The UFC is oversaturated with mediocrity.

[deman]

Are we starting to see the effects of low fighter pay, combined with just far too many events?

All their big stars just split, or are very inactive for one reason or another. GSP, Jones, Honda, McGregor, Ngannou. This wouldnt happen if the money was appropriate.

Dana White said that the main event the other night was terrible, & I'm inclined to agree. Forget the last 2 rounds, even before that it just felt like I was watching 2 plodding sluggers. So few fights have that really big fight feel now. For goodness sake, a 43yr-old Glover is challenging for the belt & way closer to winning it than he ever was at 33.

It was exacerbated by Gordon vs Pimblett in the CO-MAIN EVENT! When I started watching 12 years ago, that would be a prelims fight. It was embarrassing.

I'm certainly not saying "tHe UFC iS DyInG", but they are in danger of diluting their brand. For decades they've kept fighter pay low and tried to make Dana White (& the UFC) the star instead of the fighters, but the cracks of this strategy are starting to emerge IMO. U used to have to really be somebody to be in the UFC, yet the last guy Pimblett fought at the O2 couldnt even throw a punch.

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

The original spirit of UFC is long dead. Now it's all fixed fights, degeneracy, and corporate greed.

 

[goOb]

We lost a big part of the UFC when you couldn't soccer kick the head of a downed opponent anymore.

 

[mmainvestigations]

I disagree on the main event. I thought once Ankalaev's leg was compromised, it was exciting because you were just waiting for Jan to capitalize in some way. When Ankalaev took him to the ground it was a huge moment in round 5, a big win.

And then of course he gave Jan a beating on the ground in round 5, no two ways about it. Jan's head was spinning. Those shots were pretty brutal and it was close to a stoppage. With just 30 more seconds, he would have got the finish IMO.

 

[AmericanMMA]

We lost a big part of the UFC when you couldn't soccer kick the head of a downed opponent anymore.

The day the UFC died...

 

[Nathan LaMontagne]

I completely agree, I'd rather have half the events if the cards were stacked like yesteryear.

I have this conversation a lot.

@HuskySamoan can vouch

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

I completely agree, I'd rather have half the events if the cards were stacked like yesteryear.

I have this conversation a lot.

@HuskySamoan can vouch

You would rather have one stacked event per month or 2 months? With no other events in between.

 

[Reign009]

I really don't understand how the main event was that bad.

I feel like people are just salty/sour from a combination of the Paddy thing, the draw, how Rogan handled the post fight interview, and some from Ankalaev's attitude too.

 

[560ti]

You would rather have one stacked event per month or 2 months? With no other events in between.

It would probably be somewhere in between. Have two less pay-per-views per year and then cut the ESPN plus cards in half

That alone would add 2 or 3 great fights to each ppv and you could still keep the regular cable ESPN cards solid

 

[DougieJones]

The worst thing to ever happen to the UFC is WME. They leech off the UFC's profits to prop up other parts of their company that have taken huge hits since covid. Now the UFC doesn't have as big a percentage of the top fighters like they used to. Look at the Soldic deal for example. The Fertitta Era UFC would never have let a talent like that slip away.

 

[Nathan LaMontagne]

You would rather have one stacked event per month or 2 months? With no other events in between.

If it was like really stacked?

Yes.

Other organizations outside of the UFC exist.
If I wanted to watch regional level guys, I'd watch regional level events. Instead we have 10-6 fighters set up to lose to Littlefoot Silva.

 

[560ti]

I completely agree, I'd rather have half the events if the cards were stacked like yesteryear.

I have this conversation a lot.

@HuskySamoan can vouch

agreed.

For example this most recent pay-per-view I would have rather had Kattar versus Allen on the main card if the trade-off was not having to stay up till almost 1:00 a.m. to watch those two fight on some pointless watered down ESPN Plus card

They could easily cut the ESPN plus cards in half and cut 2 ppvs.

 

[Nathan LaMontagne]

I really don't understand how the main event was that bad.

I feel like people are just salty/sour from a combination of the Paddy thing, the draw, how Rogan handled the post fight interview, and some from Ankalaev's attitude too.

I liked the main event and I agreed with the draw. Granted Rogan and to a lesser degree ankalaev annoyed me.

But I really feel like the only two fights with actual substance were the main and Ilia vs Bryce.

Everything else was fight night material

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

If it was like really stacked?

Yes.

Other organizations outside of the UFC exist.
If I wanted to watch regional level guys, I'd watch regional level events. Instead we have 10-6 fighters set up to lose to Littlefoot Silva.

Fascinating. Yes when I think of stacked I mean super stacked events, that even the first fight in the card people already has filled up the arena to watch this fight.

 

[Guy LeDouche]

I’ve been saying it for awhile now.
The contender series is just a way to mask acquiring & marketing cheap labor. Rarely do we see the UFC sign young champions from other orgs or tested prospects from other combat sports.

U-Fight-Cheap is becoming more true every day

 

[SakurabasEar]

They could help it in 3 easy steps

-Fire uncle fester

-make knees to a downed opponent legal

-bring back customized fight gear

 

[Escabar]

I've been watching mma for close to 20 years this is the least interested I've been in it. Way too many events seems like every week, massive over saturation and so many of divisions are graveyards. Its seems progression has plateaued and so many champs would be easily be beaten by guys 10/20 yrs ago. I even cancelled bt sport. One event a month is enough and have a smaller feeder org i.e WEC doing the same one show a month, 24 total shows a yr is plenty.

Every fighter seems a bland company man (understandable) or just a wannabe Conor with the UFC going above and beyond to protect ppl. Stars like GSP, Hughes, Silva, Jones etc fought the best in the division no going from ranked 12 to somehow number 1 contender. A guy like Paddy 20 yrs ago would be journeyman. Fighter pay is so low ppl would rather fight a youtuber then for the title.

 

[OldBoy91]

You would rather have one stacked event per month or 2 months? With no other events in between.

I never understand that. Now we still get one stacked card every month, but get other cards with a good main event in between.

People who just want to watch stacked cards literally can. There's nothing stopping them, just watch the numbered events and big fight nights and avoid the filler events.

People wouldn't be adding.anything by having a stacked card every month, they would just be taking other events away from people who want to watch.

 

[The Last King]

100% agree

 

[SL1200]

You would rather have one stacked event per month or 2 months? With no other events in between.

Yes. Something to look forward to. It's so oversaturated that sometimes I'm not even aware there are fights at the weekend.