Official Women's Division Discussion #25

[curryjunkie]

Yep.



Yep.

Really had to dig into my bag of witty repartee there.

that bothello kick was nasty, suarez vs grasso went about how id expect, and lee was just too big for macedo, whos fight iq hasnt improved much, clinching with a bigger stronger opponent

 

[curryjunkie]

Macedo has really good striking. She just really needs work on basically everything else.

 

[Larisa.]

Is Viana vs. Aldrich happening at flyweight or strawweight? I've seen flyweight on some websites and can't help but wonder why. They're not big for 115 (well, Aldrich at least). Honestly I think Aldrich is going to best Viana mainly because Aldrich has the superior striking and is just a more rounded fighter. Viana's striking can get wild and she often leaves her head sticking out which allows her opponent to tag her, but the only footage I've seen of Viana striking was like three or four years ago so she most likely has improved since then (or we can just hope).

JJ Aldrich is having quite the exciting (yet quiet) rise. I hope she continues this streak she has going because she's been on my watchlist for quite some time and I think she can be a star in a few years.

 

[MajorTB]

How long is Calvillo's bullshit suspension for?

Think it ends around the end of the summer or something? Not sure

 

[teddy078]

So yea...Russia and Turkey.

So what？Money is money.

Plus that link is literally talking about the highest paid women in Europe. The vast majority of basketball and volleyball players aren't going to be making 1mil+. Going back to UFC 222 Cyborg made a disclosed $500k. Quite a bit more than even the WNBA league MVP made.

The vast majorty of mma players aren't even make 40k per year while wnba rookie salary starts from 40k plus.

Top wnba players also have multi million sponsorship.

I really don't understand why you think russian & turkish money doesn't count as money.

According to this careertrends article says the average salary for a pro volleyball player is $39,549. Easily beatable by a UFC journeywoman. So while yes top talent can make a boatload of money in europe, most young American women going into sports could probably make more in MMA.

Basketball/Volleyball players get paid the same money no matter win or lose, they get paid while injured under contract. And their trainning is totally free.

MMA journey women aren't making 40k per year. They would be on less than 10k/10k contract and fight one or twice per year, they also have to pay their camp and corner takes a cut of their earning. If they are injured, they earn no money.

For big female athletes, mma is a bad career choice. No stable income and you have to play wwe shit to sell ppv.

 

[Dsfdandan]

Is Viana vs. Aldrich happening at flyweight or strawweight? I've seen flyweight on some websites and can't help but wonder why. They're not big for 115 (well, Aldrich at least). Honestly I think Aldrich is going to best Viana mainly because Aldrich has the superior striking and is just a more rounded fighter. Viana's striking can get wild and she often leaves her head sticking out which allows her opponent to tag her, but the only footage I've seen of Viana striking was like three or four years ago so she most likely has improved since then (or we can just hope).

JJ Aldrich is having quite the exciting (yet quiet) rise. I hope she continues this streak she has going because she's been on my watchlist for quite some time and I think she can be a star in a few years.

I think it's happening at 115. Polyana is big for the weight class, Aldrich has Calderwood syndrome where she balloons up between fights but always makes weight and isn't huge on fight night.

 

[Larisa.]

I think it's happening at 115. Polyana is big for the weight class, Aldrich has Calderwood syndrome where she balloons up between fights but always makes weight and isn't huge on fight night.

Thanks! I just hope Polyana shows up with improved striking because this ain't cute, (yes she knocked her out but she was swinging wild):


She'll have to be careful with what she throws against a fighter like Aldrich. If it goes to the ground then I think Polyana has the upper hand there.

