Maybe the UFC needs to become a little more WWE-ish...

[MsMiniSkirts]

EDIT: Obviously not in the chair bashing, inferno ropes or whatever it is you guys are trolling with....

I know there have been a billion threads related to this, but what topic on sherdog hasn't been over done....

I used to be really into MMA, until about 2011... I noticed the trend that changed with my transition to that of a casual fan, is what many people have already complained about.
The UFC being to watered down etc.... blah blah.

I haven't gone to the official UFC website in years, never have had to because I am able to follow whats going on with my other media outlets. However I just sat down and had to visit the site because I was thinking, "Is the Moose/Chida fight this weekend?"
I go to the site and it is.. then I look at the rest of the card and ask, "who are these other 30 fighters fighting" Meh, who cares...." Then I look at the rest of the cards lined up through march. I noticed I only cared about the headline fights, and didn't even bother to figure out the prelim fighters or even the rest of the main card fighters.
In fact, I thought if they took all the Headliners through march and put them on PPV it would be a great card LOL.

I noticed that the headline fighters are all these old veterans of the sport; they have a story, they have personality, carried over from pride or what not... NONE of the new fighters have that. (to me at least) What happens when the rest of these guys retire?

Hence my thread Title... Maybe the UFC is lacking something in the over-all entertainment and build up of the fights themselves. (Not to start a pride UFC war) but my god it was fun to watch pride even if you didn't know the fighter. They had more interesting build ups, walk-outs etc... the ORG had personality. It helped you get emotionally invested... Only Thing I feel when I am watching a pumped out UFC card, is pissed off at graphics dancing on the screen while Mike is trying to sell me corn-nuts... its become very commercial for me in more than one way.

Sad thing is, I don't even care about Dana White, yet somehow every little thing he tweets finds its way to me... he is a bigger star than any of his fighters.. (yes that was a rip on Dana)

ALSO

IMO, I think having an affiliated "minor" league org was beneficial to the UFC as well.
I know they merged WEC to add the lighter divisions to the UFC.

I could watch WEC if I wanted or Strikeforce, and when I heard of a fighter making it out of those orgs and into the UFC they instantly had a draw, or something to look for. You knew there was a reason for them to move up into the UFC.

Anyway... maybe its just me.

TL;DR I think UFC is lacking what it needs to get fans emotionally invested and actually care about whats going on. What can be done?

 

[Spagett]

I agree we need more character in the sport. Chael is awesome. All the current champions lack personality, they suck

 

[VinceArch]

I don't need fighters to have personality to watch them fight.

 

[MsMiniSkirts]

I don't need fighters to have personality to watch them fight.

Can you elaborate?

Why do you care to watch them fight? Just for the sake of fighting? The different styles?

 

[VinceArch]

Can you elaborate?

Why do you care to watch them fight? Just for the sake of fighting? The different styles?

Different styles, sake of fighting, good competition, rolling around half naked....

Take your pick

 

[PDSLSMS]

Actually a really good thread. I feel the same way. I feel like I am just going through the motions anymore.

 

[Riatyn]

In my opinion the fall of my interest in MMA is the focus that the UFC is the premier organization and larger than any star. Like the original post said, Dana White spends the majority of the UFC's exposure on himself. Organizations like Pride, and at one time, the UFC, used to build fighters up. Now a days it's just, "the UFC is the best organization." The fighters are no longer the focus.

 

[Sosua]

I know there have been a billion threads related to this, but what topic on sherdog hasn't been over done....

I used to be really into MMA, until about 2011... I noticed the trend that changed with my transition to that of a casual fan, is what many people have already complained about.
The UFC being to watered down etc.... blah blah.

I haven't gone to the official UFC website in years, never have had too because I am able to follow whats going on with my other media outlets. However I just sat down and had to visit the site because I was thinking, "Is the Moose/Chida fight this weekend?"
I go to the site and it is.. then I look at the rest of the card and ask, "who are these other 30 fighters fighting" Meh, who cares...." Then I look at the rest of the cards lined up through march. I noticed I only cared about the headline fights, and didn't even bother to figure out the prelim fighters or even the rest of the main card fighters.
In fact, I thought if they took all the Headliners through march and put them on PPV it would be a great card LOL.

I noticed that the headline fighters are all these old veterans of the sport; they have a story, they have personality, carried over from pride or what not... NONE of the new fighters have that. (to me at least) What happens when the rest of these guys retire?

Hence my thread Title... Maybe the UFC is lacking something in the over-all entertainment and build up of the fights themselves. (Not to start a pride UFC war) but my god it was fun to watch pride even if you didn't know the fighter. They had more interesting build ups, walk-outs etc... the ORG had personality. It helped you get emotionally invested... Only Thing I feel when I am watching a pumped out UFC card, is pissed off at graphics dancing on the screen while Mike is trying to sell me corn-nuts... its become very commercial for me in more than one way.

Sad thing is, I don't even care about Dana White, yet somehow every little thing he tweets finds its way to me... he is a bigger star than any of his fighters.. (yes that was a rip on Dana)

Anyway... maybe its just me.

TL;DR I think UFC is lacking what it needs to get fans emotionally invested and actually care about whats going on. What can be done?

