So I watched a UFC fight for the very first time.... Absolutely horrendous

[Johnwoo8686]

Just face the facts mate, Mixed Martial Arts/UFC has had its peak 'You can yabber on about being solid, or being a REAL fighter etc The bottom line is that the sport has had its peak, and during that peak it did not swallow boxing or have anywhere near the cultural/societal impact of boxing historically 'A sport which was born out of Honor and Romance, I don't need to expand upon that 'History has done that for me'

Now put your TapOut T-Shirt on and F***K off.

Again you don't know what you're talking about. Did you know that the UFC had it's most profitable year in 2019? Every city in America you are starting to see more and more MMA gyms. You must be British since you used the term "mate." And I know how the sport hasn't really gotten popular there, although Conor McGregor seems to be quite the star over there.

You say the sport has hit it's peak but the evidence shows that the sport is only growing in popularity. The UFC had it's first pay per view event do over 2 million buys in 2018. Boxing hasn't had a pay per view event do over 2 million buys since Mayweather retired in 2017 and he had to fight an MMA fighter to do those big numbers. The sport is growing and you must live under a rock not to be able to see it.

[MEXICAN STYLE]

Imagine paying for a 40 second damaged goods McGregor vs washed up Cerrone fight LMAO

[HitmanTommy]

Imagine paying for a 40 second damaged goods McGregor vs washed up Cerrone fight LMAO

absolutely horrendous

[TheMyspaceDayz]

Imagine paying for a 40 second damaged goods McGregor vs washed up Cerrone fight LMAO

I think a lot of people paid for it. I did. Everyone I know did. Nothing better to do on a long winter night.

[PRINCEKOOL]

I think a lot of people paid for it. I did. Everyone I know did. Nothing better to do on a long winter night.

I was interested in the fight, and just watched a highlight in the morning.

Also another thing with the UFC, if you look back through it's entire history? There is no Mixed Martial Arts/UFC equivalent to Hagler vs Hearns, Ward vs Gatti, Bowe vs Holyfield, Ali vs Frazier etc

Where are the UFC equivalents to those fights I have just mentioned up above? I think the very nature of the sport, in some sort of way 'Inhibits' the depth of drama that can be produced.

For pure drama & theater, boxing still has the ability to produce Oscar wining fights.

Where is the UFC equivalent to this? 'There has been no UFC heavyweight fight in the past 10 years that has been more engrossing than Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Kiltschko and that particular fight is not even classed as a all-time great fight etc

[FinitoxDinamita]

Savage and barbaric activity where pretty much anything goes until the opponent taps out. Elbows, knees and headlocks galore.

Two grown men wrestling on the ground. I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT SHYT!!!!!!!!

In boxing, you use only your fists. No elbows, knees or taking your opponent to the ground to bail you out. If you aren't skilled enough with your fists, it's going to be a LONG night. If you are hurt, the referee will give you an 8 count. He will ask you if are ok to continue. If you are not ok, he will stop it.

No comparison. Boxing is much more civilized and is the true gentlemen's sport.

Spot on pal. *** mma and jujitsu and any of that grappling sht. Those kind of styles are too boring for TV.

Royce Gracie id like to punch him in the fkin face for being the most boring fighter of all time. Like Royce Gracie is supposed to be a legend in the UFC? Lmfao Ive seen his career highlight and it was the most brutally boring highlight ive ever seen. All he does is lay there like a scared little ***** too frightened to fight like a real man.

*** mma.

https://********/KKmZlQZ_QDA

[TMLT87]

Again you don't know what you're talking about. Did you know that the UFC had it's most profitable year in 2019? Every city in America you are starting to see more and more MMA gyms. You must be British since you used the term "mate." And I know how the sport hasn't really gotten popular there, although Conor McGregor seems to be quite the star over there.

You say the sport has hit it's peak but the evidence shows that the sport is only growing in popularity. The UFC had it's first pay per view event do over 2 million buys in 2018. Boxing hasn't had a pay per view event do over 2 million buys since Mayweather retired in 2017 and he had to fight an MMA fighter to do those big numbers. The sport is growing and you must live under a rock not to be able to see it.

The tv ratings are much lower now than they were in the early days of Fox and around the same as they were on Spike back in the 00s. The first ever UFC on Fox event in 2011 did just shy of 6 million viewers. Nowadays if something hits 2 mil its one of the most watched cards of the year, if not the most.

You are right that they broke 2 mil on PPV for the first time in 2018, but look at the other PPVs around the same time. They didnt break a million at any other point that year, or at all in 2017. They probably didnt in 2019 either but for some reason the buyrates arent being made public since the ESPN move. In fact hardly anything even breaks 500k nowadays. Back in the late 00s/early 10s they would be breaking a million every few months and pretty much every other PPV would do in the 500-700k range with multiple different stars able to pull those kinds of numbers.

Where is the UFC equivalent to this? 'There has been no UFC heavyweight fight in the past 10 years that has been more engrossing than Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Kiltschko and that particular fight is not even classed as a all-time great fight etc

I think Cain/JDS back in 2011 came pretty close. That was a real immovable object meets irresistable force feeling fight at the time. They were both billed as the new generation of evolved HWs (which ultimately turned out to be hype but thats another story) and both were in their prime. It honestly felt like whoever won that fight would go on to be dominant for years.

