Sterling vs Evloev is in the prelims ?

[Dr Fong]

UFC no longer structures cards from most to least important. They haven’t in years. I personally disagree with their philosophy, think more important fights should be featured higher up on the card. But it is what it is, I watch all anyways.

This is a misleading talking point that you see get thrown around - they absolutely do care about card positioning, because they are not complete mongs, it's just not 100% linear (e.g 'feature prelim' being an important slot). And they are also lazy (thanks ESPN deal) so they often just don't care. But heirarchy is still a thing.

Does Paddy Pimblett randomly fight on the prelims now? No. His last fights have all been on PPV and have all been scheduled in that 3-4 spot on the main card (with one getting bumped to co-main after an injury). They haven't initially scheduled him for main/co-main bury him in the type of prelim spot Evoleov-Sterling is on, because they are not stupid.

One thing they have actually been doing since the Zuffa years is burying fights where they don't want to promote the winner - in this case they don't want to spotlight this fight to force their hand for a title shot. This is clearly what is happening here.

 

[Dr Fong]

They usually try to amplify the spotlight on number one contender fights, which this should be. The fact that it's burried on the pre-lims, not even main of the pre-lims, tells me that neither of these guys should expect a title shot next unless someone else gets hurt.

This is very obviously what is happening and it's baffling people would even try to question it.

Even lazy, ESPN-era U Fight Cheap isn't so incompetent that they just completely forget Aljo is a former champ and Evloev is undefeated. Promoters don't do this by accident.

 

[Hdfi]

Yep, and it doesn't make sense considering how high level this fight is (top 5 vs former champion). If Evloev wins, he deserves the next title shot, he would be 19-0 (9-0 in the UFC).

 

[sdpdude9]

This is a misleading talking point that you see get thrown around - they absolutely do care about card positioning, because they are not complete mongs, it's just not 100% linear (e.g 'feature prelim' being an important slot). And they are also lazy (thanks ESPN deal) so they often just don't care. But heirarchy is still a thing.

Does Paddy Pimblett randomly fight on the prelims now? No. His last fights have all been on PPV and have all been scheduled in that 3-4 spot on the main card (with one getting bumped to co-main after an injury). They haven't initially scheduled him for main/co-main bury him in the type of prelim spot Evoleov-Sterling is on, because they are not stupid.

One thing they have actually been doing since the Zuffa years is burying fights where they don't want to promote the winner - in this case they don't want to spotlight this fight to force their hand for a title shot. This is clearly what is happening here.

That’s what I mean. The cards aren’t structured by most to least relevant. They are structured around who they want and don’t want to promote. You’re right, that’s exactly why they’re burying this fight low on the card despite its relevance to the division. And sometimes they also just make some baffling decisions.

 

[RockyLockridge]

Yup, winner of this fight will be the ruler of our 2 dimensional world

We gonna turn into cartoons after the fight like jackie chan lmao

 

[j18lee]

this has been discussed to death. Tf do you mean "PPV money". They're not champions or megastars.
landwehr vs choi is probably going to be a banger, good fight to open the card with.
bryce is fighting kron who is a gracie diva and for some odd reason has only ever been on the main card.
if movsar and sterling were exciting fighters maybe they could've bumped off the choi/landwehr fight. wah wah wah before people bitch and moan about the UFC being sports entertainment and not the olympics and fight bout order should be determined by their arbitrary standards. Get over it.

I don't care either way. I'm interested in all of the fights you mentioned, Mitchell/Gracie, Landwehr/Choi, Evloev/Sterling and I'm going to watch them all, regardless or order.

But you sound like the one who is far more upset than the OP and you should get over it.

 

[Koala]

they should trade sterling to the pfl for the hawk tuah girl

 

[BEATDOWNS]

Don't worry Dana will rent another Lambo for the day so Aljo and his buds can drive around and look cool for a day.

 

[TheMMAnalyst]

Yeah, winner of this fight definitely has a date with Lopes. Whilst Volk and Topuria rematch.