Depends if you are a fan of the sport or the personalities.

I've persisted through this 'building' phase and it's really starting to pay off with tonnes of young, talented and previously unknown talent.

Can't stand the schtick.

 

[takuma]

Agree 100%.

 

[JohnSAFTAHess]

I agree entirely, better fighter build up and a little pageantry would go a long way. UFC needs to do a better job of getting people to know the fighters, and I'm not talking about fucking twitter, this would help get people more invested. They haven't made enough big stars in the last few years and it's hurting them.

Pride was actually really good at this, they could make you root for a guy you've never seen before in just a few minutes with good commentary and an interesting video package and entrance. UFC doesn't focus on the fighters enough, but they love promoting themselves.

 

[cgf]

I think the similarity of styles is more of any issue as so many fighters are so similar in the ring in how they go about fighting that even if they're an interesting personality like Chael, who I like and root for sorta, I still don't go out of my way to watch fight because it's boring, and the same wrestling based point fighting as Davis, Rashad, UFC-Cormier, and that's just from the top 5 contenders at LHW.

The personalities being all GSP'd into PC-ness is kind of annoying and why I almost automatically like anyone like Chael who's different, but the fighting styles being so homogenized is the part of the sport that I think changing would help the most. It's also why all of my fighters are the guys who bring something unique, be it grapplers like Jacare or werdum, who change the entire dynamic of the ground game from wrestlers, or strikers like Machida, Anderson, Mousasi or Barao.

Granted a big part of that is the way judges decide fights being so dominated by takedowns and control versus working to actually end the fight, so that ubiquitous style is propagated by how heavily favored it is. So I understand why it is the dominant way of fighting in the UFC, but I still dislike it, especially cause it sometimes forces me to root for guys who's personalities I actually dislike, just because they fight differently.

 

[Hans Gercmiov]

In my opinion, it's more exciting than ever. The more MMA the better and with things like AXS TV, WSOF and Bellator, I can watch at least 1-2 cards a week. I like watching no names fight because you never know when a new star is going to emerge.

 

[BareKnucklez**]

They should definately start having tables, ladders, chairs matches. Except with real fighting. Imagine how epic the Royal Rumble would be. You tap or get knocked out then some security guards drag you out of the ring. Last man standing would be the baddest man in the universe!

 

[UD]

I watch for the sport, not the personalities. The same reason I'll be watching the Winter Olympics.

Often I find the Prelims and "Curtain Jerkers" to have more enjoyable fights. They are new and hungry. They are trying to prove something.

All that said I dd enjoy the "pageantry" of PRIDE, but that was more ambiance than character development.

 

[JonesBones]

I've been saying this for years. The UFC has no personality. Fighters have become increasingly less eccentric.

Like I said, who wants to play Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat if all the guys look the same, and have the same moves? MMA used to be like Street Fighter, now it is as boring as a team sport. This is why people have nostalgia for PRIDE.

 

[MsMiniSkirts]

They should definately start having tables, ladders, chairs matches. Except with real fighting. Imagine how epic the Royal Rumble would be. You tap or get knocked out then some security guards drag you out of the ring. Last man standing would be the baddest man in the universe!

That's not the type of WWE-ish things I was trying to get at. More about the fighters having a draw to them.
I don't watch Pro Wrestling, but I know who is/has been in pro wrestling

 

[MsMiniSkirts]

I watch for the sport, not the personalities. The same reason I'll be watching the Winter Olympics.

Often I find the Prelims and "Curtain Jerkers" to have more enjoyable fights. They are new and hungry. They are trying to prove something.

All that said I dd enjoy the "pageantry" of PRIDE, but that was more ambiance than character development.

I think the only reason I still watch is because I still enjoy combat martial arts. However, I just don't get into as much I guess.

I think the Olympics have a different type of drawing power to them.
For example, I would love to watch MMA in the Olympics without a care in the world to whom is fighting. (same reason I watch the other sports in the olympics, can't explain it though)

 

[HuntersCreed]

I think you would disagree if you'd seen the WWE lately.

 

[jaayzen45]

They need to revamp the whole thing man. It's getting old, the same intro music...the same build ups etc. I'm a fan for life, but I don't care as much as i used too. I don't watch tuff seasons anymore and haven't for years, and if I miss a card so be it. Plus I live in Calgary. I remember about 3 years ago bars would be packed for UFC events. Now only if GSP is fighting. It's always the same shit, rogan saying how impressive of a fighter this guy is how he's tweaked his game...then in with Bruce Buffer yelling the opponents name then we go into how that fighter has tweaked their game. They need to seriously up their game man, let fox take over or something. It's getting really old, tired and worn out. They need a fresh approach.

 

[BuiltRoyTough]

I'd say as long as the fight itself is 100% real i dont mind the buildup and animosity being manufactured. I think alot of people enjoy bad blood between fighters, as it makes for a more intresting bout. I for one prefer the grudge match because in the real world u only fight someone when you have a legit problem with them. So people relate more to a grudge match. I'm looking forward to sonnen wand because Wand surely does not like sonnen. And when Silva chin checked Sonnen at the weigh ins i became more pumped then i was before.

Bottom line: grudge matches are good for the sport