]

Is ufc dying​

really bro? 2005 account and you're pulling out this old trope?

 

[Khaosan]

Dying.

Dying is always the answer to this question.

RIP UFC

 

[mjfan23]

really bro? 2005 account and you're pulling out this old trope?

I troll out school style.

Rickson by armbar as a spoiler to every card

 

[bubbleboyjones]

If a guys market value is 20 million and you offer him 8 million without agreeing to any of his non financial terms in a very controlling and exclusive contract, is it considered a deal or trying to get a steal?

A deal. UFC is doing what they've always done and apparently OneFC couldn't make anything work with Ngannou. Nothing out of the ordinary from the UFC in the past 20 years.

My entire rant is about how ufc used to be the yanks of old but are now more like the As of money ball era. Locking up mid tier talent to favourable long term deals and leveraging their own brand to build them up as assets. Instead of going out for the very best available.

Their rankings and title shots were always meritless but most of us still appreciated the effort they made to compile the best rosters. UFC isn’t even trying to do that anymore.

I dunno. UFC was much more ruthless back in the day. During the old Zuffa regime Ngannou never would have been given a title shot without signing an extension. They would have ran his contract to the end on a nontitle fight. My prediction going forward is we never see this happen again with them(unless there is some fighters union thing...etc).

But whats the difference between now and 2007/2008? They let Arlovski go when he was highly ranked. They let Tim Sylvia go after a title fight he lost. They didn't sign Fedor(top in the world at HW). They didn't sign Josh Barnett. They didn't sign Ben Rothwell who was 13 fight winning streak from the IFL. They froze Randy Couture out(their current HW champ) for over 1 year.

Their was way more top talent outside the UFC back in the day that they didn't have. As far as HWs we are basically just talking about Ngannou at HW here whos a boxer as of now. Back then half the top 10 MMA HWs were not even in the UFC.

 

[Fergelmince]

2nd ppv in a row where they are offering discounts

 

[Dorkman]

They just don't need too. Their brand is solidified. And if they don't think PFL is actually a threat to them, why would they care? The biggest things on their mind is paying down the debts of acquiring both the UFC, and WWE. And they just grabbed 2 of the bigger possible draws from out of their grasp. Which is really all they need out of it. Those 2 will give them high on the card bouts to fill out cards with with their already world renown brand recognition. I'm sure there's a few more they would have liked. But they don't need to over spend and grab an entire promotion to get them.

 

[spinitch]

Dwane Johnson is now a board member. Seems he is a bit uncomfortable around MMA. Fighters do not follow scripts very well. MMA fighters though could use some PR training and tips from the WWE faction. It is like a circus trying to sell tickets and souvenirs. MMA seems to have kind of peaked but if they can sustain with some new markets picking up for sagging it generates cash well. Competition seems to be minor league feeder promos for now. None seem to be much of a threat. UFC PPV prices getting pricey .