Why Are Fighters Required to do “Fighter Meetings” With DC and Anik?

[Gabe]

This has gotta be one of the stupidest mandatory things that the UFC makes these guys do. They’re not even for press or our entertainment it has to be behind closed doors. You don’t think the fans would like to see these groundbreaking meetings that Anik is always talking about? It seems like just a way for the commentators to pester the fighter and ask pointless questions just to have some material.

 

[Sean Chowdhury]

The meetings happen so that the commentators have things to say during the PPV when that fighter is walking out. When you hear DC or Anik say something like "X fighter went to colorado to train at elevation for this fight" that info probably came from the meeting

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

UFC is a media company first

 

[RockyLockridge]

It's so the commentators have something to talk about, people complain that they dont get any promotion but the fighter meetings are where they can speak a bit about themselves and give the fans the opportunity to know the fighters on a more personal level.

basically, Promotion

 

[Luthien]

Anik needs the scoop on the custody battles

 

[loisestrad]

Seems to me that a bit of preparation for the commentary would be a ... good thing?

 

[usernamee]

They started having those meetings so Anik could get insider info for betting

 

[13Seconds]

Yeah it's for the commentators. Of course i would hide personal struggles from them like break ups, divorces, family issues if that's possible. Anik can't be trusted with.

It's a whatever you say can and will be used kind of thing.

 

[Duke Kensington]

Seems to me that a bit of preparation for the commentary would be a ... good thing?

No we should have dumber commentators. Let’s get schaub and Tito in there with Rogan

 

[Pechan]

So they have shit to talk about

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

Seems to me that a bit of preparation for the commentary would be a ... good thing?

Depends. You have Anik-bot who'll remember every single detail and being them up whenever, and then there's Cormier who'll forget everything including how to pronounce your name.

 

[Eric Silva 2.0]

Anik needs the scoop on the custody battles

you beat me to it.......

 

[13Seconds]

Also i don't think most fighters would mind having a chat with the commentators behind closed doors. That way they can warn them not to say certain stuff. And they can remind them to mention stuff they want fans to know or stuff that sounds badass.

I see nothing bad about this.

 

[Hymen Crusher]

Same as every other league, it's an old dumb tradition. Watch the nfl ones they are so dumb. No one ever says anything interesting.

 

[Ares Black]

This has gotta be one of the stupidest mandatory things that the UFC makes these guys do. They’re not even for press or our entertainment it has to be behind closed doors. You don’t think the fans would like to see these groundbreaking meetings that Anik is always talking about? It seems like just a way for the commentators to pester the fighter and ask pointless questions just to have some material.

To give them stuff to talk about.

It's really not a big deal.

 

[MaulingMyClown]

Every major sport does it. They meet with coaches, managers, star players etc for a better broadcast

 

[skylolow]

Every major sport does it. They meet with coaches, managers, star players etc for a better broadcast

This..............every sport does this. You can't expect announcers to keep track on what all these athletes are doing 365. Hell, most of them have an ear piece just to get fed information to tell fans.

 

[ninja boot]

from a spectator perspective i'm happy they do.
I have no idea how long they've been doing the pre-fight interviews but in addition to giving commentary talking points and personal details to discuss during the telecast they also offer an opportunity to vet the fighters.
For instance, Diego and Josh Fabia were preparing to create a situation where the UFC could have found themselves in a courtroom after they disclosed conditions that showed Diego was unfit to fight based on their own complaint of injury
Caleb Starnes showed up to a fight and basically sprinted around refusing to engage which is bad for business. Speaking to him ahead of the match may have uncovered a mental issue making him unfit to fight.
Pre-fight interviews offer another layer of security to see where the fighters head is at.