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No one can argue that the UFC has not rapidly changed in the last few years.
The only consistency in the divisions has been Mighty Mouse. Every other champion has been dispatched. It’s almost as if a reset button has been hit on the divisions.
The uniforms are completely different. The way signings are happening is completely different. Promotion is different. Broadcasting is different.
I think all these differences have been part of a long-term plan to sell the UFC overseas.
Drastic Changes In Weight Class Focus
One of the most interesting changes that has happened recently has been the large shift in weight class promotion.
For many years, light heavyweight and heavyweight were the weight classes in MMA.
Today, that is not the case. The UFC has placed much of the focus on lighter weight classes. All eyes are on the 145-pound division. Female divisions have been added. There is talk a men’s 115-pound division.
The heavyweight division itself is filled with older fighters. Not for a lack of talent, either. See the thread in Worldwide for a huge list of great fighters that could be signed.
This leads me to believe they are trying to appeal to a specific region of the world where there are few heavyweights: Asia.
Production As The Product, Not Fighters
Another occurrence in the UFC is that the product of the UFC is no longer fighters. It's the production of the promotion instead.
With the recent departure of Benson Henderson and other popular fighters to different promotions, it is clear to me that the UFC does not care for the focus to ever be on fighters.
The UFC does not want people to tune in to see one fighter or another. They want people to tune in to see a specific style of MMA production and promotion.
This is evidenced by many fighters simply being tossed to the side when they have run their course. GSP is a perfect example of this, in my opinion. Despite being a company man for many years, they were content with throwing him to the side when they had no more use for him.
By shifting to selling the UFC as a product and no longer selling fighters as a product, it would appeal to foreign buyers.
The new owners would not have to worry about retaining specific fighters if the market tuned in for the UFC, not for any one fighter.
There will always be specific fighters promoted, and there is a need for specific fighters to be promoted short term, but compare how UFC promotes the event and how Pride promoted fighters.
The Conors, Rondas, Sages, and Paiges of the world are used for the UFC's short term gain to boost numbers in 2015 and 2016.
Everything Is Becoming Generic
Again, this leads me to believe the UFC wants less marketing to be placed on any fighter and more emphasis on the show as a whole.
Fighter posters now look exactly the same to the point even Conor McGregor complained about it.
Fighter uniforms are now exactly the same with the Reebok deal, despite many fighters against it and clear backlash from dedicated fans.
Fight promos are exactly the same.
The more generic the UFC becomes, the easier it would be for a different company to run and handle things.
If the UFC creates a status quo that the market comes to expect which is entirely generic, a new owner would have no time doing more of the same.
Personalities Are Being Replaced Often
Just a few years ago, Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg were the voices of the UFC. While that is still true to an extent today, we are seeing a wide range of different announcers and personalities.
With a constant change of personalities, the UFC can effectively phase out expectations in production.
Once people acclimate to the commentators changing every card, no one will complain when a specific aspect of production is gone. Just like placing fighters in uniforms, the UFC is making other personalities generic.
Without being tied to any specific commentator or personality, a shift to new owners means it doesn't matter if Rogan (or anyone) throws a fit. The fans won't care because they no longer expect to see Rogan every time.
There Is A Hard Push For Globalization
Clearly the UFC is trying as hard as they can to expand their product across the globe. They are opening shows in new countries all the time, especially in the European markets.
They have created shows in Asia recently, such as the Philippines and Korea. One area they have not reached, though, is China.
China is not known for having a huge MMA scene right now, but that does not mean Asia is not filled with other promotions. ONE Championship does well in Asia. Road FC is growing. Rizin was recently formed.
With China lacking a real competitor in MMA, what could be more appealing than a buyout to instantly own the largest MMA promotion in the world?
Not only does the recent globalization of MMA make buying the UFC more lucrative, it means all the departments, systems, and talent that have been in place for other countries will also work to expand the UFC into China.
By purchasing the UFC as the company expands all over the globe, Chinese buyers would have no problem continuing that expansion into China.
We See Less Of Dana As President
Dana is becoming less important as a President of the UFC. He has already done his job extremely well. He brought the UFC to places that no one expected MMA to go. He got the investors, he built a huge brand, and he has spearheaded the new UFC model.
He is no longer needed for the UFC like he was in the past. It is the perfect chance for him to step out and be someone on the sidelines than to be an actual promoter or president.
Sholler, among others, often take care of press conferences and media scrums now. Dana plays reality TV with The Tooth and Serra which makes me think he is ready to transition into a different role, not as president.
Current Success Is A Peak
We all know that the UFC has grown in the last year. The rapid rise of Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor broke many records. But they have lost.
On paper, the numbers have steadily climbed and projections would look amazing. To an outside company, especially some type of investment firm overseas that pays little attention to the actual fighters, the UFC is only going to keep breaking records.
With UFC 200 right around the corner, that will probably hold true yet again. Records will likely break with UFC 200 and the first event in New York. This will make the UFC model look extremely strong for at least 2016.
But actual MMA fans know that Conor's hype could likely be crushed with another loss at UFC 200. MMA fans know UFC NYC is a one-time special event.
The numbers for 2015 were extremely hot because of Ronda and Conor. The numbers for 2016 will continue that trend. But the numbers for 2017 may look much worse in comparison.
If the UFC wanted to sell, they know that 2015 and 2016 will provide perfect data on paper. Realizing that this success may not duplicate in the next few years - especially as the FOX deal coming to an end - Dana and the Fertittas may know that if they were ever going to sell, there is no better time to start talks than the end of 2016.
The UFC's new model, the generic promotion, the rapid global expansion, the (potentially) limited recent success, and treatment of personalities make me believe they could potentially sell as early as Q1 2017.
