The moment the UFC started going downhill

[Greg House]

Lol ur whole assessment is bad. You put it in a monthly context and we get way more fights and better fights within a month any given month.
Also stop being a bigot, you manlet.

LOl I knew the word midget was going to trigger somebody. It's just a word, little man. Don't get too worked up. You are bigger than that!

 

[Poirierfan]

@HI SCOTT NEWMAN

You've been watching since UFC 1 - If anyone can tell us

I've been watching since the beginning as well and I don't remember who the fuck TS is talking about. I'm old AF...

 

[mjfan23]

When McCain called human cockfighting.

 

[goatfarmer]

Definitely agree with the ESPN/REEBOK deals when we drastically increased the number of events. The anticipation of events caused excitement to build. Also, the huge increase in number of fighters makes it difficult remember and follow the ascension of each. Makes getting excited difficult because I don't recognize the names of hardly anyone but the main and comain event fighters. Even now, the main event fighters on FN Cards are starting to become unrecognizable to me.

 

[Lionheart7167]

I think you people missed the point of my thread. The decline started after Steve Jennum couldn't defend.

This is the obvious and only acceptable answer.

 

[Sweater of AV]

 

[Willek]

 

[jitzmonkey]

Probably after McGregor lost. Ufc hasn't been the same.

To Diaz, Khabib, or both times to Poirier?

 

[FreddieRoachsVoice]

Serious reply to a joke thread but to me, the UFC started going downhill in the summer of 2010 when BJ Penn/Edgar and Shogun/Machida had immediate rematches.

While I actually felt the Shogun fight was the level of robbery to warrant the rare exception of there being an immediate rematch (considering there was a real lack of viable title contenders anyway), it set a bad precedent which has plagued the sport for the last 13 years.

Rich Franklin, Matt Hughes, GSP, Randy Couture, even Chuck Liddell.... none of these big name champions got immediate rematches when they lost their titles and their "comeback" fights provided great storylines that helped sell new match-ups while also building up anticipation towards an eventual rematch down the line.

Now big time upsets don't even feel special because you know the UFC is just going to run it back again right after and fans are subjected to the same damn marketing campaign again.

Not only that but the new champion either 1) looks worse against the same opponent lessening their hype, 2) loses the title back forcing a "trilogy" which clogs up the division, or 3) the ex champion loses 2 fights in a row unnecessarily hurting their credibility and possibly even forcing them to change weight classes. Literally no one wins from immediate rematches.

The oversaturated cards (sometimes 3 shit fight nights in 1 weekend), installing a ranking system, the Reebok deal, live bet odds, and "money fight" era have all been hard things to sit through but for me, the downturn all started when the UFC got lazy with their matchmaking and decided to just grind divisions to a halt with immediate rematches.

The reigns of Frankie Edgar (3 opponents in 6 fights), Cain Velasquez (2 opponents in 5 fights), Stipe (2 opponents in 5 fights), Usman (1 non-rematched opponent in 7 title fights), etc all heavily contributed to the entitled rank squatting wasteland we see in modern day where virtually nothing is special or anticipated. It's a damn shame.

TL/DR: Immediate rematches are shit and sparked the downfall of the UFC

 

[Neck&Neck]

The transformation is incredible!

 

[VAfan]

when the guy only wore one glove, instead of two. if he'd worn two, everything would have been alright.

 

[VAfan]

Serious reply to a joke thread but to me, the UFC started going downhill in the summer of 2010 when BJ Penn/Edgar and Shogun/Machida had immediate rematches.

absolutely spot on. i remember having the same reaction to bj / edgar, that it was just going to open up a can of worms. who knew the can would be so big.

 

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Originally they wanted a damn fire pit surrounding the cage,i mean cmon! Lmao

damn. that would have been sweet. im gonna have to consult a physician if this erection i just got from the thought of that doesnt go away in a few days

 

[BigOlJeet]

Nobody alive today on these boards were into MMA in the 90's, even being a TUF noob is too old school for them. Hell, Brock era is too old for them too. They belong to the Colin era.

 

[chimpoehurricane]

That was bound to happen though, the UFC can only protect someone so much.

He waa partying to the extent that made jones look amateur. Dont forget that bender of girls. Doesn't end well.

 

[chimpoehurricane]

To Diaz, Khabib, or both times to Poirier?

Take your pick.