Why hasn't Europe or Asia had more success in UFC/MMA?

[Aforo88]

Cuz EU has footbal (soccer) where u can be a top 5 mil player and earn 100k a year.

 

[welcometohavoc]

Because in Europe they're playing true A level sports like football(and boxing)with high pay.Not D level MMA for peanuts.



Also,
Conor
Joanna
Bisping
Mousasi
Overeem
Gunnar

Are the among the best in MMA as well.

Gunnar lol

 

[Ice Cold]

 

[danny23]

Cuz EU has footbal (soccer) where u can be a top 5 mil player and earn 100k a year.

Some average players make 100k+ per week lol,including the summer off season.

 

[The Penetrator]

UK and Russia dominate boxing. But it hasn't translated to MMA. What is it, the camps, lack of training facilities, lack of wrestling, what? US and Brazil are still running everything.

First, UFC is an american promotion. Ofcourse its gonna have primarily fighters from Americas, and being the worlds top org they sign guys from around the world ONCE they become champion in their organizations. How many american or brazilian champions in Japan organizations? Only asians? wow? How many americans and brazilians in european organizations? None? wow so strange....

Second, MMA itself really isnt big in Europe. It is somewhat popular in Poland, on Balkans, but Spain and Germany ie really dont care about it, France and Hollands are huge in kickboxing world, UK only cares about soccer nothing else, its popular in Russia somewhat but they got their own promotions and organizations.

 

[Trifick]

Yeh, Europe only hold 3 belts right now



how many brazilian champions are there currently?

Two, But that's not the point. It's not about current champions. Champions come and go. it's about having a system where you continuously have more champions and contenders. An on going cycle.

Yes, Europe has three champs right now. You know how many they have in total? FOUR. How many from the UK? TWO. (I think Ireland is UK? Or parts of it?) And they probably make up the lowest percentage of fighters in the UFC, and don't have many contenders. Russia has one I think, Arlovski? I think he's Russian. Russian's are doing better in the heavyweight division, at least in the UFC, but I thought it would have moved faster. Brazil is just a country, not continent and they have had Thirteen champs in total. Probably tripled in contenders, and they make up most of the UFC roster after America.

 

[leto1776]

Overall representation in the UFC.

 

[BForrester]

Conor
Bisping
N'gannou
Joanna J
Schevchenko
Volkan all gave something to say about that.

Overreem, Fedor, Igor, Sergei, Khabib, Struve, Mousasi, etc, etc, etc

Most Russian fighters fight in Russia.

 

[BForrester]

Overall representation in the UFC.

Off topic, but our "Ignore Lists" have a lot in common.

 

[chubbman]

American superiority and excellence.

More like Cutting weight and steroids

 

[TrainHard]

Came here for the Conor Bisping and Joanna pics, stayed for the fact that TS has a point.

The obvious answer is Vale Tudo has a long history in Brazil (and that it's generally super violent). Wrestling is one of the top sports in US high schools, in U.K. and as far as I know europe, it's unheard of. Wrestling has proven to be an excellent base for MMA in a way that boxing, which is popular in the UK, hasn't.

 

[Coolidge]

More like Cutting weight and steroids

Enjoy your one belt while it lasts.

 

[Fox by the Sea]

us and brazil? you mean the countries created by europeans?

 

[Jizzer]

Bisping's awesome. But obviously he's an anomaly. And he lives in America, and trains in America. I figured by now Europe and Russia would have a good MMA base where you wouldn't have to leave.

yeah but, the ufc is a primarily us based company, makes sense for european fighters to move there to build their brand popularity, theres plenty of good mma gyms in europe

 

[MCS]

It's raggedy up in the north. Our first mma "gym" was putting together mats, bags and gloves all fit into a corner of a fitness gym, and this was about 8 years ago. Meanwhile there are strong wrestling roots with several decade old nationwide clubs with funding. Boxing's more urban and lacks funding, but still has a known, longtime presence. Takes time, the popular sports are practiced in schools and thus the transition to join a club is more seamless.

