Is Ronda "saving" the UFC?

[OneBoredColeman]

Let's be real here, UFC before 189 was not at their highest point ever. I don't think they were necessarily in bad shape but they definitely did suffer from lower ppv buys because of the absence of stars like GSP, Anderson, Brock, etc.

But now with the prominence of social media and everyone on Ronda hype train, I've never seen my facebook filled with status updates of people talking about ufc until last weekend where everyibe was going #RONDA and girls even being "ronda is my hero" etc.

I think people are getting more and more interested in the sport, especially seeing Ronda dominate people in less than a minute.

 

[Irishwhiskey119]

UFC won't die.

It had a rocky start but will always be great. It's getting more and more popular internationally and new stars will always rise up to replace old ones. Your interest does not equate to the millions of other people.

 

[BRASIL WAND]

Shes nothing but a fad at the moment. But at least with such a thin division and a little ducking on Rondas part its smart for the UFC to push her. US fans are very fickle, Football season is around the corner so much of the trendy social media junk on her will pipe down a bit.

 

[RafailNadull]

Ronda is huge. MMA's biggest star ever at this point. More Mainstream than anyone involved in MMA has ever been. The face of MMA.

It's up to men's MMA (MMMA) to produce a star now that can rival her, else MMA will take over.

 

[Cooliox]

Let's be real here, UFC before 189 was not at their highest point ever.

No not really.

 

[DeathByBeer]

She's bringing in different fans for sure.

I have friends who couldnt name three MMA fighters if their lives depended on it...but they wanted to get together and watch Ronda fight this weekend.

It was by far the least interesting fight on the main card with the outcome basically known months ago, and I told them as much.

But if it brings in a new big group of ultra casual MMA fans, even retaining 1 in a 100 of them after she goes away is still better than nothing.

 

[Towelie by TKO]

The UFC is saving the UFC. Ronda and Conor are just two of their tools for doing so.

 

[EliteLurker]

Shes nothing but a fad at the moment. But at least with such a thin division and a little ducking on Rondas part its smart for the UFC to push her. US fans are very fickle, Football season is around the corner so much of the trendy social media junk on her will pipe down a bit.

You are right, fans are fickle. But Brock was a fad, Ronda is a supernova the likes MMA has never seen. Despite her PPV buys, she gets more coverage and more airtime than anyone ever. That's not a fad, it's a planet with its own gravitational pull.

 

[jjresq]

Ronda recent popularity is not helping the Ufc the way they would hope it would be people are only tuning in for her fights they dont care for anything else

 

[Zimo]

No, Conor saved the UFC you muppet

 

[jx820]

Saving, not really. The UFC is bigger and more wide spread then they have ever been. That stated Rousey is certainly helping.

Conor may be the biggest star with MMA fans, but Ronda is far and away the biggest star when it comes to the general public. That may not motivate many PPV buys in and of itself (e.g. my mom and sisters love Ronda and follow her career, but don't buy PPVs to see her), but it does push the sport into the mainstream.