The sheer amount of fights that just don’t matter is hurting the UFC.

[MigitAs]

Tonight I was keeping an eye out for how many ranked fighters fought other ranked fighters.

It was barely any.

I thought surely when two guys with like 15-1 records fought each other one would have a number but nope.

The first fight of ranked vs ranked was a women’s BW fight and you can go fuck your mother if you’re telling me anyone gives a fuck about that.

Even the main event was a top 10 guy vs unranked (short notice replacement I know but still)

The amount of fights that have no bearing on the division they’re taking place in is staggering in 2025 in the UFC.

Usually it’s ranked guy vs unranked for a squash match, or one or two ranked vs ranked fights across a whole card (even on PPV’s)

I’m not saying the UFC has to create storylines like they do in the WWE (and like we’ve had with Khabib/Conor-type rivalries); but they need to generate interest in their core base, the ones that have been around for awhile.

You can’t tell me more and more casuals are eating up the slop the UFC is serving up lately, and now they’re literally putting their hardcore audience to sleep on most fight cards because fight’s are most boring and even when they aren’t the outcome usually doesn’t matter!

Anyway, in conclusion the UFC has become way too much like a regular sport, and has moved away from what made them great, and a standout during the Zuffa era.

 

[Doctor Grudge]

The goal was always to be a "regular" sport.

It really doesn't hurt it much at all, which is why they do it. If anything it has shown growth that they have so many fighters in their roster that it takes a while to build up the ladder.

Before there just wasn't much of an infrastructure in the UFC. There weren't even rankings.


And quite frankly, those fights aren't for casual fans. If you don't like them, simply don't watch them (it's like people on Sherdog lack so little hobbies that they have to watch the UFC out of habit even if they seemingly hate it).

They're designed for people that just like to watch fighting. Watch the PPVs and ABC specials if you just want to see the stories.

 

[Mr.Maelstrom]

The machine is too big to fail, they're making more profits year over year doing it this way.

Even Dana's largely checked out, we're all 20 years or more into this sport as fans.
The novelty of "fights for fighting's sake" will inevitably wear off for everyone eventually

 

[FlyingDeathKick]

This was an Apex card and the main event had a last minute opponent change.

 

[rollthedice]

It's cards like today we reflect on in 3-5 years and realize how spoilt we were with future stars and champions all competing on a fight night that we got to watch for free.

Hindsights a bitch, you don't have to be one too

 

[podsox]

Ya there were the same amount of events in 2016 and it never felt like half of them were a complete waste of time. I think the biggest problem is top 10 fighters just don’t fight enough anymore. I don’t get the strategy either because they aren’t making enough money to retire on. Most primes come and go very quick

 

[BobsyaUncle]

If you're expecting loads of ranked fighters to be fighting each other on a random Apex card then you're gonna have a bad time.

 

[Oscar Madison]

In its purest form, watching fights isn't about rankings, trinkets and trophies, made up belts --

it's about watching fights.

 

[World eater]

I enjoyed the card sherbro, sorry if you didn’t. It’s true that results as such were largely meaningless, but we had some brutal bangers in there. It was a free card.

 

[AMAZINGUFC]

Tonight I was keeping an eye out for how many ranked fighters fought other ranked fighters.

There's your problem, forget the rankings and enjoy the event.


We usually already criticize them for being unfair and for disrupting fight matchmaking...

 

[Megatronlee]

Just watch the fights

 

[Warhound925]

Yea honestly I’ve watched religiously since ‘07 and this is the first year since that I’ve almost completely lost interest in the UFC. Way way way too many cards with fighters I don’t even know the name of, no stars, no storylines, all the old killers are gone. Poatan, Borz, and Islam are honestly about the only fighters I even get excited for now and 2 of those fight about once a year.

 

[mangokush]

The UFC needs to trim most of the roster

Too many no name cans on the roster who cost the UFC money instead of making money for the UFC

Should be around 15-20 fighters per division only

UFC actually needs to be the best of the best again not just full of no name cans whose skill level are equivalent to bums fighting on the street

 

[Koala]

Zuffa bought the UFC in 2001 and sold it in 2016
The rankings appeared in 2013
Most of the Zuffa era-UFC events didn't have ranked fighters; just champions, contenders, prospects

 

[xhaydenx]

They're just non stop signing new guys now and have to fill up cards. Look at Roster Watch on twitter and you can see the UFC are just bringing them in in droves lol.

 

[Davey Grant]

I'd rather have fights than no fights.

 

[axe wound]

I'm generally more invested in hyping up fights between my neighbours these days

 

[Davey Grant]

If you don't have these fights the roster gets cut by a lot and without any other really viable option to go fight why even bother trying to be a fighter especially one with a few losses already.

 

[r-harper-1]

Watered down crap …. I enjoy fights with significants or meaning

 

[b00tysweat]

"I don't like free live fights"

bro what are you doing here?