Abu Dhabi events and BS scoring to push favorites not new: Volk-Max 2 setup this weekend and beyond

[brackis1]

Yan-OMalley decision reminds me of how deep the UFC scheming runs to control star-trajectories and plan events in certain markets.

-UFC 251 was supposed to be an event in Perth with Volk being given major favoritism to sell tickets
-Covid comes and the UFC schemes with Oil-Sheiks to host in their unregulated emirate. Covid pauses ability to milk Australian fanbase using their favorite australian fighter(s) and clearly isn't coming back soon. UFC 251 becomes the first UAE "fight island" event.
-Volk wins a dubious split decision and given a reality show rather than an immediate rematch for Max. Max instead has to fight two standup wars against guys Volk never has to face while Volk gets a reality show vs a grappler knowing they can't go to Australia anytime soon.

Fast forward to UFC280:
-Gamrot-Dariush a clear #1 contender fight @ 155lb
-Dubious split decision with for reality star OMalley
-All fighters and results ignored to push what the UFC wanted all along: Volk magically gets a headline fight in Perth that they'd been planning for 3 years.

Anyone think they give OMalley a show off this like they did with Volk and protect him more? Reality shows are the perfect way to drag their heals on making actual fights, while trying to scheme up future bogus ways to sell tickets and generate TV content.

 

[BEATDOWNS]

Yan-OMalley decision reminds me of how deep the UFC scheming runs.

-UFC 251 was supposed to be an event in Perth with Volk being given major favoritism to sell tickets
-Covid comes and the UFC schemes with Oil-Sheiks to host in their unregulated emirate and ability to milk Australian fanbase using their favorite australian fighter(s). UFC 251 becomes the first UAE "fight island" event.
-Volk wins a dubious split decision and given a reality show rather than an immediate rematch for Max (who instead has to fight two standup wars against guys Volk never has to face, while Volk gets a reality show vs a grappler)

Fast forward to UFC280:
-Gamrot-Dariush a clear #1 contender fight @ 155lb
-Dubious split decision with for reality star Omalley
-All fighters and results ignored to push what the UFC had been planning for 2 years: Volk magically gets a headline fight in Perth.

Anyone think they give OMalley a show off this like they did with Volk and protect him more?

Best takes in the business^ lmao

 

[tdluxon]

Wouldn’t be surprised if o malley gets a show and title shot, seems like the obvious matchup

 

[Pierced7681]

They should make O’Malley fight Sandhagen in a title eliminator next lol let’s see how he does against the sandman

 

[Dim1]

 

[Hdfi]

Yan-OMalley decision reminds me of how deep the UFC scheming runs to control star-trajectories and plan events in certain markets.

-UFC 251 was supposed to be an event in Perth with Volk being given major favoritism to sell tickets
-Covid comes and the UFC schemes with Oil-Sheiks to host in their unregulated emirate. Covid pauses ability to milk Australian fanbase using their favorite australian fighter(s) and clearly isn't coming back soon. UFC 251 becomes the first UAE "fight island" event.
-Volk wins a dubious split decision and given a reality show rather than an immediate rematch for Max. Max instead has to fight two standup wars against guys Volk never has to face while Volk gets a reality show vs a grappler knowing they can't go to Australia anytime soon.

Fast forward to UFC280:
-Gamrot-Dariush a clear #1 contender fight @ 155lb
-Dubious split decision with for reality star OMalley
-All fighters and results ignored to push what the UFC wanted all along: Volk magically gets a headline fight in Perth that they'd been planning for 3 years.

Anyone think they give OMalley a show off this like they did with Volk and protect him more? Reality shows are the perfect way to drag their heals on making actual fights, while trying to scheme up future bogus ways to sell tickets and generate TV content.

And how Charles was stripped of his belt and forced to fight in Islam's home where there is no athletic commission. The sheiks are paying a lot of money.

 

[brackis1]

So the UFC didn't push thru the fighter and location they'd been planning for 3 years?

 

[xhaydenx]

And how Charles was stripped of his belt and forced to fight in Islam's home where there is no athletic commission. The sheiks are paying a lot of money.

Sorry to rain on your tin-foil parade, but Charles was actually stripped of his belt because he missed weight, Abhu Dhabi is not Islam's home, and the fight did have an athletic commission (UAE athletic commission).

