UFC/MMA should learn from boxing...

[Fight Professor]

MMA fighters in the UFC are way too inactive to have such records before they reach their primes. Pay in boxing is top heavy but lower tier fighters have to fight a lot more to make a living. There are also not enough top tier organizations and even if a fighter gets 10-15 wins in an org that does not have USADA, top level opponents, etc, often it does not mean success in the UFC.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

I think there is a middle ground between overly padding records and throwing young, promising guys to the wolves. Often, bringing a young fighter along a bit more slowly gives them more time to develop their full potential, and conversely, pushing them too soon can ruin prospects sometimes.

 

[P4PSHERGOAT]

But you don't know what level he is on until after, the majority of people thought Shabazyan was going to win. He had just beaten Tavares who is a fringe top 15 guy, he deserved a step up in competition. He lost, so now he gets a lesser opponent. This isn't rocket science

Whatever

 

[Utahraptor Ostrommaysi]

You're comparing apples and oranges.

Not really, they are both combat sports. Obviously there is differences, but it's not a huge stretch to say MMA could learn a thing or two from boxing or vice versa.
If I compared MMA to basketball or some other team sport, now that would be comparing apples and oranges.

 

[Post 2 Decision]

Not really, they are both combat sports. Obviously there is differences, but it's not a huge stretch to say MMA could learn a thing or two from boxing or vice versa.
If I compared MMA to basketball or some other team sport, now that would be comparing apples and oranges.

They are run differently and there's no need for them to be run similarly just because they are both combat sports

 

[Utahraptor Ostrommaysi]

so what, we can watch a 25-0 prospect finally fight a live opponent? MMA is just fine. you can rise fast and you can lose fast, that's how it should be. if you got the goods we'll see it within a year or 2, if you don't, we'll also see that in a year or 2.

i don't want to be 70 yrs old before i find out a prospect who is 38-0 is actually a legit fighter.

Yeah, what's wrong with that? Khabib was 25-0 before he got a title shot. Why can't we do the same thing with other fighters?

 

[Utahraptor Ostrommaysi]

I think there is a middle ground between overly padding records and throwing young, promising guys to the wolves. Often, bringing a young fighter along a bit more slowly gives them more time to develop their full potential, and conversely, pushing them too soon can ruin prospects sometimes.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that guys should be 30-0 before they fight a ranked guy. But if someone is 10-0 and only 4-0 in the UFC, then I think reasonable to say that they should get some more fights under their belt before they are ready to fight the big boys.

 

[Utahraptor Ostrommaysi]

They are run differently and there's no need for them to be run similarly just because they are both combat sports

Why not? So far the only reason you gave for why MMA can't use the same system that boxing uses is because they are different sports. If it works for boxing, then why wouldn't it work for MMA?

 

[Post 2 Decision]

Why not? So far the only reason you gave for why MMA can't use the same system that boxing uses is because they are different sports. If it works for boxing, then why wouldn't it work for MMA?

I listed why in my first post in the thread.

Everyone is giving you legit reasons, you're just ignoring them lol

There is nothing impressive about padded records

Khabib still gets shit for his record

 

[Post 2 Decision]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that guys should be 30-0 before they fight a ranked guy. But if someone is 10-0 and only 4-0 in the UFC, then I think reasonable to say that they should get some more fights under their belt before they are ready to fight the big boys.

You're just holding them back from fighting better competition... Because you want their record to look better? This makes no sense in an actual sporting sense

 

[theincognito]

Shahbazyan destroyed Tavares, who went 5 rounds with the champion in the fight before. He looked ready for someone like Brunson so I wouldn't consider this one bad matchmaking.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that guys should be 30-0 before they fight a ranked guy. But if someone is 10-0 and only 4-0 in the UFC, then I think reasonable to say that they should get some more fights under their belt before they are ready to fight the big boys.