 

[Lord_Impaler]

U.S. has a massive, national youth wrestling program.

Brazil has(had?) Vale Tudo and bjj.


Not sure why there aren't more Japanese fighters, there was a ton of good ones back in the day.

There were a lot more Russians too, in the pride era, not sure why there aren't very many in the UFC.

 

[Paradigm]

Not sure what you're on about with Russia, but wrestling/grappling in general isn't real big in Europe. Kind of hard to find a lot of success in MMA without a solid grappling foundation.

Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1

Soviet Union (URS) 62 31 23 116
2

United States (USA) 54 43 35 132
3

Japan (JPN) 32 20 17 69
4

Turkey (TUR) 29 18 16 63
5

Russia (RUS) 30 11 15 56
6

Sweden (SWE) 28 27 31 86
7

Finland (FIN) 26 28 29 83
8

Hungary (HUN) 19 16 19 54
9

Bulgaria (BUL) 16 32 21 69
10

South Korea (KOR) 11 11 14 36

These are just freestyle wrestling medals from the 1896 Olympics to today...Greco-Roman isn't even included.

 

[Trifick]

First, UFC is an american promotion. Ofcourse its gonna have primarily fighters from Americas, and being the worlds top org they sign guys from around the world ONCE they become champion in their organizations. How many american or brazilian champions in Japan organizations? Only asians? wow? How many americans and brazilians in european organizations? None? wow so strange....

This isn't true. UFC takes fighter from everywhere they can find. Outside of US most of the talent is in Brazil. Pride kind of kills your argument because Brazilians and Americans dominated over there. They shelled out a couple Asian stars but not enough talent to compete with everyone else, especially in the bigger weight classes. Gomi, one of there biggest stars didn't fair well in the UFC, and even in his prime when he fought Nick Diaz right after Nick left the UFC, it didn't go well for him. So it's not like if UFC is avoiding great talent that could come into the UFC and have great success if they just signed them. They have to prove themselves in the best org in their country or where ever they want to fight. But Americans and Brazilians have to do the same thing. Whether it's Invicta, or LFA, or you have to prove yourself.

Second, MMA itself really isnt big in Europe. It is somewhat popular in Poland, on Balkans, but Spain and Germany ie really dont care about it, France and Hollands are huge in kickboxing world, UK only cares about soccer nothing else, its popular in Russia somewhat but they got their own promotions and organizations.

Okay, fair enough. Holland has an incredible base for Kick boxers. I wish more would make the transition.

 

[bigconan]

She lives and trains in Florida. Look at her weight class. Look at the top ten. It's all Americans and Brazilians that she's fighting, one other polish chick. And most other weight classes are the same thing But again, why are you guys posting pictures of anomalies? I'm trying to get to the bottom of this. A couple special fighters from Ireland, and Poland, and UK, but other than that, they don't have a system. A foundation of talent and gyms. Look at Brazil. They pop out a new Brazilian contender every week.

cause fighting and bjj is huge in Brazil...they've been doing it forever...

 

[bigconan]

This isn't true. UFC takes fighter from everywhere they can find. Outside of US most of the talent is in Brazil. Pride kind of kills your argument because Brazilians and Americans dominated over there. They shelled out a couple Asian stars but not enough talent to compete with everyone else, especially in the bigger weight classes. Gomi, one of there biggest stars didn't fair well in the UFC, and even in his prime when he fought Nick Diaz right after Nick left the UFC, it didn't go well for him. So it's not like if UFC is avoiding great talent that could come into the UFC and have great success if they just signed them. They have to prove themselves in the best org in their country or where ever they want to fight. But Americans and Brazilians have to do the same thing. Whether it's Invicta, or LFA, or you have to prove yourself.



Okay, fair enough. Holland has an incredible base for Kick boxers. I wish more would make the transition.

The days of Brazil dominating mma is over..and has been over for quite awhile...aldo and barao, both destroyed...Werdum, destroyed as well....nunes is literally the only Brazilian champion...and she lives in usa...at least I thought she did.