Dana White plans for TUF World Cup:

[pcbh]

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/6/1/5768796/ufc-dana-white-talks-tuf-world-cup-mma-news

"Garry [Cook] and I were talking about that yesterday," White told media members. "Remember when I always told you guy that it was my idea to do them [TUF seasons] in all these different countries and then do the World Cup. He and I were trying to figure that thing out yesterday and how that might work."

White divulged further into the topic, and explained that it would not be a large-scale event. They would probably begin with three or four countries and determine the winner between them.

"Instead of going with everybody, we start with three countries. You start with three countries, with Germany possibly being one of them. England is obviously one of them. Sweden would make a lot of sense too. And maybe there are four [countries included]; then they fight and the winners face each other."

After laying out his plans for this supposed World Cup, White stated that it was closer to becoming a reality than ever before, and that was mainly due to the incredible growth the promotion was experiencing on an international scale.

"We're getting there. It is getting a lot closer to a reality now. A) With all the work that Garry [Cook] and his team are doing out here and B) With all the talent and the demand now in Europe."

 

[Judo Thai Boxer]

The only way I'd ever be excited for this is if they had a lot more than four people.


I think the only reason people were looking forward to this in the first place was because it was the closest we were going to get to a tournament.

 

[HeexX]

Would watch.

 

[HUGHPHUG]

so does he mean a seperate series of TUF in 3 or 4 different countries, then the winner of each series faces off? so the winner of an all English series would fight the winner of an all German series for example?

 

[HockeyBjj]

so does he mean a seperate series of TUF in 3 or 4 different countries, then the winner of each series faces off? so the winner of an all English series would fight the winner of an all German series for example?

This is what it sounds like to me. Would be pretty cool. After each shows winner they should do a fan vote to determine seeding and match ups for the little four man international tournament.

Just do not take the fucking champs to coach it. Or even anyone in the top 5. Grab injured or declining veterans. Hell, have retirees coach. Hughes vs. Forest for the American TUF (or any normal TUF) would be great and not tie up active fighters.

 

[HUGHPHUG]

This is what it sounds like to me. Would be pretty cool. After each shows winner they should do a fan vote to determine seeding and match ups for the little four man international tournament.

Just do not take the fucking champs to coach it. Or even anyone in the top 5. Grab injured or declining veterans. Hell, have retirees coach. Hughes vs. Forest for the American TUF (or any normal TUF) would be great and not tie up active fighters.

agree with everything you said there

 

[Exel***]

Make Chael coach in every country and you have a winner.

 

[ManyJudgesGuess]

I agree, this jones.sonnen.sonnen.silva.edgar.penn3.werdum.cain is rather boring to me. Keep TUF about the fighters on the show, and please god don't name this TUF WORLD CUP

 

[HUGHPHUG]

actually i'd much rather just see a series of shows like the Bellator format instead of having to watch a series of TUF. only one i watched recently was Smashes, which i enjoyed, but only watched as an acquaintance was competing. otherwise last time i watched all the way through was the Matt Brown season

 

[ALAN PARTRIDGE]

sounds good

 

[Lead]

For the longest time, everything Dana said about international stuff stalled but a lot of it is now coming to fruition, especially the multiple TUF seasons in China, Latin America, Canada. I wouldn't be surprised if he pulled it off. It would be sweet to see something like that.

 

[Stan]

Oh boy, another UFC gimmick a World Cup Tuf? WTF does the UFC actually believe people will watch this crap?
Does anyone actually watch TUF anymore? The last time I watched it was when Matt Serra won and went on to TKO GSP. The only time I might watch it again is if they use that same format. Bring back X title contenders or high ranked fighters as they did with the one Serra won.
World Cup Futbol has the best players from every qualifying country playing in the game yet the UFC wants to use that name for a bunch of no name fighters. UFC should do a real World Cup competing against other MMA Orgs to see who has the best otherwise don't call it a World Cup.

