Favorite fighters dwindling, falling out of love with MMA?

[The Natural Born Runner]

So I've been thinking about this since Robbie Lawler was one punch KO'd the other night - Am I falling out of love with the sport of MMA?

Now I don't mean to sound like a brat over this, but seriously think about this...

I'm a die-hard Liverpool FC fan, always will be - even if we were in the Conference. But seriously, years and years of irrelevant seasons with no title contention - alongside a lack of competitiveness in the cup tournaments just drives the love out of me. I see the same 2-3 teams every year in the title race, or the Champions League final - it's fucking boring to me.

Now take this to MMA.

95% of fights, I just genuinely don't give a fuck about anymore. UFC do a disgraceful job of promoting fighters and that is constantly proven by P4P greats like Lawler and Demetrious being completely ignored. Never mind if I'm trying to get into a new up and comer.

So, that day comes along where one of my favorite fighters are fighting, and they lose - they don't just lose, they get absolutely obliterated. Examples: Shogun against Jones, Lawler against Woodley, Werdum against Miocic.

It's part of the sport, I get that, but with all this PED shit and all these "elite" fighters losing constantly, alongside most of them being my favorite fighters - I'm kind of getting sick of it.

I'll always love MMA, but I'm not sure if it's the same feeling for it anymore.

Am I alone on this?

 

[Leinster Rugby]

Boooo.

I like your posts, stay with us bro!

There's a British champ right now (I'm presuming your British) which should put a smile on your dial

 

[Xenon_]

Fuckin glory hunter. Get the candles out.

Footy is beyond sport in England. It's damn near a way of life. If you can't love your team because they've spent years not winning anything, then your a plastic fan.

Mma is warrior shit, beyond sport for a completely different reason. Where people come to a cage to see who is better on that night. If you are falling out of love with the sport because your favourite fighters are losing, then you are a plastic fan.

Abe simpson voice - For shame!

 

[Sonny Qc]

I still like mma, especially during the NBA off season.

But I have lost a lot of interest for a while now.

because

#1 Gsp's gone..
#2 Anderson Silva fallout
#3 too many freaking card.

 

[ThoseAreMyShoes]

"Elite" fighers have been getting obliterated since UFC began.

Randy/GSP/Arlovski/Hughes/Penn all lost to fighters they were supposed to beat. It's part of MMA.

The PED stuff is happening because they are belatedly testing for it. That annoys me and so do the constant "injury's". You don't get cards constantly being re-arranged in boxing so no reason why it should happen in MMA.

I'll keep watching.

 

[HIMBOB]

Its shitty title fights that are pissing me off.
I like ufc/mma over boxing because the best fight the best, not the best vs most popular.

 

[Son of Jamin]

I will always be a Rampage fan, win or lose. Winning is great but I mostly care about good fights, not belts and playing it safe to win a decision.

 

[moreorless87]

So I've been thinking about this since Robbie Lawler was one punch KO'd the other night - Am I falling out of love with the sport of MMA?

Now I don't mean to sound like a brat over this, but seriously think about this...

I'm a die-hard Liverpool FC fan, always will be - even if we were in the Conference. But seriously, years and years of irrelevant seasons with no title contention - alongside a lack of competitiveness in the cup tournaments just drives the love out of me. I see the same 2-3 teams every year in the title race, or the Champions League final - it's fucking boring to me.

Now take this to MMA.

95% of fights, I just genuinely don't give a fuck about anymore. UFC do a disgraceful job of promoting fighters and that is constantly proven by P4P greats like Lawler and Demetrious being completely ignored. Never mind if I'm trying to get into a new up and comer.

So, that day comes along where one of my favorite fighters are fighting, and they lose - they don't just lose, they get absolutely obliterated. Examples: Shogun against Jones, Lawler against Woodley, Werdum against Miocic.

It's part of the sport, I get that, but with all this PED shit and all these "elite" fighters losing constantly, alongside most of them being my favorite fighters - I'm kind of getting sick of it.

I'll always love MMA, but I'm not sure if it's the same feeling for it anymore.

Am I alone on this?

I think a big issue is that stylistically MMA is becoming blander as time goes on, were getting fewer fighters coming from non US wrestling or MMA only backgrounds and its resulting in blander action where we see fewer weaknesses on display but also less in the way of really unique and exciting ability.

