Interim titles are about PPV sales

[dmwalking]

Let's discuss.

The way I see it, the UFC is a business and a good deal of their revenue comes from PPV sales. It's tough to sell a PPV to a casual Buffalo Wild Wings fan with a non title fight or a WMMA title fight. So they're going to find a way to cash in by making up interim titles so they can sell a PPV since half these dudes refuse to actually defend their titles.

Does it diminish the value of the belt? In my opinion, yes. Absolutely. But the casual fan doesn't know who the hell the champ is. My coworkers try to bond with me by talking about MMA and they have no clue. They still think Conor is champ. Some still think Jon Jones is champ. Some guys think Floyd would beat Conor in full MMA rules. The average viewer doesn't know and really doesn't care.

Hardcore fans pirate the PPV's. Let's be honest.

That's why we have our Brock Lesnars. They sell PPVs. That's why we have CM Punks. That's why Conor throws hand trucks at buses. They're trying to sell PPV's. Hardcore fans be damned.

So, until MMA is a truly mainstream sport with names that ring bells like Mayweather or Pacquiao, the UFC is going to have to rely on trash marketing tactics to gain public interest.

The biggest name in MMA right now is Conor. Khabib is a blip on the radar.

Until champs start to consistently defend their titles and start finishing or giving us great spectacles of violence, we're going to have a tough time.

 

[wilKO]

Creating an interim title can turn a normal 150,000 PPV sales into a whopping 175,000 PPVs. We need more interim titles. I think there are still some guys in the UFC without one.

 

[Ruv]

How about regional titles?

Imagine Michael Bisping becomes the first UFC European Champion MW
Cain comes back from injury to win the inaugural UFC Central American HW Title, while Francis N becomes the UFC Africa HW Champion.
Cowboy finally becomes a UFC Champ and wins the North American WW Title.
etc.

 

[MMAProfessional]

Don't care about belts. Hand everyone IDCC. Give me the best fighting the best that's all I ask.

 

[RJ43]

 

[BRaVo cHoKe]

How about regional titles?

Imagine Michael Bisping becomes the first UFC European Champion MW
Cain comes back from injury to win the inaugural UFC Central American HW Title, while Francis N becomes the UFC Africa HW Champion.
Cowboy finally becomes a UFC Champ and wins the North American WW Title.
etc.

OMG YES!!!

Regional titles can work just like interim titles except there would be 7-8 concurrent ones and only regional champs can challenge for the World title.

To become regional champ you have to first become a Sub-regional champion.

To become Sub-regional champ you have to first become a Provincial champion.

To become Provincial champ you have to first become a District champion.

To become District champ you have to first become a Municipal champion.

To become Municipal champ you have to win a yearly 8 man tournament.

 

[ThatGuy7698]

OMG YES!!!

Regional titles can work just like interim titles except there would be 7-8 concurrent ones and only regional champs can challenge for the title.

To become regional champ you have to first become a Sub-regional champion.

To become Sub-regional champ you have to first become a Provincial champion.

To become Provincial champ you have to first become a District champion.

To become District champ you have to first become a Municipal champion.

To become Municipal champ you have to win a yearly 8 man tournament.

That sounds like a clusterfuck.

 

[Breaking]

They need to start doing intercontinental championships...

 

[Espresso]

I feel like in the history of the UFC there have been many guys as big as Conor McGregor, or close to it. These guys used their Fame to improve overall popularity of the sport, in the other hand, Conor McGregor has not helped anybody but himself.

Conor McGregor losing the title to the eagle would have been huge for the UFC's popularity. But McGregor never allowed it. Imagine Chuck Liddell would have retired before he lost the title?

 

[BRaVo cHoKe]

That sounds like a clusterfuck.

You lack vision. Just Imagine.

 

[Spacelord13]

I’m really starting to hate that word. Think back a decade or so. ITs seemed very few and far between.

The last few years it is practically an everyday occurrence. Mind you, there were not nearly as many divisions a decade ago.

Edit. Autocorrect spelling error.

 

[UL]

Let's discuss.

The way I see it, the UFC is a business and a good deal of their revenue comes from PPV sales. It's tough to sell a PPV to a casual Buffalo Wild Wings fan with a non title fight or a WMMA title fight. So they're going to find a way to cash in by making up interim titles so they can sell a PPV since half these dudes refuse to actually defend their titles.

Does it diminish the value of the belt? In my opinion, yes. Absolutely. But the casual fan doesn't know who the hell the champ is. My coworkers try to bond with me by talking about MMA and they have no clue. They still think Conor is champ. Some still think Jon Jones is champ. Some guys think Floyd would beat Conor in full MMA rules. The average viewer doesn't know and really doesn't care.

Hardcore fans pirate the PPV's. Let's be honest.

That's why we have our Brock Lesnars. They sell PPVs. That's why we have CM Punks. That's why Conor throws hand trucks at buses. They're trying to sell PPV's. Hardcore fans be damned.

So, until MMA is a truly mainstream sport with names that ring bells like Mayweather or Pacquiao, the UFC is going to have to rely on trash marketing tactics to gain public interest.

The biggest name in MMA right now is Conor. Khabib is a blip on the radar.

Until champs start to consistently defend their titles and start finishing or giving us great spectacles of violence, we're going to have a tough time.

well done

 

[ThatGuy7698]

You lack vision. Just Imagine.

Ok, you sold me.

 

[Kinger85]

I live my life refusing to acknowledge interim titles. They don't exist in my world.

It's a great world to live in.

 

[Danespina]

I think interim titles just confuse anyone trying to get into MMA. Maybe there's a short term gain, but overall it dimishes the product and makes it harder to get hooked into for good.

Telling a casual these two will fight the champion works much better than trying to explain what the hell a interim title is and why one is nessesary. F that.

 

[Char Jawz]

It doesn't just benefit PPV sales, but fighter pay for those fighting for Interim Belts. Why do you think most fighters are gung ho about fighting for a fake belt?

 

[dmwalking]

Don't get me wrong. I hate interim belts. I'm an OG. I've been watching UFC since I was 12 back in 94 on those illegal cable black boxes and VHS tapes. I've watched the sport grow and I love it. It's the only sport I love. But, I get why WME does what they do. In the end, it's a business and it can't be sustained by just hard core fans. UFC needs more fighters and less athletes to get the momentum going again.

 

[KingBeef]

We need Oprah Winfrey out there to give em to everybody.