Why do people hate on women's division?
- Thread starter MMAProfessional
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I think the dislike for most of the WMMA content is based on the quality of the fights, the timing, and the perceived value drop of a ticket/PPV card.
During the early UFC days fans didn't just swarm to MMA like flies to honey. It took time and money to build the product and the events up to a level that the fans liked. Even then it wasn't until the drama of TUF captured many that the sport found real solidarity. There are numerous exceptions and views that might counter this, but this is basically true. Modern MMA has evolved and the male fighters have improved in many, many ways quickly.
Timing is important because fans now have a 'bar' with which to judge all MMA. In the early days fans could see very different and unrefined skills challenge each other to see who had the one that won them all. It was BJJ in the beginning and not long afterwards everyone started to train the skills needed to survive, and then use offensively. Judo will not become the newest hot skill to counter all and everyone from the Women's side. Ronda's Judo can be countered by some other skills, this has been proven by the Men that have stopped other Judo pros from advancing very far. The problem is that the Women that are long time fighters are well versed in certain comfort areas and not well equipped to counter Judo. The up and coming Women fighters will find some diverse ways to adapt, but they are too far down the ranks and skill level to face the Champion. By the time they are evolved enough to face Ronda, she will be retired or at the tail end of her career looking to preserve her legacy and brand. The timing of Ronda's reign is great for Ronda and the UFC but bad for the fans and the rest of the division.
This leads to the value issue. Fans love that Ronda is a winner and finishes. This is good for those types of fans that jump on the bandwagon of the winners and basically follow fighters rather than the sport. To pay for tickets and PPV though, Ronda's value is very low. Her fights are finished way too quickly which means that these fans that are buying Ronda fights are paying a premium just to watch less than a minute of MMA. Pair this with the idea that the rest of the WMMA is not of the same quality that the Men's fights generally are. There are obviously terrible Men's fights as well, but skill wise there are far fewer. Unlike just about every other sport, baseball, basketball, hockey, etc, if you want to watch the women play, you have to seek it out. The UFC has removed this option from the fans to a certain point. Yes you can turn of the T.V. or whatever when the female fights are on, but you are still essentially paying for the event and being forced to take the women's fights whether you want to or not. The concept of Invicta is a sound one for many fans, but personally I have no problem with WMMA being in the UFC or Strikeforce prior to this.
For many fans they just feel like they are being subjected to watching sub par MMA via the Woman's division at a time when there is a notable skill difference between the top fighter and the rest. For some they have already done the support thing through the early days and they don't want to do that anymore. They patiently waited out the transitions and evolutions to finally enjoy the modern day sport. Now it appears that they have to endure this once again.
There are many reasons to hate WMMA. These are the most likely ones I can think of.
During the early UFC days fans didn't just swarm to MMA like flies to honey. It took time and money to build the product and the events up to a level that the fans liked. Even then it wasn't until the drama of TUF captured many that the sport found real solidarity. There are numerous exceptions and views that might counter this, but this is basically true. Modern MMA has evolved and the male fighters have improved in many, many ways quickly.
Timing is important because fans now have a 'bar' with which to judge all MMA. In the early days fans could see very different and unrefined skills challenge each other to see who had the one that won them all. It was BJJ in the beginning and not long afterwards everyone started to train the skills needed to survive, and then use offensively. Judo will not become the newest hot skill to counter all and everyone from the Women's side. Ronda's Judo can be countered by some other skills, this has been proven by the Men that have stopped other Judo pros from advancing very far. The problem is that the Women that are long time fighters are well versed in certain comfort areas and not well equipped to counter Judo. The up and coming Women fighters will find some diverse ways to adapt, but they are too far down the ranks and skill level to face the Champion. By the time they are evolved enough to face Ronda, she will be retired or at the tail end of her career looking to preserve her legacy and brand. The timing of Ronda's reign is great for Ronda and the UFC but bad for the fans and the rest of the division.
This leads to the value issue. Fans love that Ronda is a winner and finishes. This is good for those types of fans that jump on the bandwagon of the winners and basically follow fighters rather than the sport. To pay for tickets and PPV though, Ronda's value is very low. Her fights are finished way too quickly which means that these fans that are buying Ronda fights are paying a premium just to watch less than a minute of MMA. Pair this with the idea that the rest of the WMMA is not of the same quality that the Men's fights generally are. There are obviously terrible Men's fights as well, but skill wise there are far fewer. Unlike just about every other sport, baseball, basketball, hockey, etc, if you want to watch the women play, you have to seek it out. The UFC has removed this option from the fans to a certain point. Yes you can turn of the T.V. or whatever when the female fights are on, but you are still essentially paying for the event and being forced to take the women's fights whether you want to or not. The concept of Invicta is a sound one for many fans, but personally I have no problem with WMMA being in the UFC or Strikeforce prior to this.
For many fans they just feel like they are being subjected to watching sub par MMA via the Woman's division at a time when there is a notable skill difference between the top fighter and the rest. For some they have already done the support thing through the early days and they don't want to do that anymore. They patiently waited out the transitions and evolutions to finally enjoy the modern day sport. Now it appears that they have to endure this once again.
There are many reasons to hate WMMA. These are the most likely ones I can think of.
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There's a difference between criticizing and outright hating. Most Ronda superfans can't understand that difference.
I remember watching Mega Megu back in Bellator and thinking she was fun to watch long before talks of women being in the UFC.
I remember watching Mega Megu back in Bellator and thinking she was fun to watch long before talks of women being in the UFC.
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Other than MMA, I like Football (soccer), Rugby and Boxing, and watch them all the time. I don't watch the womens versions of any of those sports, because the games are slower, sloppy and just boring when compared to the men.
This goes for MMA too. The only difference is I can watch and enjoy say, a football match from start to finish without having to entertain half an hour of a womens game shoved in the middle of the broadcast.
Watching the UFC, you're force-fed the women's version of the sport, and I don't think any other sport does that.
This goes for MMA too. The only difference is I can watch and enjoy say, a football match from start to finish without having to entertain half an hour of a womens game shoved in the middle of the broadcast.
Watching the UFC, you're force-fed the women's version of the sport, and I don't think any other sport does that.
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This. Combined with the fact that I have to pay money to watch the UFC. Bottom line is that WMMA is C-level MMA. I can see better skill, and athleticism on display at a regional amateur show. But the UFC expects me to pay just as much to watch C-level amateur MMA (AKA WMMA) as to watch actual elite MMA. That's BS. Give the woman there own organization or their own cards, see how that works out. When the skill level rivals the men, then they can be in the Men's orgs.
