Is Bellator in Dana Whites head?

KantoTerror said:
Bellator should capitalize on UFC's mistake. should've went after Fitch and Okami.

They ve just hired KONGO!
 
Until they start taking big names from ufc I doubt he cares much about them
 
Curran is a top 5 FW... Pitbull is probably top 15.

Probably top 15?! Who are the 14 or so guys above him?

Oh and for a probably top 15 fighter Patricio took the top 5 fighter to the wire.
 
It's one of his major competitors so I would guess that it is.
 
Why do I get the feeling that if Rampage/Tito was headlining a UFC card, loads more would buy it? Does a different logo on screen mean that much to people?

Yes, of course it does. That's why the UFC has built itself the way it did, so that the UFC would be bigger than any one fighter (or at least with that goal). The UFC has worked to brand itself as the premier fighting organization. Anyone who isn't the UFC, then, is to be looked at as not good enough to be in the UFC, or, if they were good enough at one time, as past their prime.
 
I personally thought it was that Latin America Fox Sports deal with Bellator that had him agitated. I know it is different markets and what not but it still has ties to the UFC/Fox Sports.
 
I think they've sprinkled their own roster with a few well picked former ufc fighters to get the ufc fans to tune in who wouldn't watch before because they didnt recognize anyone. 90% of the fights are between homegrown bellator talent

That may be true, but, to use last week's card as an example, they had Kongo and Lavar Johnson in the two main event and co-main event. UFC castoffs getting the spotlight over the homegrown talent. If that's bringing in ratings so that people are exposed to the homegrown talent that's one thing, but I don't know that it is.

It's the same with the PPV. The real main event of this PPV is Chandler/Alvarez 2. If I buy it, it will be for that fight and I would imagine the same can be said for the majority of posters. Hopefully Rampage and Tito's names are big enough to pull in a few extra fans who are only familiar wit the UFC. I kind of doubt it, though.
 
Bingo

The problem with Bellator is that they've differed from their original, successful model. Their philosophy of building talent was becoming more and more prosperous. However, it seems there was a shift in direction and they were more so trying to be like any other MMA organization as a means of competing with the UFC...But we all know what happens when other organizations competed with the UFC


tombstone.jpg

hahaha never seen this. Hilarious.
 
If Dana is bashing them, it's probably because it seems pretty lame that their 1st PPV is headlined b 2 old, UFC castoffs. I think they kind of embarresed themselves by not having a PPV featuring their own fighters. Shows they don't trust the star power of their own guys.
 
Probably top 15?! Who are the 14 or so guys above him?

Oh and for a probably top 15 fighter Patricio took the top 5 fighter to the wire.

ok

Aldo
Mendes
Curran
Lamas
KZ
Swanson
Edgar
Poirer
D. Elkins
N. Lentz
Koch
Hioki
Guida
Siver

Id put Pitbull in the Lentz to Siver region so I'd say top 15 is dead on.

And the Curran v Pitbull fight was not that close IMO.
 
This is off topic, but I just realized that Rampage headlined 5 PPVs in a row while not being the champion. Jardine, Rashad, Machida, Hamill, Jones (challenging for title). That's gotta be a record.
 
ok

Aldo
Mendes
Curran
Lamas
KZ
Swanson
Edgar
Poirer
D. Elkins
N. Lentz
Koch
Hioki
Guida
Siver

Id put Pitbull in the Lentz to Siver region so I'd say top 15 is dead on.

And the Curran v Pitbull fight was not that close IMO.

I took you saying probably like you were doubting to even get him in your top 15. I have him around 6-8.
 
Why do I get the feeling that if Rampage/Tito was headlining a UFC card, loads more would buy it? Does a different logo on screen mean that much to people?

Branding does matter. If it didn't companies wouldn't spend billions on it.

But there is more to it than the logo in the corner of the screen. A UFC PPV would have a better undercard, it would get more promotion, and the winner of the fight would be going somewhere in the rankings. Rampage vs Tito is pretty much the pinnacle in Bellator right now. That could change but for now it's the truth.
 
I took you saying probably like you were doubting to even get him in your top 15. I have him around 6-8.

No, I wasn't discrediting Pitbull at all. I just used 15 because I figured that was about as low as he should be ranked. Shouldn't have used the word "probably" as that made it seem like that would be the highest I'd put him.
 
Branding does matter. If it didn't companies wouldn't spend billions on it.

But there is more to it than the logo in the corner of the screen. A UFC PPV would have a better undercard, it would get more promotion, and the winner of the fight would be going somewhere in the rankings. Rampage vs Tito is pretty much the pinnacle in Bellator right now. That could change but for now it's the truth.

The undercard is pretty good, actually. Chandler/Alvarez is the real main event. King Mo and Newton for the interim LHW title. Pat Curran defends the FW title. Rampage/Tito is probably the worst fight on the card.
 
This is off topic, but I just realized that Rampage headlined 5 PPVs in a row while not being the champion. Jardine, Rashad, Machida, Hamill, Jones (challenging for title). That's gotta be a record.

Actually Tito did 7 in a row as a non-champ. The last one was for the belt but Chuck was defending.

Chuck Liddell UFC 66 - Liddell vs. Ortiz 2
Ken Shamrock UFC - The Final Chapter
Ken Shamrock UFC 61 - Bitter Rivals
Forrest Griffin UFC 59 - Reality Check
Vitor Belfort UFC 51 - Super Saturday
Patrick Cote UFC 50 - The War of '04
Chuck Liddell UFC 47 - It's On

Not sure if that's a record but I think it might be. Someone else wanna dig out Chuck and Randy?
 
In interviews people generally respond to questions, so if Dana is talking about Bellator more in interviews it's because he's being asked about them more. Maybe he's getting a little sick of it.
 
The undercard is pretty good, actually. Chandler/Alvarez is the real main event. King Mo and Newton for the interim LHW title. Pat Curran defends the FW title. Rampage/Tito is probably the worst fight on the card.

That does look pretty good. I'm sold.
 
Why do I get the feeling that if Rampage/Tito was headlining a UFC card, loads more would buy it? Does a different logo on screen mean that much to people?

Sadly, the average fan it will mean everything. The average person knows that the UFC brand, but most people do not know the Bellator brand. Only MMA fans usually know both. There are just random joes that will by UFC cards, but they may or may not even be aware of this Bellator PPV. It's pretty fucking stupid, but it's also the same reason people choose to eat a large chain restaurants over locally owned restaurants.
 
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