 

[awiv]

So yea...Russia and Turkey. Plus that link is literally talking about the highest paid women in Europe. The vast majority of basketball and volleyball players aren't going to be making 1mil+. This Forbes article https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidb...-gap-in-professional-basketball/#447fd7e336e0 dated last September does a little math to determine the average wnba salary looks to be around $71,635. Sylvia Fowles, who was the league MVP pulled in $109,000. So better than it used to be, but without supplementing with Russian oligarch money, a top female fighter in mma can break that easily. Going back to UFC 222 Cyborg made a disclosed $500k. Quite a bit more than even the WNBA league MVP made. According to this careertrends article https://careertrend.com/salaries-professional-volleyball-players-19054.html (which admittedly seems to be using salary statistics from 2013) says the average salary for a pro volleyball player is $39,549. Easily beatable by a UFC journeywoman. So while yes top talent can make a boatload of money in europe, most young American women going into sports could probably make more in MMA. The fact that the hardworking women of the WNBA and pro volleyball should be making WAY more is a bit of a different topic.

As for last nights fights. The Botelho bodykick was a thing of beauty. Lee dissapointed me in the standup, but she fought a good fight overall and deserved that decision. Suarez looked outstanding and I'm already looking forward to seeing her back in action.

What is interesting is that probably the best paid athletes in Japan are their "amateur" wrestlers. They have been so dominate the past decade in the world championships and the Olympics there is a reason why they aren't crossing move to MMA as much.

 

[awiv]

I don't know if this has been discussed, but the UFC has cut a deal to stream 15 events a year on a new streaming service from ESPN: ESPN+. ESPN+ will also have access to the historical UFC content ("full archive of programming, including historic events, classic bouts, and original programming") . ESPN+ costs $4.99 versus $9.99 for Fight Pass. This may end up effecting Invicta FC negatively. UFC Fight Pass is staying around, but it seems like there is less incentive to pay for it now.

I believe there are UFC fans than there are MMA fans. MMA fans watch MMA events regardless versus UFC fans that will watch UFC and nothing else. But even with that, UFC fans don't watch fight pass events that often.

Then there are sports fans who maybe watch two or three UFC events that are usually the ppvs.

The word is that if you do get ESPN+ you will get a deal that drops the price of FP to $5.99 so basically not much change.

I really think this won't effect Invicta because their fans are loyal and MMA fans won't bother with the ESPN + like myself

 

[awiv]

got an update from Julia Avila via twitter - her finger is healing up fine just has a few stitches. When those go out in a few weeks should be cleared to train again.

 

[Eater of Souls]

What is interesting is that probably the best paid athletes in Japan are their "amateur" wrestlers. They have been so dominate the past decade in the world championships and the Olympics there is a reason why they aren't crossing move to MMA as much.

Dominant, dammit.



Everyone seems to do that lately.

 

[PurpleStorm]

I believe there are UFC fans than there are MMA fans. MMA fans watch MMA events regardless versus UFC fans that will watch UFC and nothing else. But even with that, UFC fans don't watch fight pass events that often.

Then there are sports fans who maybe watch two or three UFC events that are usually the ppvs.

The word is that if you do get ESPN+ you will get a deal that drops the price of FP to $5.99 so basically not much change.

I really think this won't effect Invicta because their fans are loyal and MMA fans won't bother with the ESPN + like myself

Well said. It evolved slowly for me. Saw RR in an Expendables movie, looked her up on imdb & was like 'what the hell is this fight game craziness?!' Started watching UFC. Got fight pass & watched all the TUFs. Via a friend who teaches jiu-jitsu, reading here & places like your site I've grown to enjoy MMA. Keeping fight pass for Invicta. Recently ordered boxing gloves for aerobic training. A buddy installed a heavy bag outside his home & we'll try it out.

 

[SpecialAgentFoxMulder]

So what？Money is money.

I never said it wasn't. I don't know if you willfully ignored the actual content of my post or I wasn't clear enough so I'll try to fix that below.

The vast majorty of mma players aren't even make 40k per year while wnba rookie salary starts from 40k plus.

Top wnba players also have multi million sponsorship.

I really don't understand why you think russian & turkish money doesn't count as money.

