Worst UFC Business Decision

[Oldman1]

Is the UFC losing their HW champion to PFL who arguably just beat the best HW boxer of the last decade possibly the worst move the UFC have ever made? Quite possibly the worst any sporting promotion has even done?

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

I vote Reebok.

 

[BFoe]

Zuffa selling to WME.
The ESPN+ deal is pretty stupid too.

 

[Oldman1]

Its in my top 3:

1. Francis lost to PFL
2. Loss of Goldberg
3. Reebok

 

[DarthChen731]

Let's let that situation play out before we make any final judgments on the decision. Francis is looking pretty smart rn because he did so well but supposedly it didn't make much money for anybody, so let's see how they harness the buzz to create some cash first.

 

[Oldman1]

Let's let that situation play out before we make any final judgments on the decision. Francis is looking pretty smart rn because he did so well but supposedly it didn't make much money for anybody, so let's see how they harness the buzz to create some cash first.

Not sure US PPV sales was the main target considering where the fight was hosted and the nationality of the fighters

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Refusing to book Jacare Vs Camozzi III has got to be up there.

 

[Substance Abuse]

I think boxing seeing the Paul Brothers become the face of their sport to casuals while guys like Inoue, Usyk, Crawford and countless others continue to prove how great they are is pretty funny. If only promoters would work together and consolidate to cut down on how to watch the sport, it would help.

Honestly, the Francis/Fury fight got so little attention from casual fans that it was just a blip on the radar for the UFC machine. They just closed a nine figure sponsorship deal with AB In-Bev. They're fine.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Zuffa selling to WME.
The ESPN+ deal is pretty stupid too.

From Zuffa's point of view that was a pretty good decision. Cashed out with $4bil and left any anti-trust stuff to be dealt with by the new ownership.

 

[BFoe]

From Zuffa's point of view that was a pretty good decision. Cashed out with $4bil and left any anti-trust stuff to be dealt with by the new ownership.

Oh for sure, the Fertitta’s made bank selling, no doubt about that. I’m talking about it being bad for the sport of MMA on the whole.

 

[Brigfa2]

Losing Ngannou was not a big deal, he was not a star and easily replaceble and let's be real no one was expecting him to beat Fury. Jones is still bigger and better name for HW.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Oh for sure, the Fertitta’s made bank selling, no doubt about that. I’m talking about it being bad for the sport of MMA on the whole.

Oh, I get the sentiment, but it's not really bad as a business decision.

 

[Oldman1]

I think boxing seeing the Paul Brothers become the face of their sport to casuals while guys like Inoue, Usyk, Crawford and countless others continue to prove how great they are is pretty funny. If only promoters would work together and consolidate to cut down on how to watch the sport, it would help.

Honestly, the Francis/Fury fight got so little attention from casual fans that it was just a blip on the radar for the UFC machine. They just closed a nine figure sponsorship deal with AB In-Bev. They're fine.

Losing Ngannou was not a big deal, he was not a star and easily replaceble and let's be real no one was expecting him to beat Fury. Jones is still bigger and better name for HW.

Worldwide I can guarantee there is more interest in Ngannous next fight than anything Jon Jones has ever done

 

[Luvhawky]

I'm not sure it was a bad business decision for the UFC. It might have been mutually beneficial if the only way the UFC could keep him was by allowing him to box.

 

[MCDojoMMA]

USADA by far.

 

[Koala]

Affliction testing its athletes

 

[TempleoftheDog]

Get real. They offered him the highest contract a HW has ever been offered.

He has never drawn more than 400K. Letting him box on the UFC’s dime WOULD have been their worst business move ever. And that shouldn’t even have to be explained why.

Other than that USADA was probably the worst. But they didn’t really have a choice if they wanted to attract mainstream approval. Pro mma wasn’t even legal in NY until after USADA. And it would not have been made legal there without testing.

 

[BFoe]

Oh, I get the sentiment, but it's not really bad as a business decision.

Again, I think it depends on what we mean by “business decision.” I think the WME ownership is what ushered in the era where meritocracy is dying, where rankings mean very little and social media followers mean more, where interim belts are passed around more often than a slutty cheerleader in high school… the sale to WME was one that is harming the quality and integrity of the business as a whole. It’s bad for the business— but financially lucrative for the sellers, that’s true.

 

[Reach Finesse]

Is the UFC losing their HW champion to PFL who arguably just beat the best HW boxer of the last decade possibly the worst move the UFC have ever made? Quite possibly the worst any sporting promotion has even done?

67k PPV buys

 

[IneedSometop]

Zuffa selling to WME.
The ESPN+ deal is pretty stupid too.

Dollars and cents there was nothing bad about the ESPN deal. I think it was reported the UFC was getting 300 mil a year from ESPN. If you want to argue it tainted meritocracy and made it more entertainment than sport I’d hear that out for sure