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WWE Agrees to Merge with UFC

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Re: WWE Agrees to Merge with UFC

#61

Post by imbnwa »

dagw wrote: post #54
nperez wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm an MMA fan and I'm not concerned about this affecting UFC's integrity. Their matchmaking is already often based off of what will be marketable. It's an accepted part of the business, and they know they need to balance it with high level competition. I think this move really makes sense for the career paths of UFC fighters. Right now, you can have a very marketable fighter fall in the rankings, and suddenly lose a…

Ken Shamrock and Brock Lesnar both started as pro wrestlers who transitioned between Pro wrestling and MMA. Only Rousey has really managed to make a successful pure MMA->WWE transition. It will be interesting to see how many MMA stars can actually find success in the WWE before WWE fans become tired of the UFC treating the WWE has the UFC retirement home.

All of Japanese MMA descends from 80s/90s Japanese 'hard-style' pro wrestling.

Re: WWE Agrees to Merge with UFC

#62

Post by Kranar »

mistrial9 wrote: post #38
bilalq wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The UFC already shapes events around marketability over merit as much as they can get away with. Look how long it took for Charles and Islam to get their title shots. The difficulty Islam had getting fights with people ranked above him on the way. Beneil and Belal still aren't getting title shots. Meanwhile, Colby gets away with just sitting out a year between title shot losses with fights against washed opponents sa…

> wants to sell drama, not sports poor people around the world have little fight clubs all the time, and the result is "knuckle heads" with broken teeth and unable to work. This show business has big production value, good lighting with excellent cameras, and yes, stories that people can latch on to.. hint- fight fans are often not very smart.

I was curious so I did some Googling just to get a sense if what you're claiming is true and it turns out you very likely wrong on this matter. According to TIDES/University of Central Florida, more than 80% of UFC fighters have a college degree, which is much higher than many other sports including the NFL (31%), NBA (20%), and MLB (less than 45%).

But you mentioned fans specifically, and here you're also way off. Much like the other sports I mentioned, the demographics of UFC viewers are also much more educated than the other sports I mentioned. Based on the Sports Business Journal's survey, 42% of NBA viewers have a college degree, 34% for MLB, 32% for the NFL, and 55% for UFC.

Now you can object to college being a good indicator of intelligence and that's fine, but it's probably a much better indicator than just randomly making stuff up and stereotyping people based on their hobby.

Re: WWE Agrees to Merge with UFC

#63

Post by flangola7 »

osclarto wrote: post #48
mistrial9 wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> wants to sell drama, not sports poor people around the world have little fight clubs all the time, and the result is "knuckle heads" with broken teeth and unable to work. This show business has big production value, good lighting with excellent cameras, and yes, stories that people can latch on to.. hint- fight fans are often not very smart.

you have no idea what you're talking about and your comment is just patronising. MMA is a highly technical sport that demands elite levels of athleticism and sporting intelligence. fight fans are also already a highly diverse group from all around the world and that group is continually growing in size and diversity

[flagged]

Re: WWE Agrees to Merge with UFC

#64

Post by yamtaddle »

techdragon wrote: post #41
stanleydrew wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't that because wrestling producers have tried to maintain the illusion that it's "real?" https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kayfabe

Without a doubt. This is the cause of the stream of people who feel the need to point out it's fake. They aren't "in on the joke" yet, or "don't get the joke", so of course they won't hesitate to point out the obvious, and it usually goes over for fans about as well as someone who feels compelled to explain a joke told by someone else does... Not a fan myself but I long ago wrapped my head around the Kayfabe and why…

Soap opera's exactly the right comparison, especially the really long-running soaps. Same kind of weird surprises, reversals, storylines and callbacks and characters spanning literal decades, all that stuff. Shit, this last Wrestlemania featured a wrestler (who's the son of another wrestler) involved with a plot line elements of which date back to when he was six years old, and that kind of thing's somewhat common wrestling.

Lots of the drama and conflicts and stories could easily be lifted and put in an actual soap opera with minimal modification.

It's a soap opera with tons of crazy, live stunts.