The point I'm making that you are trying to dance around is that VERY few women are going to get that big time sponsorship money or foreign contract. Diana Taurasi got that $1.5 million because she is arguably the best player in WNBA history. Not everyone can do that. Lindsey Littlejohn from Sheboygan can't just fly over to Russia and get a huge payday. Leslie Smith (the definition of a journeywoman with her 10-7 record) got her full $62k after the Ladd fight fell through. If she can do that, imagine the money a top tier athlete could come in and make by putting on/winning exciting fights. And that is a fighter that was probably disliked by the company she worked for. Andrea Lee and Veronica Macedo just got a $50k bonus for putting on an entertaining battle. That's $50k before their disclosed salaries, before whatever they may get from the Reebok deal, before any 'backroom bonuses' may get handed out.

Basketball/Volleyball players get paid the same money no matter win or lose, they get paid while injured under contract. And their trainning is totally free.

MMA journey women aren't making 40k per year. They would be on less than 10k/10k contract and fight one or twice per year, they also have to pay their camp and corner takes a cut of their earning. If they are injured, they earn no money.

For big female athletes, mma is a bad career choice. No stable income and you have to play wwe shit to sell ppv.

Ignoring the part there where you equate team practices to "free training" (spoiler: not even close to the same thing) talking about contracts is getting into the whole independent contractor vs employee discussion that has been talked to death already. Look at the journey of Joanna (ex)champion to see how you can skyrocket your salary by being good in the ufc. She went from making a rediculous $8k/$8k for her debut vs Lima (when no one could pick her out of a lineup) to making $100k in her title winning tilt vs Esparza less than 12 months later. And again that is just disclosed salary plus a performance bonus (that fight was pre-Reebok.) The real takeaway here is that female athletes on the whole aren't making a lot of money, but saying MMA is a bad career choice compared to the WNBA is just wrong, and I can see the disparity growing as more and more athletic women take up martial arts for more than just a hobby.

Sorry for the long-winded screed everyone, back to enjoying your Sunday nights!

 

[SpecialAgentFoxMulder]

What is interesting is that probably the best paid athletes in Japan are their "amateur" wrestlers. They have been so dominate the past decade in the world championships and the Olympics there is a reason why they aren't crossing move to MMA as much.

That is interesting, any idea why that is? Because the Japanese government likes the international dominance and the attention it brings?

 

[msm1981]

I know If Bellator & UFC would have never entered the
picture Invicta would have looked different since fighters
would already be on second contracts do to not getting
poached up by the 2 mentioned promotions.

 

[awiv]

That is interesting, any idea why that is? Because the Japanese government likes the international dominance and the attention it brings?

Yes and yes

 

[SugarKrok]

Gadelha and Andrade may be the only ones who can deal with her strength and wrestling.

What about Carla Esparza? Everyone always counts her out..we'll see how she handles gadhela and know for sure. Suarez is a beast regardless. I think later in her career she may move to 125, if she puts on bulk.

PS: came to this thread to read commentary on the female fights. Not leaving disappointed.

 

[Dsfdandan]

What about Carla Esparza? Everyone always counts her out..we'll see how she handles gadhela and know for sure. Suarez is a beast regardless. I think later in her career she may move to 125, if she puts on bulk.

PS: came to this thread to read commentary on the female fights. Not leaving disappointed.

Esparza is just too small imo. She would probably be a dominant champ at atomweight though.

 

[SugarKrok]

There’s always Albu & Kassem, but both are coming off wins. Syuri, is a big possibility, I think.

There’s also Maia Stevenson, ABC, & Chan Mi Jeon, if they weren’t cut.

Personally, I’m more curious to see what they do with Suarez. If they’re fast tracking her to the top of the division, a fight with Calvillo or KK would seem imminent. Although, I think her welcoming Livia Souza, is the best call right now.

I don't think Album is a softball / easy fight for Grasso. What Albu lacks in any technical ability or thought of dodging strikes, she makes up for in toughness and power. Albu probably wouldn't have much of a strategy's but I wouldn't be shocked if she beat Grasso. Course this could be the I just saw her get smashed effect making me underage her..and I like Albu.

 

[PurpleStorm]

Re money & careers, you don't just choose to be a pro at mma, tennis or hoops. You've gotta start with talent & dedication.