The only consistency in the divisions has been Mighty Mouse. Every other champion has been dispatched. It’s almost as if a reset button has been hit on the divisions.
The uniforms are completely different. The way signings are happening is completely different. Promotion is different. Broadcasting is different.
I think all these differences have been part of a long-term plan to sell the UFC overseas.
Drastic Changes In Weight Class Focus
One of the most interesting changes that has happened recently has been the large shift in weight class promotion.
For many years, light heavyweight and heavyweight were the weight classes in MMA.
Today, that is not the case. The UFC has placed much of the focus on lighter weight classes. All eyes are on the 145-pound division. Female divisions have been added. There is talk a men’s 115-pound division.
The heavyweight division itself is filled with older fighters. Not for a lack of talent, either. See the thread in Worldwide for a huge list of great fighters that could be signed.
This leads me to believe they are trying to appeal to a specific region of the world where there are few heavyweights: Asia.
Production As The Product, Not Fighters
Another occurrence in the UFC is that the product of the UFC is no longer fighters. It's the production of the promotion instead.
With the recent departure of Benson Henderson and other popular fighters to different promotions, it is clear to me that the UFC does not care for the focus to ever be on fighters.
The UFC does not want people to tune in to see one fighter or another. They want people to tune in to see a specific style of MMA production and promotion.
This is evidenced by many fighters simply being tossed to the side when they have run their course. GSP is a perfect example of this, in my opinion. Despite being a company man for many years, they were content with throwing him to the side when they had no more use for him.
By shifting to selling the UFC as a product and no longer selling fighters as a product, it would appeal to foreign buyers.
The new owners would not have to worry about retaining specific fighters if the market tuned in for the UFC, not for any one fighter.
There will always be specific fighters promoted, and there is a need for specific fighters to be promoted short term, but compare how UFC promotes the event and how Pride promoted fighters.
The Conors, Rondas, Sages, and Paiges of the world are used for the UFC's short term gain to boost numbers in 2015 and 2016.
Everything Is Becoming Generic
Again, this leads me to believe the UFC wants less marketing to be placed on any fighter and more emphasis on the show as a whole.
Fighter posters now look exactly the same to the point even Conor McGregor complained about it.
Fighter uniforms are now exactly the same with the Reebok deal, despite many fighters against it and clear backlash from dedicated fans.
Fight promos are exactly the same.
The more generic the UFC becomes, the easier it would be for a different company to run and handle things.
If the UFC creates a status quo that the market comes to expect which is entirely generic, a new owner would have no time doing more of the same.
Personalities Are Being Replaced Often
Just a few years ago, Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg were the voices of the UFC. While that is still true to an extent today, we are seeing a wide range of different announcers and personalities.
With a constant change of personalities, the UFC can effectively phase out expectations in production.
Once people acclimate to the commentators changing every card, no one will complain when a specific aspect of production is gone. Just like placing fighters in uniforms, the UFC is making other personalities generic.
Without being tied to any specific commentator or personality, a shift to new owners means it doesn't matter if Rogan (or anyone) throws a fit. The fans won't care because they no longer expect to see Rogan every time.
There Is A Hard Push For Globalization
Clearly the UFC is trying as hard as they can to expand their product across the globe. They are opening shows in new countries all the time, especially in the European markets.
They have created shows in Asia recently, such as the Philippines and Korea. One area they have not reached, though, is China.
China is not known for having a huge MMA scene right now, but that does not mean Asia is not filled with other promotions. ONE Championship does well in Asia. Road FC is growing. Rizin was recently formed.
With China lacking a real competitor in MMA, what could be more appealing than a buyout to instantly own the largest MMA promotion in the world?
Not only does the recent globalization of MMA make buying the UFC more lucrative, it means all the departments, systems, and talent that have been in place for other countries will also work to expand the UFC into China.
By purchasing the UFC as the company expands all over the globe, Chinese buyers would have no problem continuing that expansion into China.
We See Less Of Dana As President
Dana is becoming less important as a President of the UFC. He has already done his job extremely well. He brought the UFC to places that no one expected MMA to go. He got the investors, he built a huge brand, and he has spearheaded the new UFC model.
He is no longer needed for the UFC like he was in the past. It is the perfect chance for him to step out and be someone on the sidelines than to be an actual promoter or president.
Sholler, among others, often take care of press conferences and media scrums now. Dana plays reality TV with The Tooth and Serra which makes me think he is ready to transition into a different role, not as president.
Current Success Is A Peak
We all know that the UFC has grown in the last year. The rapid rise of Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor broke many records. But they have lost.
On paper, the numbers have steadily climbed and projections would look amazing. To an outside company, especially some type of investment firm overseas that pays little attention to the actual fighters, the UFC is only going to keep breaking records.
With UFC 200 right around the corner, that will probably hold true yet again. Records will likely break with UFC 200 and the first event in New York. This will make the UFC model look extremely strong for at least 2016.
But actual MMA fans know that Conor's hype could likely be crushed with another loss at UFC 200. MMA fans know UFC NYC is a one-time special event.
The numbers for 2015 were extremely hot because of Ronda and Conor. The numbers for 2016 will continue that trend. But the numbers for 2017 may look much worse in comparison.
If the UFC wanted to sell, they know that 2015 and 2016 will provide perfect data on paper. Realizing that this success may not duplicate in the next few years - especially as the FOX deal coming to an end - Dana and the Fertittas may know that if they were ever going to sell, there is no better time to start talks than the end of 2016.
The UFC's new model, the generic promotion, the rapid global expansion, the (potentially) limited recent success, and treatment of personalities make me believe they could potentially sell as early as Q1 2017.