Re: WWE Agrees to Merge with UFC

#66

Post by ilikecakeandpie »

nperez wrote: post #32
Quarrelsome wrote: post #8

If I were a UFC fan then I would be concerned about the integrity of UFC, given the pure entertainment and narrative focus that an organisation like WWE has. There will be moments where WWE execs or simply WWE practices and processes will realise that a certain UFC outcome will be much better entertainment. The question is whether or not everyone will forever have the integrity to ignore that as an option and if the…

I'm an MMA fan and I'm not concerned about this affecting UFC's integrity. Their matchmaking is already often based off of what will be marketable. It's an accepted part of the business, and they know they need to balance it with high level competition. I think this move really makes sense for the career paths of UFC fighters. Right now, you can have a very marketable fighter fall in the rankings, and suddenly lose a…

We just missed out on the possibility of Josh Barnett vs Brock Lesnar in a feud with two wrestling matches and an MMA fight to serve as the rubber match.

Re: WWE Agrees to Merge with UFC

#67

Post by ilikecakeandpie »

dagw wrote: post #54
nperez wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm an MMA fan and I'm not concerned about this affecting UFC's integrity. Their matchmaking is already often based off of what will be marketable. It's an accepted part of the business, and they know they need to balance it with high level competition. I think this move really makes sense for the career paths of UFC fighters. Right now, you can have a very marketable fighter fall in the rankings, and suddenly lose a…

Ken Shamrock and Brock Lesnar both started as pro wrestlers who transitioned between Pro wrestling and MMA. Only Rousey has really managed to make a successful pure MMA->WWE transition. It will be interesting to see how many MMA stars can actually find success in the WWE before WWE fans become tired of the UFC treating the WWE has the UFC retirement home.

Jessamyn Duke, Shayna Baszler, and Tom Lawlor have found success as well, but not all inside WWE. I think they'd be embraced if they approach it as becoming a wrestler instead of being an MMA fighter who pulls their strikes and loosely locks in submissions

Re: WWE Agrees to Merge with UFC

#68

Post by jaywalk »

imbnwa wrote: post #57

WWE fans should brace for the exorbitant PPV price hike. UFC PPVs cost $80 in the USA whereas the recent Wrestlemania was $54.99. On the bright side, Endeavor might merge UFC Fight Pass and WWE Network since its wise to consolidate infrastrcuture.

They're $80 in the US on top of the required ESPN+ subscription. And then ESPN has the gall to shove commercials in at every opportunity.

Re: WWE Agrees to Merge with UFC

#69

Post by mtalantikite »

flangola7 wrote: post #63
osclarto wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you have no idea what you're talking about and your comment is just patronising. MMA is a highly technical sport that demands elite levels of athleticism and sporting intelligence. fight fans are also already a highly diverse group from all around the world and that group is continually growing in size and diversity

[flagged]

I never was attracted to the sport and maybe even had some unconscious biases towards fighters, but about a year ago my meditation practice brought me to try and confront the fear and aversion I had towards aggression. Long story short, I've been training Muay Thai for about a year and it totally changed my view on things. Everyone I've met at these gyms has been kind, welcoming, and exceptionally thoughtful. Training anything this difficult has a way of cutting down your ego. I only wish I had started 10 years ago.

Maybe the fans are different, who knows, but the people that actually show up and train I'd absolutely take as a friend or direct report. It's deep internal mind/body training.

Re: WWE Agrees to Merge with UFC

#70

Post by clsec »

rippercushions wrote: post #13

> UFC champion and superstar Conor McGregor lauded news of the pending deal Sunday evening. “Incredible. What a powerhouse!” he said in one tweet, following up with another tweet displaying an image of him brandishing UFC and WWE championship belts. I would not be happy about this if I was a UFC fighter/WWE wrestler, since less competition will mean less compensation. Where's the anti-trust busters when you need them…

>I would not be happy about this if I was a UFC fighter/WWE wrestler, since less competition will mean less compensation. Where's the anti-trust busters when you need them?

You know, there's a good Ari Daivari, Slim J & Jeeves K joke in here somewhere..

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