MMA: UFC, Pride, etc...

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HolyMeximofoJoe

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Been a fan for a lil while since they started showing it on cable.
Since then I've been addicted to it and find it incredibly entertaining. I try to watch anything of the UFC i can, and watch Pride at times on youtube.

I'm suprised there hasn't been a thread about this. Currently the UFC is blowing up huge they made over 222,000,000 dollars on PPV's in 2006 (which broke Boxing's record of 200 million in 1999). Pride however ain't doing too good business wise which is a shame since they got great fighters.

So who here is a fan and what are your thoughts on it?
 
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My thoughts are that there is the UFC, and then there is everybody else.

UFC is on Spike and will have a satellite organization that they own appearing on Versus soon. They do amazing PPV business, and sell arenas out everywhere.

They are hyper-aggressive and want to be competing only with themselves.

Pride has great fighters, and is a world wide brand, but their organization is in disarray and their production values are low.

The IFL is on FSN and while they do ok ratings, they do not have Pride's quality fighters, nor the UFC's name value or $$$.

Chuck Norris has his World Combat League on Versus, and they are doing ok.

MMA is also hurting boxing, stealing all the younger viewers, and slowly the older ones, too. Though, there will always be room out there for boxing.

MMA's clearly not a fad and you can thank the UFC for cleaning it up, regulating the rules and making it more consumer/advertiser friendly.
 
Pride/UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta, UFC President Dana White, Pride CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara answered questions during a conference call Tuesday about the Fertitta brothers' purchase of Pride.

Here are the notes from the call:

- The UFC and Pride will remain separate entities and will compete against each other.

- They are think of doing an annual “Super Bowl” of mixed martial arts pitting the best fighters in all the weight classes from each promotion.

- Pride will be adopting the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, currently used by the UFC.

- PRIDE and UFC will run shows all over the world.

- Fertitta said he intends on keeping Pride a “Japanese-centric branded product.”

- For the “mega-fights” between Pride and UFC champions, the titles will not be unified. No belts will change and hands.

- White said Fedor Emelianenko is signed to Pride but the details of the deal are still being worked out.

- They are working on getting Pride back on TV in Japan.

- With the exception of Pride CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara's resignation on April 8, all Pride staff will be retained.

Hmm, at least they are keeping them as separate entities. Superfight crossover will be a massive PPV idea. I don't like the idea of adopting the UFC rules but oh, well.
 
trevster2k said:
Pride/UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta, UFC President Dana White, Pride CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara answered questions during a conference call Tuesday about the Fertitta brothers' purchase of Pride.

Here are the notes from the call:

- The UFC and Pride will remain separate entities and will compete against each other.

- They are think of doing an annual “Super Bowl” of mixed martial arts pitting the best fighters in all the weight classes from each promotion.

- Pride will be adopting the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, currently used by the UFC.

- PRIDE and UFC will run shows all over the world.

- Fertitta said he intends on keeping Pride a “Japanese-centric branded product.”

- For the “mega-fights” between Pride and UFC champions, the titles will not be unified. No belts will change and hands.

- White said Fedor Emelianenko is signed to Pride but the details of the deal are still being worked out.

- They are working on getting Pride back on TV in Japan.

- With the exception of Pride CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara's resignation on April 8, all Pride staff will be retained.

Hmm, at least they are keeping them as separate entities. Superfight crossover will be a massive PPV idea. I don't like the idea of adopting the UFC rules but oh, well.

All Pride staff will be retained for 6 months or so, and then Zuffa can terminate whomever they like.
 
It sucks for the fighters too who are already being exploited.

If they get pissed off with their treatment, there is really no alternative place for them to go fight and earn decent money.

I would rather have seen Pride continue to be an independent entity. I hope for the best.
 
Free UFC this weekend on Spike TV. Saturday night at 9pm EST.

Check it out if you haven't seen a UFC event, basically a free PPV.
 
CRO COP GOT CRO COP'ED!!! :faint:

That kick was brutal and the way Mirko's leg was was even more brutal. MAN! That was awesome... wanted to see Couture vs Cro Cop but it's still good.

Lil Nog, Gomi, Sylvia, GSP, Arona, now Cro Cop wow 2007 is upsets upsets and more upsets.
 
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Yup, upsets rule the day in MMA. It's always been part of the game where anyone can win if they get lucky but it's been a bit bizarre this year.

Crocop never even tried to protect his head, he covered his shoulder. That was a pretty high kick. It was the most devastating headkick I have ever seen, even worse than Cro Cop's best.

The Arlovski fight was crap though.

So will Rampage beat Liddell? Hmmm, if the trend continues, it should be interesting.

I am still pissed with how the fighters are being exploited in MMA. They are bringing in more PPV revenue than boxing, I heard twice as much yet pay the top fighters like Couture and Liddell only $100,000 per fight. And MMA fighters fight more often than boxers. Something better change soon so that these guys get their fair share of the profit. It could lead to problems down the road.
 
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