Fedor and Stipe, the unwanted champions

[T. Hope]

Not from a fans perspective of course, but the UFC is doing everything they can to get the belt off of Stipe. It reminds me of how Pride REALLY wanted Crocop as their guy and never saw Fedor as “marketable “.

It’s a shame but the parallels are there. Man I wish this sport was about the fighters and not the bullshit. End rant.

 

[MysticGOD]

Not from a fans perspective of course, but the UFC is doing everything they can to get the belt off of Stipe. It reminds me of how Pride REALLY wanted Crocop as their guy and never saw Fedor as “marketable “.

It’s a shame but the parallels are there. Man I wish this sport was about the fighters and not the bullshit. End rant.

I dont know if UFC wants to take the belt of Stipe or not, all i know is Stipe benefits from UFC building up his opponent

 

[T. Hope]

I dont know if UFC wants to take the belt of Stipe or not, all i know is Stipe benefits from UFC building up his opponent

The last fight sure felt a lot more about his opponent and not about his win streak.

 

[Typrune Goatley]

I dont know if UFC wants to take the belt of Stipe or not, all i know is Stipe benefits from UFC building up his opponent

True. I agree. It was wise to center the hype on Ngannou. If he had won, they could have continued the "hardest punch in the world" narrative. Now that Stipe won, "he slayed the beast!" It is wise marketing. It would not have made any sense to focus attention on Stipe because he was not as intersting as the big mysterious African KO machine.

Now let's be real. UFC totally wanted Ngannou to win.

PRIDE did not like Fedor and his management. They really wanted Cro Cop as champ.

 

[DarkneT]

Not from a fans perspective of course, but the UFC is doing everything they can to get the belt off of Stipe. It reminds me of how Pride REALLY wanted Crocop as their guy and never saw Fedor as “marketable “.

It’s a shame but the parallels are there. Man I wish this sport was about the fighters and not the bullshit. End rant.

Yeah sure

There's no market for MMA in Russia

Please delete your account

 

[T. Hope]

Yeah sure

There's no market for MMA in Russia

Please delete your account

Um, I live in Japan and went to every Pride event. I can assure you Pride did not want Fedor as champ. They were pushing for Crocop hard.
Do you have any reading comprehension ability? Because clearly you either didn’t read or didn’t understand my post. Go back to elementary school.

 

[DarkneT]

Um, I live in Japan and went to every Pride event. I can assure you Pride did not want Fedor as champ. They were pushing for Crocop hard.
Do you have any reading comprehension ability? Because clearly you either didn’t read or didn’t understand my post. Go back to elementary school.

I'll take your word for it bro
I'm sure you were there in those Yakuza meetings discussing how Cro cop and his country of 10000 farmers garner more interest than Russia

Is it true they have their little fingers cut off or is that bullshit?

 

[T. Hope]

I'll take your word for it bro
I'm sure you were there in those Yakuza meetings discussing how Cro cop and his country of 10000 farmers garner more interest than Russia

Is it true they have their little fingers cut off or is that bullshit?

Any idiot knew in those days that they weren’t hyping Fedor. I’m NOT ARGUING that he was a fan favorite (I’m a huge fan) but that they didn’t see him as the ideal face of the company. It’s kind of common knowledge to be honest. People have been talking about this since 2004.
And yes, I’ve met people missing little fingers at my gym.

 

[T. Hope]

And from a worldwide perspective, they absolutely saw Crocop as more marketable.

 

[MysticGOD]

True. I agree. It was wise to center the hype on Ngannou. If he had won, they could have continued the "hardest punch in the world" narrative. Now that Stipe won, "he slayed the beast!" It is wise marketing. It would not have made any sense to focus attention on Stipe because he was not as intersting as the big mysterious African KO machine.

Now let's be real. UFC totally wanted Ngannou to win.

PRIDE did not like Fedor and his management. They really wanted Cro Cop as champ.

Yes, but lets not act like Stipe doesnt benefit from this

 

[Erocthadon]

True. I agree. It was wise to center the hype on Ngannou. If he had won, they could have continued the "hardest punch in the world" narrative. Now that Stipe won, "he slayed the beast!" It is wise marketing. It would not have made any sense to focus attention on Stipe because he was not as intersting as the big mysterious African KO machine.

Now let's be real. UFC totally wanted Ngannou to win.

PRIDE did not like Fedor and his management. They really wanted Cro Cop as champ.

I'd like to see the rematch in Rizin, or Bellator. Cro Cop would wreck Fedor these days.

 

[Gorkle]

That's just society in general though.

Talent takes a backseat to marketability. For example: The Kardashians are multi millionaires. Their talent is "my sister made a sex tape". In 2014, the prize money for winning the world championship in the modern pentathlon was £3,800.

Why? Because noone watches the modern pentathlon and for some reason cretins watch everything the Kardashians do.

The same applies in MMA. People do not care about Mousejohnson for example, so no matter how much talent he has and how many times he defends his belt he won't make anywhere near as much as more marketable fighters.