Remember when the UFC had a fight in-between the co-main and main event?

[Evan_The_Kid_1]

When I first started ordering the PPV's in the UFC 50s, there was usually a fight in-between the featured co-main event and main event.

I liked when they did it like that. After the co-main ends it gives you a chance to soak that fight in and digest it before you move suddenly to the main event. Gives you time to "grab a beer" or whatever it is you do while watching the big cards. And sometimes the in-between fights would be interesting, such as Sean Sherk vs Nick Diaz at UFC 59.

Maybe I'm alone in this but I wish they'd start to do that again. Anyone else?


***Edit***

I'm aware that they used to use undercard fights to fill time. That's not what I'm talking about. There was a time when they actually had fights scheduled in-between the co-main and main events

***Edit-2***

Another reason I'd like this is because sometimes a card is actually pretty boring for whatever the reason. So every so often you're just sitting there bored waiting for the main and/or co-main. If the co-main happened just a little earlier it could help keep things exciting. And now that I know this is called a "Swing bout", there's no rule saying that those still can't have decent/good fighters. After looking back at some early cards today, I've seen that Ricco Rodriguez was in at least a couple(when he was legit).

 

[Kvothe_the_kingkiller]

Ya that was back when they only scheduled 5 of 12 fights. If there were too many short fights, they needed to fill the time. So they would show some of the prelim fights both before AND after the main event. Usually short fights, good KOs or subs.

Ivan Salaverry v Joe Riggs was on after the main event, I remember. I cannot recall any other specific examples.

 

[VinceArch]

I do remember Jon Fitch vs Paulo Thiago after Lesnar/Mir 2 at UFC 100. I thought that was funny.

 

[Deleted member 278323]

I do remember Jon Fitch vs Paulo Thiago after Lesnar/Mir 2 at UFC 100. I thought that was funny.

And Rogan practically begging people to keep watching.

 

[kingghidrah]

Ya that was back when they only scheduled 5 of 12 fights. If there were too many short fights, they needed to fill the time. So they would show some of the prelim fights both before AND after the main event. Usually short fights, good KOs or subs.

Ivan Salaverry v Joe Riggs was on after the main event, I remember. I cannot recall any other specific examples.

yeah they haven't had to show a prelime in-between main card fights in a while. Are they scheduling differently than they used to? how do you mean, they only scheduled 5 of 12 fights?

 

[AmericanMMA]

There were never actually fights between the main and co-main. They’d just show prelims finishes from earlier in the broadcast.

 

[Kvothe_the_kingkiller]

And Rogan practically begging people to keep watching.

It was amazing how many good fights casual fans missed by turning off the PPV after the main event. Hard to blame them - who fucking puts on fights after the main one? lol

It was awesome and made perfect sense, but was also a bit paradoxical.

 

[cheesus]

There were never actually fights between the main and co-main. They’d just show prelims finishes from earlier in the broadcast.

That was also my impression.

 

[Tito Tapped]

Back then you could watch a fight on Facebook, then see it again during the prelims, then see it a 3rd time during the main card.

 

[Kvothe_the_kingkiller]

how do you mean, they only scheduled 5 of 12 fights?

I mean scheduled to show on the PPV.

Back then they didn't show all the prelims. So the card promised the 5 scheduled fights, but because of everything discussed on this thread, we often saw 7 or 8. Sometimes 6. I don't think it was ever only the 5 scheduled.

 

[Evan_The_Kid_1]

There were never actually fights between the main and co-main. They’d just show prelims finishes from earlier in the broadcast.

Yes they did, take a look at the cards from that era. Sean Sherk vs Nick Diaz for example which I brought up in the OP was not an undercard fight, and it went to decision.

 

[Kvothe_the_kingkiller]

Yes they did, take a look at the cards from that era. Sean Sherk vs Nick Diaz for example which I brought up in the OP was not an undercard fight, and it went to decision.

I never knew that either. Nor did I catch it in real time lol. Thanks.

• Heavyweight Tim Sylvia def. Andrei Arlovski (c) TKO (punches) 1 2:43 [a]
• Welterweight Sean Sherk def. Nick Diaz Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) 3 5:00
  
• Light Heavyweight Tito Ortiz def. Forrest Griffin Decision (split) (30–27, 28–29, 29–27) 3 5:00
  
• Middleweight Evan Tanner def. Justin Levens Submission (triangle choke) 1 3:14
  [*]Heavyweight Jeff Monson def. Marcio Cruz Decision (split) (30–27, 29–28, 28–29) 3 5:00

 

[UFCFantasyMVP]

I believe you because... why would you lie? I'm a hardcore, but I'm not sure I remember them happening that well, but I do like the sound of "digesting" the co-main and then... maybe havin' a catchweight fight or a replacement type fight or something between someone who didn't catch covid and a backup fighter, jic someone did or something like that. It would be nice to have a bigger window to go the store sometimes between the two best fights on the card. Good question.

 

[Evan_The_Kid_1]

Here's an example

 

[DarthChen731]

Yes. Yes I do.






Sometimes it was fine. Sometimes the fight was totally uninteresting and I wished they hadn't done it.

 

[TJ177]

The ol' Swing Fight.

BIg Timmy versus Cabbage was another example.

They started using them more after UFC 31 which ran late. If all the fights were decisions they'd skip the swing fight and do it after the main event. Otherwise it would be between co-main and main.

 

[RiotWyatt]

It's called a swing bout. It's there to fill the time if all the main card fights end fast and there is too much time left on the broadcast before the main event. If all the bouts managed to fill the time slot, the swing bout would happen after the main event.

The UFC used to do it a lot but also aired prelim fights in its place.

 

[chinarice]

When I first started ordering the PPV's in the UFC 50s, there was usually a fight in-between the featured co-main event and main event.

I liked when they did it like that. After the co-main ends it gives you a chance to soak that fight in and digest it before you move suddenly to the main event. Gives you time to "grab a beer" or whatever it is you do while watching the big cards. And sometimes the in-between fights would be impressive, such as Sean Sherk vs Nick Diaz at UFC 59.

Maybe I'm alone in this but I wish they'd start to do that again. Anyone else?


***Edit***

I'm aware that they used to use undercard fights to fill time. That's not what I'm talking about. There was a time when they actually had fights scheduled in-between the co-main and main events

That never happened. You just watched fights that happened earlier in the night but weren't being shown so they needed to fill the time before the main event.

Sean Sherk vs Nick Diaz was the co main event of UFC 59.

 

[Evan_The_Kid_1]

That never happened. You just watched fights that happened earlier in the night but weren't being shown so they needed to fill the time before the main event.

Sean Sherk vs Nick Diaz was the co main event of UFC 59.

Not sure if trolling but have you ever seen the poster for UFC 59? It's even in this thread lol

 

[chinarice]

Not sure if trolling but have you ever seen the poster for UFC 59? It's even in this thread lol

Straight trolling, man.