[Nostrezzz]

In my opinion, it's similar to the NFL Draft.

Sure, you have tons of note-worthy veterans. But everyone is more interested in the guys who are still yet to be discovered. The YOUNG talent. Because what good is a Mirko Cro Cop as your Champion if he's planning on retiring before he can defend it 3 times? Guys like Sanchez, Griffin, Bonnar, and Franklin, they are all good fighters. Every one of them (excluding Bonnar) have had vast wrestling backgrounds. And if you've never rolled around with a wrestler, you have no idea, but they DO have some ground skills. Half of learning how to fight on the ground is leverage, and most good wrestlers have a very good feel for that. Even if it does only result in GnP.

And by the way, who are you to decide what MMA is? Is it, by your definition, rolling around on the ground and that's it? That sounds like Jiu-Jitsu to me, but not much for MIXED martial arts. Kickboxers, Sambo, Muay Thai, these are all actual martial arts that involve fighting from a standing position. If you want ground work, go watch a Jiu-jitsu competition. But in MMA, a good fighter is going to always have a good standing and ground game. Look at Arlovski, Couture, Fedor, Hughes, Nog, and Sakuraba. They are all capable strikers (some stronger than others) but they are all willing to go to the mat. Don't give me that crap about the "new age" UFC ruining the sport because you have a personal beef with what's popular. If you don't like it, nobody is twisting your arm to watch it. Watch Pride. Where you get to see two BJJ practicioners lay there on the mat like a couple of dead people until we eventually get to a decision. This is an assumption on my part, and I apologize in advance for it, but my guess is that you probably don't support elbows and knees from the guard/side guard either, right? Why? Because a nasty cut can end a fight? You're damn right it can. But if the guys who just want to land 4 punches then hug their opponent for the remaining 13 minutes for a decision are forced to ACTUALLY do something to win the fight, what's wrong with that? It's in the interest of MMA to allow these fighters to go for blood. If MMA fighters are supposed to be strictly ground specialists, why is Silva the champion over at Pride? He'll tell you every day of the week and twice on Sunday that he wants to be standing. Rampage Jackson wants knockouts. Why? Who gives a shit? They just do!

I'm ranting, and I'm way off topic. But ultimately, The Ultimate Fighter will be good for MMA and good for the UFC. If you aren't from the US then I can understand why it's difficult to fathom these changes being necessary. But they certainly are. UFC is in a place where they want to be competitive with the rest of the world of MMA. In order to do that, they need money. In order to do that, they need advertising. And with advertising comes bullshit censorship from the damn bleeding hearts who don't want their children exposed to such violence. And the only way to beat those assholes is to have MORE money than them, so they can pay off Congress to allow the show to continue. Then, once the revenue (and all of the future superstars) are in their favor, they can continue with the evolution of MMA