Are “bad cards” the result of arithmetic?

[San Griente]

People on this forum helpfully point out how each upcoming card sucks, so that the unwary fan is not lured into enjoying himself while watching. I, for one, might have had fun watching the thoroughly entertaining UFC 247, but I knew better, having been notified by Sherdog that the card I was watching was not a good one.

My question is, are the so called bad cards simply the result of the number of cards per year, and the size of the roster needed to put on that many shows, resulting in a determined percentage of fights being between unranked fighters?

If you have

40 events a year
12 fights per event
2 fighters per fight
3 fights per year per fighter

then you need something like 330 fighter on the roster. Add more to make up for less-active guys and guys entering and leaving the sport, and you have today’s 500-ish fighter roster.

So if you do the math, there are only so many ranked vs. ranked fights to spread around, and the rest are going to be whodafucs.

Are you guys really saying you want there to be less MMA to watch? Are you really saying you prefer watching fights of questionable legitimacy between two ranked guys over a (midget) banger like Martinez vs. Ewell?

 

[Fahcough]

Completely agree that WMMA should be cut. So much less suck to endure.

 

[poor form]

Any card, and even fight can deliver. It’s up to the fighters.

Alot of cards look pretty mediocre on paper. But, they can be very entertaining in actuality.

 

[SKYNET]

People on this forum helpfully point out how each upcoming card sucks, so that the unwary fan is not lured into enjoying himself while watching. I, for one, might have had fun watching the thoroughly entertaining UFC 247, but I knew better, having been notified by Sherdog that the card I was watching was not a good one.
My question is, are the so called bad cards simply the result of the number of cards per year, and the size of the roster needed to put on that many shows, resulting in a determined percentage of fights being between unranked fighters?
If you have
40 events a year
12 fights per event
2 fighters per fight
3 fights per year per fighter
then you need something like 330 fighter on the roster. Add more to make up for less-active guys and guys entering and leaving the sport, and you have today’s 500-ish fighter roster.
So if you do the math, there are only so many ranked vs. ranked fights to spread around, and the rest are going to be whodafucs.
Are you guys really saying you want there to be less MMA to watch? Are you really saying you prefer watching fights of questionable legitimacy between two ranked guys over a (midget) banger like Martinez vs. Ewell?

For me personally, I look forward to seeing 5 high level MMA fights on a PPV card. Championships, Top 10's, Up & comers and fighters on a W streak should be the key criteria for a PPV and UFC 246 and 247 didnt always meet that criteria on paper.

I generally have no issues with prelims unless there are more than 2 WMMA fights and that is because they are generally free to watch or an ESPN+ subscription.

You bring up a good point, Dana has a really sick task to make sure theres a barn burner event lined up week to week, and a PPV month to month.

 

[boladiQup]

as long as it's a violent fight i don't give a damn who's fighting

 

[felmmando]

If you have

40 events a year
12 fights per event
2 fighters per fight
3 fights per year per fighter

then you need something like 330 fighter on the roster. Add more to make up for less-active guys and guys entering and leaving the sport, and you have today’s 500-ish fighter roster.

So if you do the math, there are only so many ranked vs. ranked fights to spread around, and the rest are going to be whodafucs.

Are you guys really saying you want there to be less MMA to watch? Are you really saying you prefer watching fights of questionable legitimacy between two ranked guys over a (midget) banger like Martinez vs. Ewell?

Were the figures significantly different a year or two ago? These cards, especially PPVs, that have little going for them beside the headliner are a very recent trend. As far as I can tell, it doesn't coincide with an expansion of the number of events or roster.

 

[Mr.Maelstrom]

MMA fandom started on the internet forums, and everything under the sun is mercilessly ridiculed.

It definitely gets old I agree

 

[wanted226]

Completely agree that WMMA should be cut. So much less suck to endure.

Yeah, I'd be sorry for the dozen competent and hype fighters do constitute WMMA though... no way they erase the segment - if anything, they'll double down on it. Like, extra division with whole batch of atomweights introduced or sth

 

[pseto223]

Yes. The arithmetic is "you sell diluted product for the price of non-diluted product". Boxing has been doing it for ages. Young UFC also wanted to do it, but wasn't popular enough and relied more on PPVs. Now they don't and can dilute as much as they want.

I'm getting used to it, honestly. Of course nowadays I don't watch every single card and every single fight like I used to a 10, 15+ years ago. When I see most WMMA fights I skip through or when some fat slobs that I don't care about bore me. And it's not like I'm paying, so...

 

[Xoleth]

- don't hire fighters that try to win a fight by hugging their opponent near the fence

- hire more fighters with better striking skills, that are more KO oriented

- give the fighter bigger bonuses for finishing their opponents or for having a great fight, don't give them bonuses for weak fights or point scoring.

- better matchmatching, especially when it comes to veterans that don't have a chance at getting a TS anymore

- FLW is a joke right now with MM gone and Cejudo at BW. They don't have enough guys to fill the rankings.

- I know they won't get rid of WMMA, but at least don't have 4 divisions. FW doesn't have rankings for years. Why? Because they don't have fighters.

- real rankings, get rid of the idiots that make those rankings. Cowboy is #5 at LW, while being 2-3 at LW in the last 5 years. They kept Cain ranked even though he was inactive for 2 years. They keep many old fighters better ranked than younger fighters, even though they are losing fights. Lawler (and I am a fan) is 1-4 and is better ranked than Luque and Neal.

 

[dracul]

Zuffa scammed wme
They need the $
Spam the cards
No care for the future because their is no future
Ufc is dying

 

[Mortal Wombat]

For big cards like the last 2 stack them. $60 shmackers to watch that shite Conor/Cowboy and Joe Solis ruin Doms career is pathetic. Not much else on it otherwise. Quality>Quantity. Also WMMA needs to be concentrated not diluted even more so. I'm not anti but for every Nunes's there are 50 Megan's.

 

[HHJ]

Completely agree that WMMA should be cut. So much less suck to endure.

Takin my Valentina and Joanna away,is how you get yourself fucked up. Just puttin that out there.

 

[MeatWagon06]

Zuffa scammed wme
They need the $
Spam the cards
No care for the future because their is no future
Ufc is dying

I disagree. MMA is still young and will have bumps along the way with generation changes. Old fighters on the way out/ new on the way up. Takes time to iron that out. UFC/MMA is growing. Even if you don’t necessarily like it right now.

 

[King Joffery]

They should focus on stacking 3 or 4 events a year, leave they others be crap. I'd much rather just watch 3 or 4 quality cards a year than just tuning in for 1 fight from about 12 events.

 

[ConorFacts]

I disagree. MMA is still young and will have bumps along the way with generation changes. Old fighters on the way out/ new on the way up. Takes time to iron that out. UFC/MMA is growing. Even if you don’t necessarily like it right now.

combat Sports are dying

just a matter of time.

 

[Fahcough]

Takin my Valentina and Joanna away,is how you get yourself fucked up. Just puttin that out there.

You can have them both. Won't even put up a woman level fight for em.

 

[Harlekin]

They could enhance their rankings from 15 to 30. That way previously unranked fights get some importance.

 

[swarrrm]

Any card, and even fight can deliver. It’s up to the fighters.

Alot of cards look pretty mediocre on paper. But, they can be very entertaining in actuality.

Doesn't mean they should all be $65 for ppv.