The Reason Rounds Exist

[dakotaman]

Just do away with decisions, at the end of the 3 or 5 round fight, no winner, then both are given a loss and money cut in half. This would get the fighters to finish instead of not taking the chances needed to win a fight.

 

[suizuri]

I don't have a lotta time right now to think about this more, but this seems like a good idea to me.

 

[Chindit]

Rounds take a fight further away from what a real NHB fight is whether on the street or in a cage. Since they don't add legitimacy and actually take away from it (think of fighters who have been saved by the end of a round and then won) obviously they exist for entertainment value. They ensure that there will be a standup at least every five minutes and The UFC knows its fans prefer standup fighting. It also gives fighters a chance to rest so that people can see fighters operate at a high-level of intensity for more time. Rounds take away from a submission expert's chance to lock in a submission hold but again The UFC encourages stand up fighting. Rounds exist strictly for entertainment value at the expense of realism.

Art Davie did it on purpose. Strikers = show > slow ground game.
Not want to put a coin in the slot of the old debate "Pride vs UFC", but Pride was better in that particular aspect with the 10 min first round. It allowed ground experts time to pass guard, pu submissions, etc.