It's stupid that they're buried on the prelims, and it is disrespecful. However, we've known that the UFC have hated Sterling, what other champ would defend his belt against 3 former champs and be denied the instant rematch. Hell they're even considering giving O'Malley one after 1 defence against Marlon Vera.

The Gracie's have so many strings they can pull in the UFC to get Kron on the main card, and Choi/Landwehr is a guaranteed banger to be honest.

Still pissed, I am one of the few Sterling fans

Lopes vs. Eveloev or Sterling in a 5-round match is super-compelling.

Lopes made it a scrap in the first fight with Evloev on short-notice and despite clearly losing had some really deep sub-attempts that made Evloev scramble for his life, incredible grappling transitions throughout. Full-camp Lopes with max-confidence against a more seasoned and peak Evloev for 5 rounds as a Fight Night Main Event would be fantastic to build the next contender for his shot.

If Sterling gets through Evloev (I have my doubts) it also presents a unique match-up where Lopes will have to deal with a different-version of Evloev (control-based grappler that has better overall control but less dynamic striking, though better at maintaining distance and game-planning based on opponents).

I'm hoping Evloev gets through Sterling though, that's the better match-up with a better storyline.

 

[markys00]

Is the second best fight on the card just slightly after 1st place Shavkat vs Garry.

Sterling vs Movsar is Stylistically one of the best UFC fights of all time. Such an interesting clash of styles. It is extremely competitive on paper and interesting as too similar styles will collide.

It should have been the co-main event while Shavkat-Garry should have been the main event. Nobody gives a flying shxt about Kai vs Pantoja

Shit take

 

[markys00]

This is very obviously what is happening and it's baffling people would even try to question it.

Even lazy, ESPN-era U Fight Cheap isn't so incompetent that they just completely forget Aljo is a former champ and Evloev is undefeated. Promoters don't do this by accident.

U Fight Cheap?

Did you make that up yourself? Hahahahaha

I gotta tell my kids that joke!

 

[TriangleMonkey]

Mosvar and Sterling have been a lil boring in the past

I think its a “get your shit together” placement

The JBG’s are more satisfied with the way Nate has been fighting like a dawg and Choi tends to bring it himself

The Gracie fight is the real head-scratcher though, it’s gonna end up being on Bryce to make it as entertaining as possible. I really hope Bryce gives him zero respect and takes the offensive grappling to Kron but its gonna be a sloppy ass kick boxing fight cause Bryce should be able to sprawl out the Brazilian effortlessly

 

[Mind Mine]

It is blatantly obvious what is happening to Sterling. He isn’t marketable to the primary demographic and not a Dana yes man. The mma fanbase operates this way and always has.

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

Are they seriously putting this fight as one of the prelims (not even the featured prelim fight) while you have the flat earther and Choi on the main card?

Is Dana stripping them from the PPV money or what’s the deal here ?

I've got feeling he doesn't like Stirling or his style.

Also Choi vs Landwehr is much watch and agood fight to pump some energy into the maincard

 

[Brigfa2]

I don't care either way. I'm interested in all of the fights you mentioned, Mitchell/Gracie, Landwehr/Choi, Evloev/Sterling and I'm going to watch them all, regardless or order.

But you sound like the one who is far more upset than the OP and you should get over it.

I'm more upset than both of them! I will not watch the prelims so i will miss that very anticipated fight!

 

[CC27]

the fight will be boring as shit but it still deserves a main card spot over Kron/Bryce, Its fine if you have another big fight that gets main card over it but they dont, its in same div with lesser ranked Bryce and unranked Kron.

 

[BEATDOWNS]

should be a postlim. imho

 

[Dr Fong]

U Fight Cheap?

Did you make that up yourself? Hahahahaha

I gotta tell my kids that joke!

What's even more funny and original is you posting the same infantile sarcastic response to the use of this term multiple times, for no apparent reason.

It really seems to upset you.