 

[Lead]

Oh boy, another UFC gimmick a World Cup Tuf? WTF does the UFC actually believe people will watch this crap?
Does anyone actually watch TUF anymore? The last time I watched it was when Matt Serra won and went on to TKO GSP. The only time I might watch it again is if they use that same format. Bring back X title contenders or high ranked fighters as they did with the one Serra won.
World Cup Futbol has the best players from every qualifying country playing in the game yet the UFC wants to use that name for a bunch of no name fighters. UFC should do a real World Cup competing against other MMA Orgs to see who has the best otherwise don't call it a World Cup.

Good talent comes out of the shows. Sure most of them aren't winning the title but there are a lot of fighters who don't that are still interesting to watch. If you kept up with TUF, you'd likely be more interested in Dillashaw, Matt Brown, Dodson, Philippou, Nate Diaz, Ryan Bader, etc.

I agree the show can be dull at times but it's fairly easy to just upload the show and skip fairly quick to the fight at the end. It's a tournament which is always interesting.

 

[number9dream]

How is 3 countries a world cup... Better idea:

1) Throw money at this: http://forums.sherdog.com/forums/showthread.php?p=95652755#post95652755

2) Follow the selection process / training of the national squad for whatever country they are trying to get a foothold in. Promote the shit out of the finals, put em on free TV etc.

3) Amateur MMA blows up, gets into the 202X olympics, and the UFC ends up with a never ending supply of "A-Level athletes" to join the professional ranks.

 

[FierceRedBelt]

How difficult would it be to have a TUF in South Africa?

They could have a TUF China, South Africa and Germany. All these countries a step behind modern MMA so they'd be on equal footing. Makes it a proper international competition of sorts and a lot more interesting.

 

[Magooglie]

I don't see the point of starting small.

 

[dmc]

Who cares about this idea.

I mean if it was another mma org doing this, people, including Dana, would say its a show about nobody fighters. But since it is UFC promoted, then it is like a huge deal...

 

[DrHouse]

For anyone that want on opinion of a TUF World Cup, stop reading now because this isn't one.

I feel like the UFC have lost sight of what brought them to where they are, their fighters. They keep expanding into different countries and regions, trying to make waves in China or India or some other place. I think that could hurt them, they're not as focused on their fighters anymore. The casuals are losing interest, PPV numbers are dwindling. I'm not saying that the sky is falling, but there's no doubt that their standing in the US is being compromised by all these oversee conquests.

As a fan from the UK I almost hate to say this, but they need to focus on America again. I mean it's great that you wanna be all over the place, but if the American PPV market dries up, you just up-route the whole company to Brazil? OK great you're working on this TUF thing and getting into some other country, meanwhile you haven't sold over 500,000 PPVs for 1 event in 2014. GSP is gone, who knows what's gonna happen with Anderson Silva? Is Weidman gonna sell consistently over 500,000? Ronda? Cain? Pettis? We all know the little guys aren't gonna do it. Jones is really the only realistic guy, even then you have to look at the fact he is in a shallow division with not many contenders left.

I'm not one to complain about watered down cards usually, but it is getting to a point where I'm looking forward to literally 1 fight per card these days (excluding most PPVs and big FOX shows). There are a lot of issues that the UFC need to sort out, but all they wanna do is build extra floors and are missing the cracks starting to show in their foundation.

 

[Drogon]

The only way I'd ever be excited for this is if they had a lot more than four people.


I think the only reason people were looking forward to this in the first place was because it was the closest we were going to get to a tournament.

this. Should be 8-16 countries so we get a world cup tuf tournament.

Why not, US, canada, australia, england, china, mexico, germany, russia, + maybe some other countries that the ufc is interested in that im not thinking of.

 

[Lucifer Alpha]

As a fan from the UK I almost hate to say this, but they need to focus on America again. I mean it's great that you wanna be all over the place, but if the American PPV market dries up, you just up-route the whole company to Brazil? OK great you're working on this TUF thing and getting into some other country, meanwhile you haven't sold over 500,000 PPVs for 1 event in 2014. GSP is gone, who knows what's gonna happen with Anderson Silva? Is Weidman gonna sell consistently over 500,000?

That's asking a lot. The only guys doing that in combat sports to my knowledge are Floyd and Pac, and even their numbers are dropping.