Why isn't UK catching up to UFC level?

[Azderiel]

I was thinking about the end of the Conor era , and what comes next in his part of the sphere. They don't seem to have an infastructure to grow talent over there. Especially Ireland, who don't even like MMA. You look at Russia and how fast they're growing. UFC wisely jumped on that business. New Zealand has put together a nice system as well. What's going on?

You know what the word population means right?

 

[Jimmy jump]

No wrestling programmes in schools.

 

[Dana's Moonface]

A lot of UK/Irish fans don't give a shit about grappling. They find it extremely boring.

Boxing is still the main thing over here (bar McGregor)

 

[dim_]

Also MMA is a grappling dominated sport which is why USA, Russia, Brazil have done so well. Europe dont have an extensive grappling history.

 

[William Huggins]

Like people have said, plenty of good boxing gyms, not really any feeder sports like the US has wrestling.

We might start to see some rugby players crossing over but probably not yet and I don't see that growing large.

The other problem is the UFC likes to kill off local organisations by scheduling events in the UK at the same time.

 

[TGArthur]

 

[Sakuraba7]

Unbelievable the amount of people who think that Ireland is part ok the UK

Real IRA needs to do something about that. Something to get people talking like on the world news.

 

[Hallmans Budgie]

I was thinking about the end of the Conor era , and what comes next in his part of the sphere. They don't seem to have an infastructure to grow talent over there. Especially Ireland, who don't even like MMA. You look at Russia and how fast they're growing. UFC wisely jumped on that business. New Zealand has put together a nice system as well. What's going on?

Why would anyone want to make $20k/$20k per mma fight when you can make millions of dollars in boxing?

 

[capable1]

The UK dont have a wrestling program like the US but there are still levels to it,i mean most of the US is not on the level of places like Dagestan when it comes to Wrestling or for that matter Uzbekistan when it comes to amateur boxing.

 

[Muppettoker]

I think a few years ago there was a boom in british MMA. Bisping was doing his thing, top 10 in his division. Then we had fighters like; Dan Hardy, Paul Daley, Paul Kelly, Paul Taylor, Ross Pearson, Andre Winner, Paul Sass and Terry Etim all come over and look pretty decent. I think this was when the UFC was trying to break in to the british scene a little more, but it was an exciting time over here in the UK. I remember getting fighting magazines each week and there would always be a new british contender signing with the UFC. I think the sport still has light years to go at this point though, while there are a lot of mma gyms here (I go to two) they are nowhere near the quality of those in the states or other countries

Basically that period when the ufc actually gave a shit about trying to grow in the uk. They don’t seem to give much of a shit now, hence fighter not coming through.

 

[Jonny Ninja]

I was thinking about the end of the Conor era , and what comes next in his part of the sphere. They don't seem to have an infastructure to grow talent over there. Especially Ireland, who don't even like MMA. You look at Russia and how fast they're growing. UFC wisely jumped on that business. New Zealand has put together a nice system as well. What's going on?

Firstly Ireland is not in the U.K.!

It’s a niche sport over here and it gets zero mainstream media attention. As a nation we love our boxing and don’t generally like wrestling. Most casual boxing fans don’t want to see 2 men rolling around in the floor with each other, because they are ignorant to the sport and think it’s gay. Boxing gyms are full though

And mcgregor hasn’t really increased mma over here. I train boxing/kickboxing at an mma gym and there hasn’t been an influx of guys coming to learn since Conor’s been in the ufc. Most fans of Conor don’t watch the other cards. People tend to like him more for being a c**t rather than watching him fight it seems

 

[Deleted member 429453]

I came here to say 'they take too many pills'

But your post is actually kinda accurate too.

What pills? I’m in uk and I don’t have pills! Where’s my damn pills?

 

[superpunch]

"I would tell you my opinion but I really have no teeth in this argument." - A British man once said

Ha ha ha

 

[Deleted member 429453]

Unbelievable the amount of people who think that Ireland is part ok the UK

Americans are gonna American

 

[NihilisticNomad]

MMA just isn't that big a deal, despite being neck-and-neck with soccer.

Are you crazy how is mma neck and neck with football :/

 

[Chok Sok Te]

Lot more money involved in boxing and as it turns out the U.K has a lot of good representatives

 

[NihilisticNomad]

Because Brits only care about football, it’s like a religion to them so no one cares about other sports.

We like rugby, cricket, motorsports, athletics, tennis and boxing, mma is just not that big over here or anywhere else in the world apart from USA

 

[William Huggins]

What pills? I’m in uk and I don’t have pills! Where’s my damn pills?

Did you say you have pills?!??! I want my pills!!!

 

[Me&MrJones]

Unbelievable the amount of people who think that Ireland is part ok the UK

Welcome to the club, Holland is the official name for The Netherlands.

 

[TeenageMutantLesnarTurtle]

Because Brits only care about football, it’s like a religion to them so no one cares about other sports.

We care about plenty of other sports, MMA is just far down the list.