"Teammates" Not Fighting Each Other

[Blackjack]

What do you think of fighters who train at the same training camp who call themselves "teammates" and refuse to fight each other? Now it's being said that Cormier and Velasquez wouldn't fight each other. It's absurd. MMA is not a team sport! Suppose Cormier becomes the number one contender for The UFC Heavyweight Title? Do you believe he would honestly turn down a title shot? That would shortchange the fans and they'd also be shortchanging themselves by losing out on the amount of money they'd make from that fight.

Even worse, it implies that MMA is exactly what its critics have called it which is a barbaric fight similar to a fight between two roosters. We as fans tend to think that MMA is a legit sport. If it's a legit sport the champions need to act like it and take on the top contenders, even if they are friends. When a fighter says he won't fight a guy because they're friends it's basically saying that an MMA fight is to terrible of a thing to put your friend through, as if it were a streetfight!

 

[neggbird]

What makes it a sport and not barbaric fights is that fighters have a choice.

 

[Blackjack]

What makes it a sport and not barbaric fights is that fighters have a choice.

They have a choice whether or not to enter the sport. When you are the Heavyweight Champion though it should be in your contract that you cannot duck a certain fighter if the match maker says that is who he needs to fight next to remain champion and keep SOME legitimacy to the title. A UFC Champion who refuses to fight the person who the matchmaker deems to be the top contender would then be found in breach of contract and liable to being sued by The UFC.

A UFC Champion has an image to uphold. If he ducks a fight on the grounds that he doesn't want to fight the top contender because they are friends, it cheapens that image and prevents the sport from being taken seriously. Friends compete against friends all the time in sports so why should UFC fighters be given a pass? Because their sport is too barbaric to compete in against a friend? That's the message they would send.

 

[Hard Charger]

Their choice.

Don't bitch about not getting a title shot....Fitch

 

[spid3yo]

Only a fool would think MMA isn't a team sport.

Try training by yourself in your garage and see how far you make it.

 

[blingking]

Only a fool would think MMA isn't a team sport.

Try training by yourself in your garage and see how far you make it.

THIS.

If teammates fight each other frequently, we may see less developed fighters for two reasons.

#1 Sparing partners aren't committing fully to their teammate as they are leaving something on the table for their possible future fight.

#2 When teammates fight one or both fighters leave the gym for that training camp which can disrupt the continuity of the camp and remove a valuable sparing partner for someone that is in a different weight class.

 

[WildF]

There are unwritten rules in this sport such as friendships, loyalty, respect, and concern for one another.. Take it or leave it

 

[Junbo79]

Don't you already think that they know what the outcome would be if they are already actively training with each other?

 

[countswagula]

People who say fighting is no different from any other form of competition are deluding themselves.

 

[Natrajdas]

What do you think of fighters who train at the same training camp who call themselves "teammates" and refuse to fight each other? Now it's being said that Cormier and Velasquez wouldn't fight each other. It's absurd.

Actually its not absurd. If you want quality fights - better to awoid it. One thing - its teamquests - tournaments inside each and other team, but other - for the prize. No - if there are rules that we do not fight, and peoples follow - its should be respected.

 

[Pterodactyl]

Well, I am not a fighter, so it would be presumptious of me to pass too much judgment. However, as a fan, I really do hate not having the opportunity to see fights like Cormier/Cain. This is an incredibly interesting fight, and could be necessary to determine who the "baddest man on the planet is".

 

[rslayer]

They have a choice whether or not to enter the sport. When you are the Heavyweight Champion though it should be in your contract that you cannot duck a certain fighter if the match maker says that is who he needs to fight next to remain champion and keep SOME legitimacy to the title. A UFC Champion who refuses to fight the person who the matchmaker deems to be the top contender would then be found in breach of contract and liable to being sued by The UFC.

A UFC Champion has an image to uphold. If he ducks a fight on the grounds that he doesn't want to fight the top contender because they are friends, it cheapens that image and prevents the sport from being taken seriously. Friends compete against friends all the time in sports so why should UFC fighters be given a pass? Because their sport is too barbaric to compete in against a friend? That's the message they would send.

