Is it even possible for Bellator to overpass UFC?

MMAProfessional

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Seems like casuals only respect UFC winners. Chandler had no hype KOing fools in Bellator then smashes Hooker who is very good but not great. Now he's the next best thing. Eddie became champ but Bellator never got credit for being their former champ. Seems like everyone will be second fiddle unfortunately.
 
Seems like casuals only respect UFC winners. Chandler had no hype KOing fools in Bellator then smashes Hooker who is very good but not great. Now he's the next best thing. Eddie became champ but Bellator never got credit for being their former champ. Seems like everyone will be second fiddle unfortunately.
no
 
Yes it is possible. If majority of elite fighters move to Bellator, people would stop looking at it that way. That simple really. Will it happen? probably not. Can it happen? yes. So yep its possible
 
No. Bellator doesn't do enough to differentiate itself from the UFC and most people are just content with watching the UFC
 
Yes if we see the pink good wearing a mask while alone in his car, all of us manly not sheeplike mma fans will make the jump to mvp fighting people with no Wikipedia pages 10 years into his career!
 
Bellator will never overtake the UFC as a promotion.

They can make a case for having some better champions but, even then, that won't last long. The UFC has the money and name recognition.

Then again, at one time, nobody thought that the UFC could ever surpass PRIDE. PRIDE vs UFC debates back then went pretty much how UFC vs Bellator debates go today.
 
Their ratings are garbage. They’re a second rate outfit. And they’ll always be viewed that way by most people. No matter how many UFC castoffs they sign. When I tune in it’s usually just a waste of time.
 
No. Bellator doesn't do enough to differentiate itself from the UFC and most people are just content with watching the UFC
PFL is at least changing the game. Point tournament system, AI cage. Still don't see it as surpassing UFC due to funds but they are at least going for it by bringing new opportunities.
 
The only thing I could think of would be something completely earth-shaking, like a conspiracy of fixed fights, a string of fighters dying in-cage as a result of negligence, etc....

Not just the usual grime from prize fighting, but true catastrophes.

And honestly, even then...I'm kind of doubtful.
 
No, the UFC will always be the biggest MMA promotion in the world. As far as Bellator is concerned they will most likely always be number 2 and there’s honestly nothing wrong with that at all! I think they should try and get on a diff channel for sure a lot of people have Showtime
 
It's possible, but not in the way it's heading right now. First off the name: Bellator - they would increase their viewership by 200% in one night if they just changed the name alone. Something "Strikeforce" type of cool. Bellator sounds fucking terrible.
 
PFL is at least changing the game. Point tournament system, AI cage. Still don't see it as surpassing UFC due to funds but they are at least going for it by bringing new opportunities.
I don't see anyone taking the #1 spot but there's enough room in the MMA space for a different flavor to find their niche and own it
 
Being on an exclusive channel like Showtime and/or ppv and UFC name recognition insulates Bellator from the general public. Open it up to a bigger audience. Old school WWF with its Saturday Night Main Events and Sunday morning shows on regular channels reached 2 different audiences and fueled rapid growth.
 
If some big time investors started pouring money in it and took a bunch of well known UFC guys they could. Basically do what Zuffa did to UFC with Bellator.
 
They'd have their work cut out from them. Even people who have never watched the UFC or a single MMA fight know what it is - that it exists. It really is household name in terms of brand recognition. Bellator, not so much.

Heck, Joe Rogan has singlehandedly promoted the UFC 10x more effectively than Bellator and every dollar it has ever spent to advertise and promote itself.
 
Talent wise yes. They are signing way better fighters than UFC lately

But ratings nope. UFC has the name recognition and it will be nearly impossible for any other promotion to overpass it.
 
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