 

[xhaydenx]

-Volk wins a dubious split decision and given a reality show rather than an immediate rematch for Max. Max instead has to fight two standup wars against guys Volk never has to face while Volk gets a reality show vs a grappler knowing they can't go to Australia anytime soon.

You can say it's dubious and whatever else, but plenty of people thought Volk won that fight as well, including 2/3 judges. There's a case to make for a Max win, but there's one just a strong for Volk.

What's wrong with Volk getting a show and not fighting Max again right away?

How is not better that Max, having lost twice in a row to Volk at this point, went off and fought his way back to title contention by beating a few contenders instead of holding up the division for a third fight in a row?

 

[Rank Squatter]

Volk get to do what he wants

How come nobody talk about his 22 fight win streak brotha.. this is crazy talk

Like send Volk location location and he will fight with your boy

inshallah

 

[SovereignPhantom]

If only Yair and Emmett solidified their contender spot by fighting rather than being divas... They could have ruined big bad UFC's plans. They must be company shills to allow this to happen.

 

[DS66]

 

[brackis1]

You can say it's dubious and whatever else, but plenty of people thought Volk won that fight as well, including 2/3 judges. There's a case to make for a Max win, but there's one just a strong for Volk.

What's wrong with Volk getting a show and not fighting Max again right away?

How is not better that Max, having lost twice in a row to Volk at this point, went off and fought his way back to title contention by beating a few contenders instead of holding up the division for a third fight in a row?

Oh I'm not saying it wasn't a great fight.

The UFC just did two different things to the guys instead of running it back immediately; let's not pretend Max can and did crack the shit out of Volk. The UFC made it crystal clear which one of them they wanted as a region-building reality star while the other dude had to do the dirty work of fighting Kattar and Yair while Volk got a reality show vacation year and a longterm home-country red panty night brewing off the marketing investments the UFC made in Volk. Volk took a step back in tuning up with Ortega (and almost getting choked out) and KZ (sad) while Max had to fight dudes way more likely to require brutal wars.

There was zero practical reason for Volk to be in the UAE and paid, when Gamrot-Dariush + Charles-Islam were both there other than to stew a preplanned fight in Perth.
Especially when regionally, UAE and Peth cards skew toward the eastern Hemisphere.

It's very savvy. Not "fixed", just one of the main if>then possibilities on the marketing decision-tree, and it's working well for them.
I'd have rather they (Max-Volk) run it back immediately, or one fight in-between at most, and if Volk had won then, had him defend at least 3-4 more times before we get into some "goat p4p" hype talk.

 

[xhaydenx]

Oh I'm not saying it wasn't a great fight.

The UFC just did two different things to the guys instead of running it back immediately; let's not pretend Max can and did crack the shit out of Volk. The UFC made it crystal clear which one of them they wanted as a region-building reality star while the other dude had to do the dirty work of fighting Kattar and Yair while Volk got a reality show vacation year and a longterm home-country red panty night brewing off the marketing investments the UFC made in Volk. Volk took a step back in tuning up with Ortega (and almost getting choked out) and KZ (sad) while Max had to fight dudes way more likely to require brutal wars.

There was zero practical reason for Volk to be in the UAE and paid, when Gamrot-Dariush + Charles-Islam were both there other than to stew a preplanned fight in Perth.
Especially when regionally, UAE and Peth cards skew toward the eastern Hemisphere.

It's very savvy. Not "fixed", just one of the main if>then possibilities on the marketing decision-tree, and it's working well for them.
I'd have rather they (Max-Volk) run it back immediately, or one fight in-between at most, and if Volk had won then, had him defend at least 3-4 more times before we get into some "goat p4p" hype talk.

Max did crack the shit out of Volk - in two of the 5 rounds most noticeably. In the others, there's a big case that can be made for Volk winning, which is what happened in the end.

It was a 5 round fight and in the end Volk won. He was still the champ. Why should he not be the one to get a show or whatever? Why should Max not have to go off and fight a contender or two before a third shot? That's not dirty work at all. That's how it should be.

I don't really think Volk deserves the LW shot myself. I too would rather he defended more at FW first.

 

[FloydMayweatherMMA]

I hope not. A season of O'Malley and Sterling doing TUF would be unbearable.