Why didn't "The Contender" take off and succeed the way "The Ultimate Fighter" has?

I liked the show but it could have been better, and I was just wondering what everyones thoughts were on why boxing's version of a reality show didn't become a big hit like the UFC version has. For one, I think theres alot of ways it could have been done better, like maybe if HBO was in charge of it, since theyve done such a good job with 24/7. what are some things that would make as successful "Contender" or Contender spinoff if you were in charge As Boxing's progressed, the urge for fighters to stay undefeated has become something as common as the cold. They would never put any real up and coming or "contenders" on the show because they have a chance to lose and lose out on getting bigger fights. I mean, look at the batch of young Boxers in the past couple of years who have been beaten by lesser know guys (i.e. Victor Ortiz and Amir Khan come to mind). With MMA, you don't find a lot of undefeated fighters because at least with the UFC, they don't have that stigma of keeping a guy undefeated for a long stretch more than just putting the best against the best. Boxing's become too fascinated with being undefeated. I mean, imagine Floyd losing sometime next year. What do you think that does to his aura or credibility of being called the best since a good amount of his pull is from him being undefeated? The human psyche is a muthaphucka.

I like UFC for real, I know I might get mang wanged because of this, but i realy dont know why so many boxing fans hate it and say "they roll gayly around the ground" or w.e, it's really really hard to survive once your on the ground, those guys are real pro's, they would snap both of our arms in a heartbeat in that situation. people just gotta realize their DIFFERENT sports...

Agreed, the action-cutting of the tv-show didn't help it.. Also the contender didn't produce any elite fighters. Boxingfights are won and lost by smaller margins than in the MMA, and it makes it impossible to find a "diamond in the rough", who isn't signed, and who hasn't already wasted to many important years of their carrer. Getting Bika and Soliman to appear in the show seemed like the best they could do. Though not consideret world-elite, they were rated high, and anyone of the "rough diamonds" who could impress against them, had to be taken seriosly. Noone could...

I liked the show but it could have been better, and I was just wondering what everyones thoughts were on why boxing's version of a reality show didn't become a big hit like the UFC version has. For one, I think theres alot of ways it could have been done better, like maybe if HBO was in charge of it, since theyve done such a good job with 24/7. what are some things that would make as successful "Contender" or Contender spinoff if you were in charge The ultimate fighter actually created world class fighters like Kenny Florian (even though he was just iced) If the Contender was actually featuring GOOD upcoming prospects with Knockout power then I'm sure it would be popular.

Cos it sucked.....

Because they made the fights look like Rocky or something. I wanted to see the full fight. They added shitty sound effects and music to build up the next big punch. It was rediculous!

I liked the show but it could have been better, and I was just wondering what everyones thoughts were on why boxing's version of a reality show didn't become a big hit like the UFC version has. For one, I think theres alot of ways it could have been done better, like maybe if HBO was in charge of it, since theyve done such a good job with 24/7. what are some things that would make as successful "Contender" or Contender spinoff if you were in charge Overproduction weighed the series down in cost and did not give the viewer a reason to want to see these guys fight. How do you decide on who you want to cheer for or not on 10 mins of bad editing? TUF didn't have money for flash, so they pretty much built on substance.

I think Sylvester Stallone didn't really belong either. Sly did hid best, and "Rocky" is immortal, but the younger generation wants the here and now. I've always loved the "Contender" because I've met and worked out with two fighters from the show. I love the "Ultimate fighter" to though. If its combat, Im interested.

I think Sylvester Stallone didn't really belong either. HAHAH sylvester stallone is a fool. i remember when my boy sergio mora was beating manfredos ass on the finale. this foo said "wow this is the fight of the year!!" HAHAH the contender could have done a lot of things. 1) show more training footage 2) show the entire round

I think Sylvester Stallone didn't really belong either.

because boxing fights between two bad fighters are completely different from fights with good fighters. In mma if the fighters are evenly matched a fight between bad fighters looks the same as one between good fighters.

Showing the fights in their entirety would have been a good start.

2 words sergio mora

I liked the show but it could have been better, and I was just wondering what everyones thoughts were on why boxing's version of a reality show didn't become a big hit like the UFC version has. For one, I think theres alot of ways it could have been done better, like maybe if HBO was in charge of it, since theyve done such a good job with 24/7. what are some things that would make as successful "Contender" or Contender spinoff if you were in charge There is only one reason. Ultimate Fighter winners go on to be marketed as super stars, while Contender winners go on to be marketed as opponents for legitimate champions.

I liked the show but it could have been better, and I was just wondering what everyones thoughts were on why boxing's version of a reality show didn't become a big hit like the UFC version has. For one, I think theres alot of ways it could have been done better, like maybe if HBO was in charge of it, since theyve done such a good job with 24/7. what are some things that would make as successful "Contender" or Contender spinoff if you were in charge cause real boxing fans know that the contender is a joke... only in MMA can any scrub off the street compete at the elite level.

I liked the show but it could have been better, and I was just wondering what everyones thoughts were on why boxing's version of a reality show didn't become a big hit like the UFC version has. For one, I think theres alot of ways it could have been done better, like maybe if HBO was in charge of it, since theyve done such a good job with 24/7. what are some things that would make as successful "Contender" or Contender spinoff if you were in charge the thing with the Ultimate Fighter is they have a lot of drama, kiddy bullshit. like guys getting angry at each other for not taking out the trash or popping their basketball and other bullcrap. thats what reality shows are built on though. silly confrontations and people being jackasses to each other in a home setting. the contender didnt really have that, they just tried to talk about the backgrounds of the guys and then show the fights. they had some short rivalries, but thats it. also there werent any huge standout fighters in the contender. a few names we recongnised, but overall the guys in it didnt go on or started out doing much at the top level.I liked the show for what it was. I only ever saw the third season in its entirity and thought it was great entertainment...especially the final match Bika - Codrington!yea, people forget about this fight, but Bika-Codrington was a great fight! a bunch of knockdowns in the first round, a brutal final ending, and lots of action throughout. I wonder what Codrington is up to now? the guy was still pretty young, and he did destroy Vera much faster than Kirkland.

I think what someone alluded to there about things not happening so quickly in boxing may be part of it. Perhaps if the show guaranteed an immediate world title challenge for the winner (maybe as part of the final show), then it may have been more popular. That might have been more intriguing to the mainstream audience (as impossible as it would be to achieve). But instead, there is a Contender winner. And as muddled as the sport is to an outside, what does a Contender winner actually mean? I liked the show for what it was. I only ever saw the third season in its entirity and thought it was great entertainment...especially the final match Bika - Codrington!

Format, editing, stupid challenges, too much focus on family and not on training. UF is far superior in every way. nice avatar:boxing:

Funny thing is, I was actually thinking about this the other day. I also enjoyed this show. It's wasn't that bad. Could of been some changes. ****e TV has some of the best marketing and advertisements right now, which is why The Ultimate Fighter took off so well. Right now The Ultimate Fighter is bigger than ever. With Kimbo Slice in the show, their ratings have been off the charts. Which is why I heard they were bringing back Kimbo Slice. I have actually watched the first couple episodes of The Ultimate Fighter, and I am truly starting to have a hate for it. I am one of those fighting fans who enjoys boxing and UFC. But I truly can't stand watching people grapple on the ground anymore. I think men should fight standing, not humping on the ground.

****e TV has a lot more viewers and the way they set up drama in the house was more watchable than the contender