Is Dana stacking 299 to counter program Ngannou's next fight?

[Crutchley29]

There isn't a card that Dana could put together that would rival an AJ/Ngannou fight tbh. The only way I see that happening is via Jones/Aspinall or a Conor McGregor title fight on the same night.

HW boxing is still the main attraction.

 

[KOPPE]

I wouldn't put it pass him but this is a big ppv but Dana doesn’t call the ALL the shots. He is just the voice, he’s the one who deals with the media and takes blame.

 

[Dr Fong]

There isn't a card that Dana could put together that would rival an AJ/Ngannou fight tbh. The only way I see that happening is via Jones/Aspinall or a Conor McGregor title fight on the same night.

HW boxing is still the main attraction.

You are very wrong. HW boxing is most certainly not the main attraction in the US PPV market and hasn't been since Lewis vs Tyson two decades ago. Wilder vs Fury 2, the biggest you will find in many years, did about 800,000 - and that involved an American fighter and had all the momentum from fight 1.

The UFC absolutely could put on events that would not only rival but blow out of the water a fight between two non-Americans in the US. AJ usually isn't even on US PPV and fights in the UK time slot.

For AJ it is all about the UK PPV market, where he dominates and the UFC usually doesn't even compete in. Does very well on German tv too. This is where the Saudis will focus. In the US they will hope it is a big media story rather than worrying about the PPVs, which will be degraded by the time slot like they were for Fury vs Ngannou.

And most boxing fans that were going to buy AJ/Francis won't give two shits about the UFC in the first place - the fanbases have a lot of segregation.

This is why counter-programming will be barely effective. Francis vs AJ is mainly a UK/Europe PPV/ratings event, UFC 299 is mainly a US PPV event.

 

[herpd807]

I don't think Dana cares about Ngannou. I can tell I certainly don't.

 

[sdpdude9]

I doubt it. I’d guess many fighters wanted on 300 and made themselves available around that time. Naturally not everybody can fit so many got deferred to this card. Whatever the reason, good card and I’m looking forward to it.

 

[PhotographyRaptor]

His dream was to box and he is living it, I don't see how that makes him a "greedy liar". Not sure why you threw capitalist in there, are you a commie? Do you have to be a commie to not be hated?

I dont see any reason to dislike the guy. He came from nothing, working in the sand mines, and at the age of 37 is finally doing what he dreamed of and succeeding at it. He's got an incredible story. What else does he need to do for you to not hate him?

To fight in a cage of some sort would make me like him better. As to his lying he made it out to be the UFC is doing me wrong and the PFL isn’t. At this point he has no PFL fights on the horizon and tbf his demands were quite preposterous. To be on the UFC board, to be some sort of ambassador for African mma, and quite frankly, pun intended, to box. I have no real problem with him maximizing his monetary potential but call a spade a spade for heavens sake. ”Dana” offered an adequate amount and he said no. He then led PFL on in hopes he could use them to further his boxing aspirations which he’s also done. Like I previously wrote he’s set for life and that’s cool for him. Good job Frank. He just was deceptive about his actual goals so yeah he’s a fraud in my opinion. Again he got what he wanted and, awesome sauce. To the comment about me being a potential red menace, i guess you missed where I wrote rightfully so in regards to securing the bag and his aspirations. I may have red hair and possibly be lacking a soul but I‘m definitely not a Lenin or Marx “nut hugger”. Dana maybe but he better wax or shave first. Oh yeah also wash, definitely that

 

[Ozze]

Well, let's hope Francis beats Joshua and fights Wilder then so we can get another stacked card.

Let's have Francis boxing big names every two months!

 

[Pequeño Corey]

It’s great for Big Frank though sucks for mma fans hence my dislike of the dude. I find him disingenuous and could always saw his pants were on fire. He doesn’t “own” the UFC though. Him fighting in and making the PFL more successful than Dana’s org would be owning them. This is just him proving he’s a lying greedy ass capitalist like the rest of us and rightfully so but all that fighting the good fight for the average mma fighter malarkey was a load of shit. He’s no better than Dana or Conor and all the smiling pics of him put on mma websites by hacks who couldn’t get a better writing gig (“journalists”) isn’t going to change my mind.

I’m not sure how sticking with the higher paying gig somehow makes Franc disingenuous. His goal was always to box, and he’s been up front about that from the beginning. I don’t see how fighting nobody’s in the PFL is somehow a more noble pursuit. If his contract with them is structured so that he doesn’t have to fight MMA, than shame on them for inking the deal. Franc could die tomorrow and he would have already accomplished a lot for fighter advocacy by simply standing up to Dana and highlighting how oppressive and unreasonable UFC contracts are.

 

[orca]

lol 60k ppv buys

/thread

 

[mjfan23]

Son it only will Francis be making crazy bank he’s forcing Dana to spend heavily as well?

Win win for Francis and other fighters

 

[Clark Rogers]

UFC counter programming competition?

 

[muaythaidon1]

lol 60k ppv buys

/thread

Lol Saudi's don't give a shit about PPV buys, close thread.

 

[spinup]

is is just him proving he’s a lying greedy ass capitalist like the rest of us and rightfully so but all that fighting the good fight for the average mma fighter malarkey was a load of shit. He’s no better than Dana or Conor and all the smiling pics of him put on mma websites by hacks who couldn’t get a better writing gig (“journalists”) isn’t going to change my mind.

The guy has done exactly what he has always said he would do: become a MMA a champ then go for boxing. He completed his UFC contract, left and signed a deal that allows him to box. Then he boxed.

Where is the lie?

 

[Domitian]

299 was deep already before the Francis AJ announcement. Dana just added BSD vs Poirier which isn't a shock since 299 only had 10 fights announced.

 

[Steve-French]

It's not even going to conflict. Those Saudi Boxing cards are on in the afternoon (EST) end way before the UFC prelims even start.

 

[markg171]

It was already stacked long before Francis' fight was announced.

Francis' fight is in Saudi Arabia so will be in the afternoon, not evening.

Francis' last boxing PPV did dogshit numbers, and he was never some big MMA draw either.

But enjoy your conspiracy theories.

 

[markg171]

The guy has done exactly what he has always said he would do: become a MMA a champ then go for boxing. He completed his UFC contract, left and signed a deal that allows him to box. Then he boxed.

Where is the lie?

I dunno, the part where his contract literally said he had to fight for PFL by summer 2024?

 

[Rio Ferdinand]

If he really wanted to top francis, he'd put Makhachev on the card.

 

[Dandy Chiggins]

Joshua vs ngannou will be finished before the prelims even start for 299.

Dana is working on making UFC 299 main card start early for that reason...

 

[markg171]

Lol Saudi's don't give a shit about PPV buys, close thread.

You do realize PPV buys count the amount of people who bought, AKA watched, the fight right? Not the money generated? 1 buy = at least 1 person.

The price per buy and therefore how much was generated in revenue by it is a completely separate thing. This thread is about people *watching* the events.

So yes, having the higher buy rate would be beating them.