It's pretty amazing how the UFC made WMMA somewhat popular

[Straightcross]

Every other form of female combat sports is pretty much dead in terms of popularity. Nobody cared about Holly Holm when she was still (kick)boxing or Rousey when she did Judo outside of the olympics

 

[Sonny Qc]

True, good marketing job no doubt.
The product is not bad tbh.
I enjoy most of the woman fight in the UFC.
joanna jedrzejczyk = awesome.

 

[Rampage_Jackson]

I hate it personally. Damn you Rousey.

 

[HHJ]

Joanna champion forever. War the Triplest R's

 

[Deleted member 429453]

The holly, rousey, Tate triangle is quite interesting, has produced a lot of legit excitement

 

[HUGHPHUG]

It has been marketed OK, certainly at 135.

UFC could easily have turned the other cheek and given it no recognition.

As they did for many many years. Just like with the lower weight classes. Where fighters had been putting in work for a long time and some fans had been supporting them for a long time, before the UFC decided to make money off of them

 

[stav]

Haters not going to admit it but its true.

 

[xP]

Yeah, but it makes sense. MMA has a different spectacle feel and fanbase than most conbat sports. Strikeforce built them up so they already knew Ronda & co could draw interest, they just used their platform and brand to amplify it

 

[Rampage_Jackson]

Haters not going to admit it but its true.

I hate WMMA but I'll admit it has gained more steam than I ever imagined it could. We will see if it is a fad or not, personally don't see the popularity lasting.

 

[Which Doctor]

 

[Big L]

I hate WMMA but I'll admit it has gained more steam than I ever imagined it could. We will see if it is a fad or not, personally don't see the popularity lasting.

I think it's completely contingent on the attractiveness of the top competitors. That sounds sexist but it is what it is.

 

[Rampage_Jackson]

I think it's completely contingent on the attractiveness of the top competitors. That sounds sexist but it is what it is.

If Sherdog in any way exemplifies the average person watching WMMA it is completely accurate.

 

[dim_]

Every other form of female combat sports is pretty much dead in terms of popularity. Nobody cared about Holly Holm when she was still (kick)boxing or Rousey when she did Judo outside of the olympics

most people dont care about mens judo either.

in fact I would say the number of people who care about womens judo, and the number of people who care about mens judo, are approximately the same

 

[FrankieNYC]

Zuffa are very smart in making money.
They saw the potential of RR and went with it.
Since then, WMMA grew.
I agree with the "triangle" of RR/HH/Tate being fun.
We get the babyface in Holly, the heel in Ronda and the tweener in Tate
It is perfect.

Funny thing is, it mirrors what is going on in WWE now with Charlotte, Becky and Sasha

 

[FrankieNYC]

I think it's completely contingent on the attractiveness of the top competitors. That sounds sexist but it is what it is.

It is a large part of it for sure.
Only makes sense since MMA in general is mostly men watching.

 

[Rampage_Jackson]

I'll take is a step farther TS... What women's sports are popular in the world, period? I know in the US we have no popular women's sports. Tennis has some fanfare, but that is it. I personally enjoy following women's soccer, but I catch 1000 shades of shit from friends for it.

but the WNBA is nothing here. There is no market for softball like there is baseball. Women's gymnastics is relevant every 4 years for Olympic purposes.

but the UFC could potentially make WMMA the biggest female spectator sport in the world

 

[FrankieNYC]

I'll take is a step farther TS... What women's sports are popular in the world, period? I know in the US we have no popular women's sports. Tennis has some fanfare, but that is it. I personally enjoy following women's soccer, but I catch 1000 shades of shit from friends for it.

but the WNBA is nothing here. There is no market for softball like there is baseball. Women's gymnastics is relevant every 4 years for Olympic purposes.

but the UFC could potentially make WMMA the biggest female spectator sport in the world

Great post
I would add LPGA as being fringe popular in the states

 

[leto1776]

GOAT, Mega Megu

UFC was smart in taking a product that they knew worked, and using it. They waited until the sport produced someone with the right amount of star power before they would touch it. Without Rousey, the women's divisions wouldn't have made it to the UFC.

Same with the straw weight division. UFC only added it when they saw how Invicta FC had built it up and that it was creating a lot of buzz.

 

[FrankieNYC]

GOAT, Mega Megu

UFC was smart in taking a product that they knew worked, and using it. They waited until the sport produced someone with the right amount of star power before they would touch it. Without Rousey, the women's divisions wouldn't have made it to the UFC.

Same with the straw weight division. UFC only added it when they saw how Invicta FC had built it up and that it was creating a lot of buzz.

I don't know if Zuffa waited as much as they realized RR had the chance to be an ATM for them.

 

[leto1776]

I don't know if Zuffa waited as much as they realized RR had the chance to be an ATM for them.

Good point. It's not so much that they waited, but said no until a fighter forced them to notice and say yes.