News Fitch on MMA: "It's not even a sport anymore"

[Ultra O’Dia]

I feel bad for Fitch in a way.

If you are boring and take a loss you get cut from UFC while a lot of guys you will beat get kept on because they are exciting to watch.

Thing is with UFC not co-promoting it’s a legit move. If MMA was fought under one ranking system where you could fight anyone he would have a much more successful career.

honestly I don’t known where I stand. I want it to be seen a legit sport but I want to be entertained.

the problem lies in the rules. Allowing endless stalling in grappling is the main problem in MMA. Forcing the action is what needs to happen.

i agree with every word.

Also scoring rounds based on top position rather than damage.
You have to sacrifice position to go for anything. Its much safer to hold on and win that way.

Just watched Wanderlei-Jackson One.
The instant Wand dropped him, there was a soccer kick in the face, and that started the chain of strikes that ended the fight. Under Unified rules Wand would have either gone for some hammerfists and Quinton wouldve grabbed his leg, or Wand would have backed off, not wanting to get clinched. See stuff like that all the time.

Oh! and the sheer fucking size and essential roundness of the cage. Guys run around there for minutes at a time.

 

[BJ@LW&WW]

fitch is a juicer who attends 'make women great again' conferences. his opinion is worthless.

 

[r-harper-1]

The boring as fuck fighters always seem to miss the “ pure sport “ aspect of it

 

[Enson Inoue]

Word.

"It’s pro wrestling without the pre-determined outcome. So it’s a frustrating thing to be bound to these promoters. You never know when you’re going to fight, or if you’re going to get a fight, or if it’s good fight. There’s no merit system at all – it’s all about entertainment. They’re just putting on a show. It’s a show.

“It’s not a sport, and that’s really frustrating to deal with. That, paired with physical issues – I have kids now, so if the fights are not really appealing, it’s not worth doing. It’s not worth getting into training camp and breaking down my body for the amount of money that we’re making. There’s other jobs you can do and get by and not get brain damage."

Source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/04/jon-fitch-conditions-mma-return-bellator-contract-title/amp

I agree

 

[funkexpress]

When I saw “Fitch” I immediately stopped paying attention and took a shit break

 

[pankrat]

Word.

"It’s pro wrestling without the pre-determined outcome. So it’s a frustrating thing to be bound to these promoters. You never know when you’re going to fight, or if you’re going to get a fight, or if it’s good fight. There’s no merit system at all – it’s all about entertainment. They’re just putting on a show. It’s a show.

“It’s not a sport, and that’s really frustrating to deal with. That, paired with physical issues – I have kids now, so if the fights are not really appealing, it’s not worth doing. It’s not worth getting into training camp and breaking down my body for the amount of money that we’re making. There’s other jobs you can do and get by and not get brain damage."

Source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/04/jon-fitch-conditions-mma-return-bellator-contract-title/amp

I agree with OG Jon

 

[Hannibal Lector]

He got ripped off in the Rory Mac Donald fight. He should be bellator champ right now.

 

[amok attitude]

Fitch is right.
UFC s success was based on the best fighting the best, unlike boxing.
Nowadays, its not exactly that, otherwise mc gregor, cejudo would fight meaningful fights and they would not be making a special belt for masvidal.
Entertainment is cool, dont get me wrong, but the most important remains to have the best fighting the best.

 

[ThunderL1ps]

This guy should have retired over 10 years ago.

GET! LOST!

 

[Hotora86]

Word.

"It’s pro wrestling without the pre-determined outcome. So it’s a frustrating thing to be bound to these promoters. You never know when you’re going to fight, or if you’re going to get a fight, or if it’s good fight. There’s no merit system at all – it’s all about entertainment. They’re just putting on a show. It’s a show.

“It’s not a sport, and that’s really frustrating to deal with. That, paired with physical issues – I have kids now, so if the fights are not really appealing, it’s not worth doing. It’s not worth getting into training camp and breaking down my body for the amount of money that we’re making. There’s other jobs you can do and get by and not get brain damage."

Source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/04/jon-fitch-conditions-mma-return-bellator-contract-title/amp

I'd laugh at this opinion 10 years ago.
Nowadays, I agree.

 

[Hotora86]

I agree

Actual valid pro fighter opinion here.
Keyboard warriors, take note.

 

[Hotora86]

In all professional sports the most popular usually gets paid the most and receives the most opportunities, not necessarily the best.
If Fitch wants more money and more opportunities then winning simply isn't enough when you're the worlds most boring fighter.
Compete in BJJ tournaments if you want something where your ability to convince a judge is appreciated more.

(warning: soccer)
Greece was the MOST BORING TEAM of the UEFA Euro 2004. In fact, I think they were the most boring fucking team of the century. Most boring motherfucking team EVER, perhaps.

They were insufferable, absolutely impossible to watch. They won all their games 1-0, just scoring one on the counter and defending for 90 grueling minutes. The most devoted soccer fans turned off their TV sets, it was so bad. In terms of entertainment it was a DISASTER.

Guess what?


THEY WON
(got the most win money too, of course)

In all pro sports, the end result is what matters. Soccer, football, basketball, golf, hockey, chess - you name it. The one who WINS advances, gets to the finals and takes the gold.

A title shot as a reward for being "entertaining" is only possible in one global sport - MMA.

 

[pankrat]

Fitch is right.
UFC s success was based on the best fighting the best, unlike boxing.
Nowadays, its not exactly that, otherwise mc gregor, cejudo would fight meaningful fights and they would not be making a special belt for masvidal.
Entertainment is cool, dont get me wrong, but the most important remains to have the best fighting the best.