A big issue is that although the UFC has been the dominant force in MMA since at least the SF buyout oreviously they were still using a legacy of talent brought though when MMA was a more competitive market place and promoters would do more to seek out unique talent. Now were reaching the point where a lot of this talent has declined or might decline soon and its not IMHO being replaced, especially in the higher weightclasses.

 

[Peteyandjia]

This is just crying. I was a fan of Ken & Royce back in the day, now they are elderly wash-ups fighting in a retirement home in Bellator, and young guys like Conor & Nate are on top of the game, and they are just as awesome if not more so. With a shitload of great fighters in between over the many years. Not to mention the up & comers, some of whom will be stars one day. Stars shine & then fall, that is just the way of life. There will always be someone worth watching in the world of MMA, sometimes you just have to look closer for them. It's not about any 1 or 2 or 10 fighters. The game rolls on.

 

[Luger]

Ronda is away and Conor shut up.
These are GOAT times.

 

[Mopp]

20 times 20 times Man Utd.....

 

[basementdweller]

I always find other fighters to cheer for. 10 years ago, my favorites were big nog, wanderlei silva, cro cop and sakuraba. then came jose aldo, anderson silva, JDS, cain... it always renews to me. I've become a fan of Nate Diaz for his personality, and a fan of Valentina Shevchenko for her fighting skills. there are so many fighters I care about in the UFC roster now. Holloway, RDA, Wonderboy... even guys who aren't that good but bring a lot of fun with their fighting style, like Sam Alvey and Steve Bossé... there's always someone. my fanboyism has died down from the pride wand days, but I find myself enjoying more fights now.

 

[SirKratos]

I kinda feel the same, even though I'm still and always will be in love with MMA....

I hate that shitty feeling I get after watching my fave fighters get flash KOd. Doesn't even have to be one of my favorites. Happened with Aldo, JDS, Werdum, RDA, Lawler, hell even Luke. It just bums you out.

All the winning streaks, all the fantastic fights,Memorable moments.... And for what??

Just sucks. What a weird year

 

[Clippy]

I still like mma, especially during the NBA off season.

But I have lost a lot of interest for a while now.

because

#1 Gsp's gone..
#2 Anderson Silva fallout
#3 too many freaking card.

Too many cards indeed. It's way over saturated. I miss the stacked cards

It's like Pizza, good as a treat now and then but every day it becomes fuck pizza

 

[RiotWyatt]

Part of being an MMA fan is accepting when your favorite fighters fall off. It's inevitable.

My first experience of this was when Lil' Nog got KO'd by Sokoudjou. I wasn't a huge fan but I still remember the feeling of uneasiness when it happened.

 

[camelfarmer1]

I'm with you. Too many cards... I can't keep up. Tough to watch when you know that sage is getting paid many times that which TJ is getting paid. The PED loses...

Lots of reasons why I sometimes skip cards entirely.

But I still find the principle interesting.

 

[Vil7]

My fear pretend that I'll never be in love again
It's real to me but not like these fools and not like this scene
I won't find or have it within the time
If it's all rusted and fade in the spot where we fell
Where I thought I'd left behind

 

[TheWobbler]

Too many cards. Not enough talent on them. Take 201 PPV for instance. Look at this weekends card. Headlined by rodriguez and bruce lee roy. I have zero interest in it and will come back for 202.

That 3 show weekend was totally unnecessary for 200. 201 and the fight night suffered because he had to stack the prelims and the early prelims.

As i see it when an elite fighter loses it cant be bad for the sport. It can only be good. The problem is most of these fighters are shit at promoting themselves. Good fighters but terrible at promotion. How can the ufc promote people who are just bland.

 

[lefthighkick01]

I used to watch UFC like a religion but lately Ive been missing a few and missed Lawler/Woodley.

it would have been a decent card to watch and I was close to watching it but sometimes you think in that time i could do a bunch of other things that probably better me and ill just get the results on bloody elbow after. (UFC is on a sunday in Australia)

I do feel like UFC has become more "Generic" lately..and alot of us are so used to having that one Karate guy like machida, that one crazy mofo with highlights everytime he fights Anderson silva.

or BJ PENN whos just a beast .. etc etc.. so many different characters and style of figthing. Different charaters with different fighting styles made the UFC more of spectacle rather then a sport.

everybody used to get so pumped for a GSP fight, or Anderson Silva fight or Bj Penn.... even Shogun and Wanderlei Silva...Crocop...

nowadays its Conor McGregor, maybe a womens fight here and there and thats it.

 

[Rick Derris]

be patient other stars always emerge......there just aren't many tenured champs right now.