[blankenstein]

i just don't like all the tuf guys filling up ufc cards and being main events and almost getting title shots when there's better talent out there.

[mumf69]

Originally Posted by Commissar

When The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) aired on Spike TV, it was welcomed as a breathe of fresh air in all the reality TV nonsense that was consuming our air waves for the years previous. We were excited to watch MMA on TV, for free. We were excited about the potential mainstream exposure that it could receive. At this point, it never occurred to us what it all meant.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is getting popular in North America. Now anyone you talk to has at least heard of it, and many others actually watch it regularly. The former bloodsport had succumed to the same Capitalist concepts as Microsoft had, or even professional boxing had. Now, in the UFC, the concept of having the best champion has disappeared. They want a marketable, entertaining champion instead. For a fanbase of wrestling fans and boxing fans, the art of jiu-jitsu or the style of Greco-Roman wrestling is unknown to them. They want knockouts. They want the bloodsport that began in 1993. They don't want 'pussy' submissions, and they sure as hell don't want '***goty' grappling in their pure sport.

One year ago, the Ultimate Fighting Championship had a competitive company. No expectations to live up to, nobody to please, except the hardcore fans that wanted the best champion, not the most marketable. They had a good lightweight division. Then TUF happened.

One year later, the UFC has gotten rid of several of their top fighters, due to losses or grappling-oriented fights. Ivan Salaverry lost a decision to Nathan Marquardt and was released. Frank Trigg was released after getting tooled and submitted by Georges St. Pierre. Matt Lindland has been released after defeating everyone the UFC has thrown in front of him, and dominated in a wrestling fashion.

The UFC is losing it's top fighters to the likes of Forrest Griffin, Stephan Bonnar, and Diego Sanchez. Entertaining fighters, yes. High-end, quality fighters, no. Not yet.

The UFC is losing it's hardcore fans to the likes of new ones. With each contract release, it becomes harder and harder to compare the UFC to PRIDE. Dream Stage Entertainment has PRIDE extremely popular in Japan without sacrificing their top fighters. Why can't Zuffa? Is it the audience?
If so, can MMA successfully thrive in the West?
If it has nothing to do with the audience, why is the UFC failing where PRIDE thrived?

The next few months will be important for the future of the UFC. By January, we should know where the Ultimate Fighting Championships; insterests truely lie.

Discuss.
______________

*This not bashing the UFC, or comparing it to PRIDE. This is an overview of facts. If you disagree, feel free to tell why*

TUF cant be a bad thing. It introduces fighters that most haven't heard of that end up becoming stars. It is also great advertising for upcoming UFC events escpecially grudge matches of fighters from TUF. Because of TUF, boxing is as close to being dead is ever. The MMA fighters of today are light years above the old UFC fighters of the 90's.There is no more ground fighter against a striker matchups anymore because you must be good in all facets not just one.When exactly did Matt Linland dominate? I remember him losing every big fight he was in the UFC, Bustamonte & Terrell beat him very easily.

[vominator]

most smart contracts provide for a payout... if they realize that no one is going to care about a fight/certain fighters, they can just pay them out... or make it a prelim non broadcast fight... I doubt the contracts say they fight will for sure be broadcast

tuf is a definite help, especially at the beginning when it helped mma go mainstream. could a moderator fix the spelling of "hinderance" in the title? it's hindrance

[rainbowchild]

I hear they are doing a TUF in the UK. I hope it has the same effect as it did in USA to introduce mma to the wider public

[1ANDONE]

youre being pessimistic, tuf is entertainment more than anything, and so is the ufc

LIke it or not the ufc is a business more than anything as well, wouldn't you want youre company to succeed?

Ya part of it is putting on a good show in order to get more fans in order to make more $.

[chiangrai]

I hope they don't screw with the formula too much. Bringing in new blood is great, but I think they're learning to tone down the hype about the new kids. If there's a sense that the fighters aren't earning their way up the 'food chain' the viewers might start thinking it's all bogus. Dana should explain his reasoning behind the matchups and how one earns a title shot so it's clear how it all works. Or has he? Anyone have a link to UFC rules?

[BIG RON]

TUF is great to help the masses see the sport but only a handful of the guys on the show really have what it takes to be a top level fighter. It sucks when the is an UFN and most of the fights are guys from TUF that no one I know wants to see fight anywhere.

[killrkain]

the gabe ruedegers and the jeremy jacksons need not apply.

[1ANDONE]

youre 20-1 and youre not a quality fighter? You lose a controversial decision vs. Tito Ortiz and youre not a quality fighter? you need a reality check. stop looking to the UFC for all the answers and pick the fighter you think is the best. Can you at least give them some props for BUYING PRIDE?!? If it wasn't for the UFC, fighters wouldnt make shit to fight.