UFC and ESPN

I don't know exactly when or how this started happening, but the UFC is finally getting some love from ESPN.

There have been a couple of UFC appearances on "Top 10 plays"

Also, the UFC has been getting featured more and more on the front page.

Yesterday, and article about 155 and Varner was on 4/5 of the first page

Now JDS and Cain are #1 on the front page of espn dot com.

That's pretty cool, I wonder how this started happening.

Any long time fan of MMA knows how little ESPN ever cared about MMA besides the occasional Jim Rome segment.

 

"Come on me bro"?

 

There is a beef there, and most ESPN personalities have no clue about MMA so they simply don't bring it up or talk about it.

 

Its always on the front page right before a major event
They been getting top plays for awhile
ESPN isnt anti UFC like Dana would have you believe
ESPN was pissed when Zuffa signed with Fox and released that bullshit hit piece about fighter pay but the coverage of the actual events has been pretty steady

 

i have noticed an uptick on there website

 

Heavyweight Championship is probably the main reason mma a little more coverage than it usually does on ESPN

 

I'm sure many of them are closet UFC fans.

 

They could only avoid it so long. More and more people are interested everyday, which is a GOOD thing although most sherdoggers don't seem to think so

 

Maybe the Fox deal made them feel it wasn't such a risk to start talking about combat sports.

 

I work at ESPN, and MMA is the only sport I watch. I guess I'm the odd man out...

 

I've noticed that a few MMA terms have made it into general analysis of other sports too. For example, "Ground and pound the football".

 

maybe it could also deal with the ever rising stardom of bones jones and GSP

I'd say anderson, but all he is good for is a highlight reel until he can speak english.

JDS has learned a ton

Tebow should cross over, we'd be huge

 

What's this "we" shit whiteman?

 

Queue the 'We got a badass jpg'

 

MMA is growing and becoming profitable so of course ESPN's gonna jump on it sooner or later. Jim Rome was always pretty good about it

 

You work in maintenance or something. ?

 

I too have noticed a thawing between them. Interesting to see what happens to this Fox contract though.

 

The more popular the sport the more ESPN will talk about it. MMA is getting more mainstream love. Silva, Jones, JDS all have signed with Nike. GSP is with UnderArmour. That helps people who don't really follow MMA look at these guys as athletes like all the ball sport guys.

 

That term was used in football years a go.

 

Maybe "Ground/Pound the football", but not the two together.

I didn't start hearing that phrase 'till this year.