I think we're on the same page. I'm not interested in padding records for marketing and hype. But I am interested in seeing promising fighters reaching their full potential. What you say about them 'being ready' is key imo.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

You're just holding them back from fighting better competition... Because you want their record to look better? This makes no sense in an actual sporting sense

No, that's not what he said. He wants them held back from better competition until "they are ready to fight the big boys". Developing as a fighter (or any kind of athlete) is a process. Rushing that process often has deleterious effects on development.

 

[Post 2 Decision]

No, that's not what he said. He wants them held back from better competition until "they are ready to fight the big boys". Developing as a fighter (or any kind of athlete) is a process. Rushing that process often has deleterious effects on development.

It makes sense that after you beat an opponent, you face a slightly better opponent. You also improve when your competition improves

 

[Patman]

What is exactly is wrong with a prospect taking an L early in their career? I’d much rather have it the way it is in the UFC rather than padding records.

 

[Utahraptor Ostrommaysi]

I listed why in my first post in the thread.

Everyone is giving you legit reasons, you're just ignoring them lol

There is nothing impressive about padded records

Khabib still gets shit for his record

I don't think anyone has given me a good reason why MMA shouldn't be more like boxing in that regard. It's just been "padded records suck" or "no one wants to guys who are 10-0 fights guys who are 11-15" etc.
In fact you did it just it just now.
People like Khabib and Usman get shit from the just bleed fans because of their style, but the truth is that their style is what wins belts. People like Masvidal will never be champion because he stands and bangs with everyone he fights.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

It makes sense that after you beat an opponent, you face a slightly better opponent. You also improve when your competition improves

Sure. And often, that's not how MMA works. A guy might win a few fights and then get a massive jump in the rankings and face guys they aren't ready for. I think often fans can see a fighter has a ton of potential, but they don't understand how that potential needs to be developed through measured experience. Being in over your head is actually not always a great way to learn. I think this is especially true for young athletes.

It's pretty normal for NFL quarterbacks to be brought along relatively slowly when a team can afford to. Patrick Mahomes was MVP of the league in his second year and SuperBowl MVP in his third year. So he's developed very rapidly. But he still rode the bench in his rookie year except for one game. Conversely, shit teams like the Cleveland Browns constantly throw first year guys into the fire and they stunt their growth.

 

[Post 2 Decision]

I don't think anyone has given me a good reason why MMA shouldn't be more like boxing in that regard. It's just been "padded records suck" or "no one wants to guys who are 10-0 fights guys who are 11-15" etc.
In fact you did it just it just now.
People like Khabib and Usman get shit from the just bleed fans because of their style, but the truth is that their style is what wins belts. People like Masvidal will never be champion because he stands and bangs with everyone he fights.

Not just the style, I'm talking about Khabib's record. Crushed a bunch of cans early in his career and people shit on it.

Sports are supposed to be competitive, no one wants to see top fighters crush cans.

You want them to make Jacare vs Camozzi 3?
How about Mickey Gall fighting the CM Punks of the world?
Chimaev needs to fight 10 more guys in other orgs before he gets a ranked UFC opponent?

 

[SSgt Dickweed]

And stop feeding their young prospects to top 10 guys before they are ready.
Tonight was just another example of why these young prospects should fight cans and unranked fighters in order to gain experience before they step in the cage with the top guys in their respective divisions.
Also, I hope that the people who are pushing for Chimaev to fight a top 10 guy now realize why that is a terrible idea. Discuss.

Abso-fucking-lutely. They wasted Edmen's 0 losses stat to serve a wrestler that will maybe not get a title shot before he retires. Unlike Sage Northcutt, Edmen might've actually been a contender if developed right. He could still do great thing but now has a loss.

 

[Substance Abuse]

I think MMA would be better off in the long run if it was like that. MMA isn't taken as seriously by the masses because half of the fighter have double digit losses on their records. Someone with Jorge Masvidal's record, for example, would never get a title shot in boxing. Yet he just fought for the title a few weeks ago.

Lol. No.