McGregor and Cejudo have all the right to be in meaningful fights. They've both done extraordinary things in the cage regardless of them being pricks or whatever

There are much better examples of what Fitch is saying imo

 

[pankrat]

(warning: soccer)
Greece was the MOST BORING TEAM of the UEFA Euro 2004. In fact, I think they were the most boring fucking team of the century. Most boring motherfucking team EVER, perhaps.

They were insufferable, absolutely impossible to watch. They won all their games 1-0, just scoring one on the counter and defending for 90 grueling minutes. The most devoted soccer fans turned off their TV sets, it was so bad. In terms of entertainment it was a DISASTER.

Guess what?

View attachment 760877
THEY WON
(got the most win money too, of course)

In all pro sports, the end result is what matters. Soccer, football, basketball, golf, hockey, chess - you name it. The one who WINS advances, gets to the finals and takes the gold.

A title shot as a reward for being "entertaining" is only possible in one global sport - MMA.

That's true but to be fair, in all those sports you mention who is the best is determined by points/goals. Numbers dont lie. No need of judges.

In this case, we are talking about a fighter who consistently let his fights in the hands of judges, and that's his fault.

 

[Hotora86]

That's true but to be fair, in all those sports you mention who is the best is determined by points/goals. Numbers dont lie. No need of judges.

In this case, we are talking about a fighter who consistently let his fights in the hands of judges, and that's his fault.

OK, you have a point. However there are other sports where judges also decide on outcomes: boxing, kickboxing, Karate, Judo, Sambo, Savate... is any of those a popularity contest?

I mean popularity is a money factor in boxing, sure, but there are strict rules on who can be a contender and who cannot. Typically there is a time frame within which the champion must fight the mandatory contender, #1 challenger within that organizations ranking, otherwise the belt is considered vacated and open for grabs at which point #1 and #2 contenders fight for it. But in MMA? Popular champs pick who they want to fight (see Cejudo for a recent example) and sit on belts without defending for months and years (see Conor and others).

How is that a legit sport?

 

[imbossing]

McGregor and Cejudo have all the right to be in meaningful fights. They've both done extraordinary things in the cage regardless of them being pricks or whatever

There are much better examples of what Fitch is saying imo

What has cejudo done?
Get a gift decision over MM?
Just like conor got over diaz?
Favoritism?

 

[pankrat]

OK, you have a point. However there are other sports where judges also decide on outcomes: boxing, kickboxing, Karate, Judo, Sambo, Savate... is any of those a popularity contest?

I mean popularity is a money factor in boxing, sure, but there are strict rules on who can be a contender and who cannot. Typically there is a time frame within which the champion must fight the mandatory contender, #1 challenger within that organizations ranking, otherwise the belt is considered vacated and open for grabs at which point #1 and #2 contenders fight for it. But in MMA? Popular champs pick who they want to fight (see Cejudo for a recent example) and sit on belts without defending for months and years (see Conor and others).

How is that a legit sport?

It's the confflict of combat sports, basically. And you can barely make a living out of most of them.

Boxing has a much longer history than mma. Anyways are u sure u want to follow that example, where Floyd vs Pacqiaio didnt happen during their primes?

Fitch has a point but if you finish fights you hardly can be denied. Even if you don't, Usman holds the belt so i dont think the "popularity contest" side has as much weight as some people claim.

 

[pankrat]

What has cejudo done?
Get a gift decision over MM?
Just like conor got over diaz?
Favoritism?

Cejudo beat, even if in a close contest, the arguably #1 p4p fighter on the planet...
Taking on the champ of the division above is the kind of challenge you should want to see...no? It's not like there was any flyweght considered to be a bigger challenge.

Anyways, Cejudo actually finished the super legit Moraes in a come from behind epic performance, how can you still feel the need of hating on such fight taking place?
By the way, is Cejudo actually that popular?

Same with Conor. Any favouritism he might have got it by KOing the arguably #1p4p fighter in 10 seconds...You have all the right on the panet to ask for the champ in the division above after that. And you as a fan should be glad of it

Then his original opponent - Dos Anjos - pulls out from a tittle fight and Conor agrees to take on Diaz on short notice in a non-tittle fight at an upper weight class. Put two epic fights. And still u find room to hate lol

Anyways, he outclassed Eddie Alvarez as u rarely see a champion being outclased, just in case there was any doubt about him deserving that fight.

 

[amok attitude]

McGregor and Cejudo have all the right to be in meaningful fights. They've both done extraordinary things in the cage regardless of them being pricks or whatever

There are much better examples of what Fitch is saying imo

I do agree with you to say that Cejudo or Conor did great things inside the cage.
Masvidal is an excellent fighter himself.
I also reckon that i dislike those guys but I m able to make a difference between their public persona and their fighting achievements.
That being said, its also true that Cejudo had a direct title shot against TJ whereas Moraes deserved it more at the time.
Again, its also true that booking Cejudo against Jose Aldo was unfair for Yan, Sterling or even Moraes - and i say that while there is no fight in which I did not support Jose.
Conor also had a direct title shot against Alvarez.
Where is the respect for Khabib at the time ??!
Yet, ok to have money fights like Diaz - Masvidal, Conor against whoever but dont use these fights to fuck up the rankings (they are already sufficiently fucked up without these BS) and screw other fighters.
That was only my point when i was saying the best have to fight the best, not the best character.

 

[Hotora86]

It's the confflict of combat sports, basically. And you can barely make a living out of most of them.

Boxing has a much longer history than mma. Anyways are u sure u want to follow that example, where Floyd vs Pacqiaio didnt happen during their primes?

Fitch has a point but if you finish fights you hardly can be denied. Even if you don't, Usman holds the belt so i dont think the "popularity contest" side has as much weight as some people claim.

Conor is getting as many TS as he wants at any weight. Ergo, it's a popularity contest.