How big is the gap between boxing and MMA now and what needs to be done to close it?

[Jamie Thomson]

I'm not sure MMA will ever come close to the popularity of boxing, but I'm looking for numbers between now and say five or 10 years ago: PPV, gate numbers, fighter pay. I know the latter has certainly gone up at least.

One theory is that it's the WWE/entertainment side of MMA that holds it back, not adhering seriously enough to divisions and belt defences, like not forcing McGregor to defend against Edgar and instead making match ups that the fans and fighters want or the freakshow fights but maybe it's as simple as boxing being far more one-dimensional for the majority and MMA being too "complicated".

Although I've heard people complain about MMA being too violent or it "being boring because it's just two blokes wresting on the ground".

What do you think needs to be done to close the gap and do you think it will ever be as or more popular than boxing or forever in its shadow?

 

[Pls Respond]

MMA needs a real Mayweather who isn't a yes men/women like Conor/Ronda.


Who doesn't bend over for the fertita bros/Dana.


Fedor is the closest we ever got to that.

 

[sadclown]

I'm not sure MMA will ever come close to the popularity of boxing, but I'm looking for numbers between now and say five or 10 years ago: PPV, gate numbers, fighter pay. I know the latter has certainly gone up at least.

One theory is that it's the WWE/entertainment side of MMA that holds it back, not adhering seriously enough to divisions and belt defences, like not forcing McGregor to defend against Edgar and instead making match ups that the fans and fighters want or the freakshow fights but maybe it's as simple as boxing being far more one-dimensional for the majority and MMA being too "complicated".

Although I've heard people complain about MMA being too violent or it "being boring because it's just two blokes wresting on the ground".

What do you think needs to be done to close the gap and do you think it will ever be as or more popular than boxing or forever in its shadow?

MMA's infrastructure needs to be changed. Right now the industry operates like the old Hollywood system, where the studios own the stars, and only a few studios dominated. Called it a monopoly or an oligarchy if you will.

In MMA, only one organization dominates, the UFC, so the industry is even more rigid and controlled.

Liberalization is required for MMA to break out and gain more popularity. It starts at the root, the infrastructure.

The UFC has done a great job for MMA. The UFC is also holding back MMA.

 

[johncola]

MMA just needs to stick around. That's what'll help it catch up to boxing. The biggest advantage boxing has over MMA is that it's been around and popular for so long that it's ingrained into society. More people know what boxing is, and more people train boxing.

 

[Abezal]

Nothing, mma is not boxing and will never be.

Like all fight sports 90% of the fools that enter are broke and fucked up.

Why give a fuck? nobody cares about some can in boxing making a living getting ktfo 10 times a year.

 

[scurdhomey]

More orgs, fighters becoming real contractors and signing open contracts or per fight contracts only.

More mainstream sponsors, fighters in commercials, better merchandise, etc.

 

[Brockster]

For starters I think the UFCs monopoly is the biggest obstacle. The general public doesn't care about MMA they care about the UFC. The UFC needs more competition and less power.

 

[legatoblues]

There are plenty of people out there that think UFC / MMA is still bare knuckle, no rules.

 

[Filthy Phil]

I disagree.
If the UFC (or MMA in general) didn't include building hype and marketing its fighters, and instead applied a more strict competitive model with rules regarding title shots etc, I think the sport would be a lot smaller than it is now. But still, look at the history of the sport; it's slowly but surely evolving into a more serious sport. Sure, phenomena such as Conor Mcgoober tend to tell a different story, but it's nothing more than an anomaly in bigger picture.

Furthermore, the sport is growing at a fast rate, and it has only been in the spotlight for a little more than a decade (the early days were nothing more than an obscurity to most people), whereas boxing has got more than a century behind it, so it's not surprising that it's a lot bigger.

If anything, I'd say that MMA will outgrow boxing in the long run. In my experience (I live in Sweden), MMA is a lot more popular than boxing among younger people. Heck, even in the gym where I train Muay Thai people watch MMA more than they watch Muay Thai.

 

[VulcanNervPinch]

Boxing has more viewers, because:

1) It's been around forever and is more established.
2) It has tons of black and tiny Asian & Hispanic fighters, so it has a huge following among blacks, Asians, and Hispanics.
3) The rules (and the action - ZZZzzzzz) are incredibly simple - punch someone until they fall down.

MMA is a newcomer. Only time will change this.
MMA doesn't have as many minorities. You can see how desperate Dana was to use Cain to crack Latino markets.
MMA rules and techniques are much more complicated - you can't just tune in by yourself, start watching, and immediately understand what's going on.

 

[HHJ]

they arent the same,they dont have the same history or culture. They should be viewed differently because MMA hasnt been around very long.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

Longevity. MMA will surpass boxing. Just needs time.

 

[FenoxSky]

Well, boxers would've to learn a lot of stuff.

 

[Blayt7hh]

I can't speak for the rest of the world but aside from once a year major events in the US, people really don't talk much about boxing here. I would say that MMA is already more popular here

 

[Mochan]

To make MMA as big as boxing the UFC "monopoly" has to be broken.

Other orgs need to become as big as the UFC. It's because of the UFC's dark ages and monopolistic tendencies that lucrative markets like North America recognize UFC as the sport and not MMA itself.

Until that changes, no progress can be made.

The UFC is holding the sport back.

 

[HHJ]

To make MMA as big as boxing the UFC "monopoly" has to be broken.

Other orgs need to become as big as the UFC. It's because of the UFC's dark ages and monopolistic tendencies that lucrative markets like North America recognize UFC as the sport and not MMA itself.

Until that changes, no progress can be made.

The UFC is holding the sport back.

The sport i think will eventually overtake the UFC. The fact that top 10 ranked fighters can just go to bellator now as an option, is only the beggining

 

[kflo]

MMA needs a real Mayweather who isn't a yes men/women like Conor/Ronda.


Who doesn't bend over for the fertita bros/Dana.


Fedor is the closest we ever got to that.

lol. how is it that that's what mma needs?

 

[kflo]

MMA's infrastructure needs to be changed. Right now the industry operates like the old Hollywood system, where the studios own the stars, and only a few studios dominated. Called it a monopoly or an oligarchy if you will.

In MMA, only one organization dominates, the UFC, so the industry is even more rigid and controlled.

Liberalization is required for MMA to break out and gain more popularity. It starts at the root, the infrastructure.

The UFC has done a great job for MMA. The UFC is also holding back MMA.

that will not make it more popular.

 

[kflo]

For starters I think the UFCs monopoly is the biggest obstacle. The general public doesn't care about MMA they care about the UFC. The UFC needs more competition and less power.

the general public would care alot less about mma if they didn't have the ufc. you'd have a series of small shows.

 

[kflo]

I can't speak for the rest of the world but aside from once a year major events in the US, people really don't talk much about boxing here. I would say that MMA is already more popular here

agreed. harder to find a boxing gym as well.