adapting on the fly (mystery matches+TJ vs Soto)

[Muppettoker]

3 weeks ago i ordered the Metamoris IV PPV which included a mystery match, where two grapplers had been training to fight but did not know who the other would be. it turned out to be Baret Yoshida vs Jeff Glover (who had been commentating and just striped down mat side and jumped in). it was a quite a unique way to experience a match as a viewer (and as a combatant, i imagine) and the match had a very diffrent feel to it.

I was reminded of the mystery match while watching the whole TJ Barao Soto saga unfold. i was actually more interested to see how TJ and Soto would deal with not having planned for each other and having to just rely on adapting their all round skill set's'on the fly' to get the win than i was in the original Barao re-match. i had no real desire to see yet ANOTHER undeserved immediate re-match anyway. and i did enjoy watching Soto find some early success countering and TJ adapting to Soto's speed and movement to eventually get the late finish. great stuff!

All this got me thinking i would definitely enjoy having a mystery match on UFC cards were two fighters knew they would be fighting but didn't know who, and were contractually obligated to not tell anyone. i feel this would add a different flavor to a fight card.

Do you guys think this would ever be a workable idea, with fight contracts, keeping it a secret etc?

Would the UFC ever go for an idea like this (seeing as its a bit more to do with entertainment rather than the 'sport' of MMA)?

thoughts?

feelings?

 

[chitoortiz]

Tough to sell fights to people without telling them who's fighting.

 

[Nihongi]

Rey Mysterio via 619

 

[illmatic 24]

Cool idea but the idea wouldn't work in the UFC. The way people analyze this sport and it's matchups, the fans would probably figure out who the mystery match was before it happens. Nevermind having a fighter n fight camp with no opponent would be a dead giveaway and would get leaked by teammates/bystanders.

 

[Lawrence]

Very cool idea TS,for us fans.

But very impractical.

Will have to see that fight I guess

 

[accolyte1022]

Cool idea but the idea wouldn't work in the UFC. The way people analyze this sport and it's matchups, the fans would probably figure out who the mystery match was before it happens. Nevermind having a fighter n fight camp with no opponent would be a dead giveaway and would get leaked by teammates/bystanders.

Thanks for ruining it.

And yeah it'd be cool in a perfect world.

 

[Muppettoker]

Tough to sell fights to people without telling them who's fighting.

i see it as something for maybe the first or second fight on the main card, definitely not the main or co-main event. i think it wouldn't effect the selling power that much if put suitably low enough on the card or even prelim/free fox event.

 

[Muppettoker]

Cool idea but the idea wouldn't work in the UFC. The way people analyze this sport and it's matchups, the fans would probably figure out who the mystery match was before it happens. Nevermind having a fighter n fight camp with no opponent would be a dead giveaway and would get leaked by teammates/bystanders.

could maybe get 3 or 4 guys to all start training for it to throw any snoopers off the scent?
or
camps from different parts of the world?

 

[Muppettoker]

Thanks for ruining it.

And yeah it'd be cool in a perfect world.

i guess it worked for Metamoris because it was a grappling match and they would just keep to a gentleman's agreement not to seek out a train for the opponent seeing as the the worst that happens is you get tapped or a draw vs a KO or broken limb in a MMA fight were you werent prepared for you opponent.

 

[EndlessCritic]

if by "interesting feel", you mean, "it felt like a work", then yes, it was very interesting.

 

[Muppettoker]

if by "interesting feel", you mean, "it felt like a work", then yes, it was very interesting.

?

you think they knew all along?

 

[Gatts]

Hell it would be interesting but as been said impractical to do.

But If you got 4 or 6 guys in the same weight class and then pulled their names of out of a hat, or some shit, at the start of the show..

Closet I think you might get to mystery fights.