Ever Experience UFC "Jamais Vu"?

Leonard Haid

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Jamais vu is the opposite of deja vu, that is, even when you see something familiar, something you've seen before, there's the illusion that you're seeing it for the first time.

This happens to me a lot when watching UFC events. I haven't missed one in many years, yet in every event there's at least one fighter - usually more than one - who's fought in a UFC event before that I don't recall ever watching fight. But I must have.

Does this happen to you?
 
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There are thousands of top active fighters. Not recognizing someone you've seen fight before isn't exactly unusual.

I try to watch ONE's Friday morning Muay Thai cards. I probably need to see some of those guys fight 2-3 times at least before I really start recognizing them.
Good point. I did think of that, but it still seems weird to me, especially not recognizing a fighter who, according to the commentators, put on a great show in their previous fight. Maybe it's just a memory issue. My memory is not good.
 
I have to say it is weird when I sometimes see the record or highlights of a fight that I KNOW I MUST'VE seen but have zero recollection of it. I'm not talking random scrub vs random scrub on the prelims but big name type of guys, world class fighters etc.
 
Good point. I did think of that, but it still seems weird to me, especially not recognizing a fighter who, according to the commentators, put on a great show in their previous fight. Maybe it's just a memory issue.
Most commentators will do tape study on the fighters before the fight, and may not be simply relying on memory from having watched the fight live.
 
Most commentators will do tape study on the fighters before the fight, and may not be simply relying on memory from having watched the fight live.
True, but my point was that despite them going on about Fighter A doing such a great job in the previous fight or even previous fights, I still may not remember having watched Fighter A fight, even though I obviously did. Again, maybe it's just a personal memory issue, and nothing more. Or maybe it's because of the reason you explained in your first post in this thread, that many people experience.
 
True, but my point was that despite them going on about Fighter A doing such a great job in the previous fight or even previous fights, I still may not remember having watched Fighter A fight, even though I obviously did. Again, maybe it's just a personal memory issue, and nothing more. Or maybe it's because of the reason you explained in your first post in this thread, that many people experience.
Memory is strongly associated with emotion.

If you want to improve your memory, start gambling. I promise your memory of the fights (and fighters) will improve significantly.
 
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Swear down fam I ain't remember not one of Alan Jouban's fights just know him as di square jaw yute who be doin dem pre / post UFC show and him even had a Junior Commentator role at Power Slap 6 studying under Bisping but scrappin' nah he ain't never did dat prolly do ok tho 🗣️🎙️👋💥
 
True, but my point was that despite them going on about Fighter A doing such a great job in the previous fight or even previous fights, I still may not remember having watched Fighter A fight, even though I obviously did. Again, maybe it's just a personal memory issue, and nothing more. Or maybe it's because of the reason you explained in your first post in this thread, that many people experience.

Its because we watch so much of this stuff that it all gets filed in the same part of the brain.
There's been studies done showing that we only have the space to remember around 150 people.

We see that many in 10 weekends or so.
 
I think I remembered more fighters when I was a bigger casual
<{Joewithit}>

Unless fighter is debuting, I have most probably seen them fight. Yet there's always bunch names I don't recall on FNs
 
With 700+ fighters on the roster. And a turnover of about 50 fighters/year.

There are definitely going to be people you don’t remember seeing before. Even if you’ve seen every UFC card for years. And it’s not a slight on these fighters. Or your memory.

If you watch DWCS, that helps a little with seeing people before they compete in the UFC.
 
Jamais vu is the opposite of deja vu, that is, even when you see something familiar, something you've see before, there's the illusion that you're seeing it for the first time.

This happens to me a lot when watching UFC events. I haven't missed one in many years, yet in every event there's at least one fighter - usually more than one - who's fought in a UFC event before that I don't recall ever watching fight. But I must have.

Does this happen to you?
maybe it became a habit to you more than a passion, most of the time at least.
 
Most commentators will do tape study on the fighters before the fight, and may not be simply relying on memory from having watched the fight live.

They don't even do tape study most of them. They just get a cheat sheet of factoids and talking points about each fighter that they look at.
 
They don't even do tape study most of them. They just get a cheat sheet of factoids and talking points about each fighter that they look at.
Some do, some don't. I definitely think Sanko watches tape.
 
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