Have UFC made a poor decision in marketing fighters like Paige and Sage

[Dublin]

Sage Northcutt and Paige VanZant are two fighters who have been given a lot of attention and money by the UFC due to their looks. We all know it's not because of their fight records or skill. So what I'm wondering is are the UFC taking a huge risk on these guys? Paige will never be a good fighter and if she ever gets a chance to be a reality TV star she will jump at the chance. Sage has potential but that's all it is now and he has already shown he doesn't like to get hit. Why are the UFC putting money into these fighters when they could be investing in fighters that have actually made a name for themselves in MMA like Sterling, Kevin Lee, Shevchenko, Artem Lobov etc. ?

 

[Clippy]

Yes their marketing is shit, they need to make everyone stars and not put the weight of their company on the very few.

 

[Tormund]

Nice subtle trolling, Artem Lobov.

 

[Tormund]

Yes their marketing is shit, they need to make everyone stars and not put the weight of their company on the very few.

You can't just make everybody a star, if they could then they would because it means A LOT more money. People like McGregor & Rousey were creating a buzz for themselves long before they were PPV stars.

 

[riitzni]

You cans have no idea how marketing works.

 

[Dublin]

Nice subtle trolling, Artem Lobov.

His record is much much better than Sages as are his credentials. Just used him as an example.

 

[Tormund]

His record is much much better than Sages as are his credentials. Just used him as an example.

-500 with zero decent wins?

 

[Dublin]

You cans have no idea how marketing works.

Ok explain it to me?

 

[CJohnny]

Page from Bellator would be a huge star.

Not sure why they didn't contract him yet. A fight with Lawler would be great, and he would win.

 

[ALAN PARTRIDGE]

no.

 

[Dublin]

Page from Bellator would be a huge star.

Not sure why they didn't contract him yet. A fight with Lawler would be great, and he would win.

I think he'll make his way over eventually but he is a star at bellator and gets to crush cans for money. Unknown if he can make it in UFC and unless he gets wins he won't be very marketable. I don't think he talks that much

 

[Fincher7]

Paige is a good investment. I'm not sold on Sage.

 

[CJohnny]

I think he'll make his way over eventually but he is a star at bellator and gets to crush cans for money. Unknown if he can make it in UFC and unless he gets wins he won't be very marketable. I don't think he talks that much

His fights and the way he act in them is what matters. This dude is like Anderson but way more un predictable than him which says a lot.

I'm sure he would do well. Put him in striking fights only and he would win most of them. A fight with Thompson would be something else.

 

[Darwinambrosius]

 

[Thepaintbucket]

What kind of risk are we talking about here? They aren't paying them that much.

By just going off Sherdog, it's pretty apparent their popularity is working out.

 

[riitzni]

Ok explain it to me?

You don't build promotional juggernauts out of nobodies that train all day and then go home to have a beer and watch Matlock. There has to be something special about them, something that separates them from the pack. They have to be able to draw attention to themselves, be tireless self promoters, spend as much or more hours trying to secure endorsements and sponsorships as they do boxing. Being good looking helps, a lot. Saying outrageous things that grab headlines, having a natural charisma that comes through on camera. And just as critical as all of these things, they have to be champion material, preferably undefeated. They've gotta be working ten times harder than everyone else all the time.

It's a rare, perfect storm of a person that all of these things collide in. Some of the people you listed have one or none of those qualities that can turn them into a superstar. Why do you think they were heavily behind Conor almost from day one? They knew right away they had something special. Those are the kind of people they're going to throw their weight behind. Both Paige and Sage would be blowing up right now if they'd continued winning but they didn't. Even someone like Khabib is only part of the puzzle - he's definitely champion material but his English is kind of hilarious and he'd probably rather be in the mountains and/or fasting than spending 12 hours a day doing promo work.

 

[DoctorTaco]

Sage doesn't like to get hit? No kidding, no one likes to get hit.

 

[Amst3rdam]

lobov, stop posting

 

[MPD-Psycho]

They're marketed for the spectacle/sports entertainment crowd, independent (but not mutually exclusive) from the pure competition crowd. So yeah it all works out fine.

 

[milk man]

Sage Northcutt and Paige VanZant are two fighters who have been given a lot of attention and money by the UFC due to their looks. We all know it's not because of their fight records or skill. So what I'm wondering is are the UFC taking a huge risk on these guys? Paige will never be a good fighter and if she ever gets a chance to be a reality TV star she will jump at the chance. Sage has potential but that's all it is now and he has already shown he doesn't like to get hit. Why are the UFC putting money into these fighters when they could be investing in fighters that have actually made a name for themselves in MMA like Sterling, Kevin Lee, Shevchenko, Artem Lobov etc. ?

Kevin Lee? Sterling??? You're SJW