Where are these new “UFC” fans coming from?

[DS66]

I think it's Khabib. Whenever there is a rare global superstar who ascends past the UFC brand into the mainstream (Brock, Ronda, Connor), it brings an influx of new fans to the sport. Many of which (not all) who don't have much knowledge or interest in learning about the sport and it's history. I think Khabib has ascended to that level recently (particularly in Russia and countries in the middle east, but also in the US) which is where all of these new fans are coming from. However if Khabib truly is retired and doesn't fight again, we can likely expect a lot of these new fans to fizzle out and lose interest.

 

[CTE_Fan]

Been on these forums a long time. We have all seen waves of new fans come along, some which post on here. Conor arguably brought the most new fans to the UFC (Just the UFC not MMA). Lately I’ve seen a lot of odd threads/comments from new users. So my question is...

Where are they coming from and who’s bringing them in?

Is it because of khabib?

Airing fights to a more casual market (ESPN)?

Social media?

Discuss...

they came from the primordial ooze. I came from one pond over in Lake CTE.

 

[bleeder]

A lot more people started watching these watered down cards the UFC's been putting on lately when corona first hit since it was the only sport competing for a few months.

 

[imbossing]

The only answer...

Reminds of Frankenstein unboundn

 

[ignorant MMA fan]

Probably the contender series.

 

[Kryptt]

I think it's Khabib.

Maybe...only a few in my circle watch and maybe 2 a us are hardcore - lots jus say "he's that Russian guy right".

I really cant discuss MMA with any of them...most have fallen out years ago.

 

[pick999]

I see alot of woodwork khabib fans from india saying stuff like

Khabib greatest at life
Khabib is master of his work

 

[2004 account]

Some even rumor that Dana grows these new fans in his driveway

 

[NoStoneUnturned]

Is it any worse than the Rousey era? It to this day boggles my mind the absolute lunacy that surrounded an extremely average WMMA fighter. I couldn't believe how many.... well I'm not going to say what I really think so lets just say "people", to be nice, were espousing her magical talents. Unbelievable times.

 

[Do The Evolution]

Ah there's the snobbery riddling the "old guard". I joined in 2020, yes, but that doesn't necessarily mean I've been brought into the sport by Khabib, even less McGregor.
Though I admit I'm a total clueless casual, though, milord.

 

[NoStoneUnturned]

I do also agree that Khabib has brought in some small amount of "Muslim" only love. Don't get your panties in a wad my easily offended friends (that is definitely a joke) as I loved it when Anderson just straight karate kicked Vitor with his jeebus shorts on.

 

[Oregonmma]

Ah there's the snobbery riddling the "old guard". I joined in 2020, yes, but that doesn't necessarily mean I've been brought into the sport by Khabib, even less McGregor.
Though I admit I'm a total clueless casual, though, milord.

Hey man atleast you admit it. Honestly I just feel bad for newer fans because these cards are so average. They used to stack the absolute shit out of every PPV. There was never a name you didn’t know on a PPV. I’ve been watching MMA since 2007 and there’s always several fighters I know nothing about on PPVs now.

 

[whaleshark]

Covid

 

[Sickbro69420]

I came in around the time of Rhonda Rousey. Incredible magic boxing skills. She brought me over from boxing actually. She was unbelievable. Nothing could be better than that. I picked up the ring magazine and knew I had to check out this beauty turn into a boxing beast in the ring. Holly holm was afraid to trade on the feet so she had to use kicks. H.h. was a pro boxer before, so that says a lot about the skill of Rousey that tiny shorts had to try kicking tactics to trick r.r. into falling for a head kick k.o. she's still the champ to me.

 

[Glove]

Covid-19

 

[Do The Evolution]

Hey man atleast you admit it. Honestly I just feel bad for newer fans because these cards are so average. They used to stack the absolute shit out of every PPV. There was never a name you didn’t know on a PPV. I’ve been watching MMA since 2007 and there’s always several fighters I know nothing about on PPVs now.

To be honest I've been into MMA since 2005 (Couture v. Liddell on free TV!), but has more or less tuned in and out until late 2017, right around the time Reem started another run for the title. So there's a lot of time in between I've got to catch up on. haha
Anyways, I guess you can explain the number of unknown names on PPV cards to the growth of the sport: quite a number have retired, and there's always a need for new talent (heck, even those with name recognition started out as unknowns in actual UFC fight cards).
And hey, many fights with unheralded names this year have turned to be fantastic (showing my casualness here, the Buckley - Kasanganay fight for example).

 

[Oregonmma]

I came in around the time of Rhonda Rousey. Incredible magic boxing skills. She brought me over from boxing actually. She was unbelievable. Nothing could be better than that. I picked up the ring magazine and knew I had to check out this beauty turn into a boxing beast in the ring. Holly holm was afraid to trade on the feet so she had to use kicks. H.h. was a pro boxer before, so that says a lot about the skill of Rousey that tiny shorts had to try kicking tactics to trick r.r. into falling for a head kick k.o. she's still the champ to me.

Wait... This isn’t a sarcastic post?

 

[NoStoneUnturned]

I came in around the time of Rhonda Rousey. Incredible magic boxing skills. She brought me over from boxing actually. She was unbelievable. Nothing could be better than that. I picked up the ring magazine and knew I had to check out this beauty turn into a boxing beast in the ring. Holly holm was afraid to trade on the feet so she had to use kicks. H.h. was a pro boxer before, so that says a lot about the skill of Rousey that tiny shorts had to try kicking tactics to trick r.r. into falling for a head kick k.o. she's still the champ to me.

Winner

 

[NoStoneUnturned]

Wait... This isn’t a sarcastic post?

That is some A level sarcasm (I think).

 

[Oregonmma]

To be honest I've been into MMA since 2005 (Couture v. Liddell on free TV!), but has more or less tuned in and out until late 2017, right around the time Reem started another run for the title. So there's a lot of time in between I've got to catch up on. haha
Anyways, I guess you can explain the number of unknown names on PPV cards to the growth of the sport: quite a number have retired, and there's always a need for new talent (heck, even those with name recognition started out as unknowns in actual UFC fight cards).
And hey, many fights with unheralded names this year have turned to be fantastic (showing my casualness here, the Buckley - Kasanganay fight for example).

Your definitely right about that, I’m not saying I don’t enjoy watching the unknown fighters rise. A PPV just isn’t the place to have two fighters ranked less than #15 with like 2 fights fight in the UFC. They killed TUF over the years which is how most of their stars were originally made.