Pride FC was probably the most "dramatic" feeling of MMA orgs though imo. There was just something about the vibe and presentation of their shows that the UFC cant quite match.

[PRINCEKOOL]

The tv ratings are much lower now than they were in the early days of Fox and around the same as they were on Spike back in the 00s. The first ever UFC on Fox event in 2011 did just shy of 6 million viewers. Nowadays if something hits 2 mil its one of the most watched cards of the year, if not the most.

You are right that they broke 2 mil on PPV for the first time in 2018, but look at the other PPVs around the same time. They didnt break a million at any other point that year, or at all in 2017. They probably didnt in 2019 either but for some reason the buyrates arent being made public since the ESPN move. In fact hardly anything even breaks 500k nowadays. Back in the late 00s/early 10s they would be breaking a million every few months and pretty much every other PPV would do in the 500-700k range with multiple different stars able to pull those kinds of numbers.



I think Cain/JDS back in 2011 came pretty close. That was a real immovable object meets irresistable force feeling fight at the time. They were both billed as the new generation of evolved HWs (which ultimately turned out to be hype but thats another story) and both were in their prime. It honestly felt like whoever won that fight would go on to be dominant for years.

Pride FC was probably the most "dramatic" feeling of MMA orgs though imo. There was just something about the vibe and presentation of their shows that the UFC cant quite match.

I never watched Pride FC, but I enjoyed K1 fighting Championship.

Still my point has been emphasized even more by your posts, Mixed Martial Arts has no real Oscar winning fights to date.

Do me a favor? Write the name of these fighters properly please, so I know what fighters you are talking about etc

Nothing personal but I find that very lazy 'I will watch Cain Velasquez vs Junior Dos Santos'

[Combat Talk Radio]

I never watched Pride FC, but I enjoyed K1 fighting Championship.

Still my point has been emphasized even more by your posts, Mixed Martial Arts has no real Oscar winning fights to date.

Do me a favor? Write the name of these fighters properly please, so I know what fighters you are talking about etc

Nothing personal but I find that very lazy 'I will watch Cain Velasquez vs Junior Dos Santos'

Pride FC = steroids allowed. Or rather, "we don't test for steroids".

So anyone who watches MMA will tell you that Pride was their favorite. And there's an obvious reason why.

[TMLT87]

I never watched Pride FC, but I enjoyed K1 fighting Championship.

Still my point has been emphasized even more by your posts, Mixed Martial Arts has no real Oscar winning fights to date.

Do me a favor? Write the name of these fighters properly please, so I know what fighters you are talking about etc

Nothing personal but I find that very lazy 'I will watch Cain Velasquez vs Junior Dos Santos'

Yeah K-1 at its peak was superb. I probably enjoyed it more than MMA at its best. Its a shame that kickboxing in general has declined so much.

Theres not been anything that really rivals stuff like the Rumble In The Jungle for fame and significance in MMA, but it has had some pretty big, iconic (within the MMA world anyway) fights. Pride had quite a few - stuff like Kazushi Sakuraba earning his nickname fighting multiple members of the Gracie family, Fedor Emilianenko finally squaring off with Mirko Cro Cop, the absolutely wild Don Fyre/Yoshihiro Takayama fight, Mark Coleman surprising people that thought he was done by winning the first ever Pride Grand Prix, Prides war with K-1 which saw fighters from each cross over, Dana White entering Chuck Liddell into the Pride GP to represent the UFC etc. All pretty cool fights/moments.

Then in the UFC, the first Chael Sonnen/Anderson Silva fight made serious waves at the time because it was so rare for Anderson to be challenged like that. Dan Henderson/Mike Bisping produced the H bomb which is one of the all time famous MMA KOs. Brock Lesnar defending the HW title against Cain Velasquez. The Chuck Liddell/Randy Couture trilogy, Chuck finally getting his hands on Tito Ortiz who seemed to be trying to avoid him falsely claiming they were friends and had an agreement not to fight each other. Forrest Griffin/Stefan Bonnar at the conclusion of the first season of Ultimate Fighter etc etc. Obviously multiple Conor fights from the Jose Aldo fight onwards have been big too.

Again, none of this is the Rumble or the Thrilla, but nonetheless MMA has had some great moments/fights and has a decent history of its own for a sport that hadnt even fully formulated into the finished article until like 20 years ago. To the extent that the name "MMA" wasnt even really used to describe what it was in the 90s.

Fair enough about the names.

Pride FC = steroids allowed. Or rather, "we don't test for steroids".

So anyone who watches MMA will tell you that Pride was their favorite. And there's an obvious reason why.

Thats part of it, but theres more to it. Its also the presentation, the GPs, the epic intros, the way the fighters would all come out and stand on the ramp being introduced to applause at the start of shows, crazy Pride lady, the lack of a 265lb limit for HW, head kicks to grounded opponents and of course some very good fighters in their prime who ultimately went on to be considered legends (Fedor, Wanderlei, Shogun, Sakuraba, Rampage, Big Nog, Cro Cop, Hendo etc). I think the ring jus gave it a different feel to the UFC too, it was less tacky.