That's not a sport, that's barbaric, just as the other poster stated.

Even the UFC isn't stupid enough to put that in a contract and try to sue on it. I guess their fans are though, and it just makes the sport and its fans look like neanderthals. MMA fans continuing to prove they're the dumbest in all of sports, pathetic.

 

[ROCKA]

I get the whole not wanting to fight each other and all, but last nights NYE glory tournament had a bunch of guys fighting out of the golden glory camp beating the shit out of each other and I bet they'll still train together. Business is business, nothing personal.

 

[ovbious]

A lot of good answers.

TS must have already been conviced by now of the nonsense he posted.

 

[Tony_Clifton]

I have no issue with teammates not fighting.

 

[Reign009]

What makes it a sport and not barbaric fights is that fighters have a choice.

First response is perfect.

And I'd like to add that one of TS's mistakes is comparing MMA to other sports. It is not like other sports.

 

[AdamNewsome666]

What do you think of fighters who train at the same training camp who call themselves "teammates" and refuse to fight each other? Now it's being said that Cormier and Velasquez wouldn't fight each other. It's absurd. MMA is not a team sport! Suppose Cormier becomes the number one contender for The UFC Heavyweight Title? Do you believe he would honestly turn down a title shot? That would shortchange the fans and they'd also be shortchanging themselves by losing out on the amount of money they'd make from that fight.

Even worse, it implies that MMA is exactly what its critics have called it which is a barbaric fight similar to a fight between two roosters. We as fans tend to think that MMA is a legit sport. If it's a legit sport the champions need to act like it and take on the top contenders, even if they are friends. When a fighter says he won't fight a guy because they're friends it's basically saying that an MMA fight is to terrible of a thing to put your friend through, as if it were a streetfight!

It makes no sense
You have the belt..That is cool I'll just sit out, or move down/up until you lose

 

[fight4ippon]

Only a fool would think MMA isn't a team sport.

Try training by yourself in your garage and see how far you make it.

Roy Nelson made it far like that LOL.

Yah I agree though with exception to a few freaks MMA training takes a whole team or training camp or whatever they call it nowadays to train multiple athletic skills and test fighters' technical abilities.

 

[stosh]

not fighting someone because they're your friend would be absurd. not fighting someone because they're your training partner, whom you trust during your camps and with whom you work to make each other better, is perfectly acceptable. if you can't trust your training partners, the training will suffer.

 

[cc023]

What do you think of fighters who train at the same training camp who call themselves "teammates" and refuse to fight each other? Now it's being said that Cormier and Velasquez wouldn't fight each other. It's absurd. MMA is not a team sport! Suppose Cormier becomes the number one contender for The UFC Heavyweight Title? Do you believe he would honestly turn down a title shot? That would shortchange the fans and they'd also be shortchanging themselves by losing out on the amount of money they'd make from that fight.

Even worse, it implies that MMA is exactly what its critics have called it which is a barbaric fight similar to a fight between two roosters. We as fans tend to think that MMA is a legit sport. If it's a legit sport the champions need to act like it and take on the top contenders, even if they are friends. When a fighter says he won't fight a guy because they're friends it's basically saying that an MMA fight is to terrible of a thing to put your friend through, as if it were a streetfight!

Actually, "when a fighter says he won't fight a guy because they're friends" it's not saying an MMA fight is too terrible of a thing to put your friend through, it's saying "we are a team." If you bleed with someone, grow with someone, support someone, thrive on their support, know someone's game... how can you fight them? How are you supporting your friend (who drags his or her ass out of bed everyday just to make sure you have a training partner) by just not giving a fuck if you fight them or not? It's not even a fair fight at that point, because one of you has to lose and you both have way too much inside knowledge of the other person's abilities and tendencies. Aside from that, don't even get me started on how having to hit your friend in the face will fuck up your fighting mentality.

Simply put and in the great words of Nick Diaz, MMA is a team sport. No individual could ever be a successful fighter without the help of a team. There are fighters who know this, and fighters who think otherwise... The difference is whether or not the fighter appreciates the people on his team and recognizes he needs them, or believes all the glory belongs to himself.