I've hated on UFC in the past, but I can't any longer, they are kicking boxings ass

[.:: JSFD26 ::.]

I think was makes UFC great is it's unpredictability.

Fights can end anytime in so many different fashions which is why there are so many upsets and changing of belts

Plus you dont have the divas and ducking that we have in boxing.

I dont know much about UFC, but I have been wondering would UFC still be as popular if you take McGregor out of it?

Well, this isn't really a fair thing to say though cause what if we said the same thing about boxing. What if we took Mayweather and Pacquiao out of the equation? What would be of boxing right now?

Let's do this, let's say the UFC had no McGregor and boxing had no Mayweather/Pacquiao. Which do you think would be the more popular sport now? I think the result would be the same. I think UFC takes it. The sport is more organized and there's less bull**** going on with fighters.

[PRchamp]

UFC is killing boxing right now. The problem is that why would you want to pay $70 just for one fight? This year I have gave in to watch these UFC PPV cards because i miss the fight party atmosphere since boxing doesn't provide any exciting cards at all. I feel like a dinosaur, nobody gives a **** about boxing in the real world.

Next Saturday we get Ward-Kovalev on PPV, but what's the undercard looking like? It's terrible, enough with the "nobody cares about the undercard" well you and they better start caring because the boxing model of business is outdated.

[.:: JSFD26 ::.]

Funny how a year or two ago UFC was a "dying sport" and that was mostly the consensus around here but now the tables have turned.

[Francis M.]

UFC knows how to ride the momentum when they have a star who is hot at that moment.

UFC for example stacked yesterdays card and did a great job putting a mini background on most of the other fighters.
I'll be looking out for a few other fighters who I've heard about but never saw until yesterday.

Boxing is too fragmented to have a continued momentum as a sport.

You hardly see co-featured events especially now that there is no true PPV star.

[lebronfan]

Plus you dont have the divas and ducking that we have in boxing.

Well, this isn't really a fair thing to say though cause what if we said the same thing about boxing. What if we took Mayweather and Pacquiao out of the equation? What would be of boxing right now?

Let's do this, let's say the UFC had no McGregor and boxing had no Mayweather/Pacquiao. Which do you think would be the more popular sport now? I think the result would be the same. I think UFC takes it. The sport is more organized and there's less bull**** going on with fighters.

I dont think that's a fair comparison. I was referring to McGregor's larger than life persona and trash talking outside the ring which really attracts casual fans. McGregor outside ring presence is almost Ali-esque and cannot be compared to inarticulate Mayweather or Pacquiao who barely speaks english.

At least for me, the only thing that got me interested in UFC was not the fighting acumen of any uFC fighter but rather seeing McGregor all over social media, his savage trash talk and witty humour in press and interview almost like how Muhummaed Ali used to be. I am sure there are many like me out there who are pulled by McGregor out of the ring personality rather than the actual UFC product.

[WesternChamp]

I wonder how much of the UFC success is due to Mcgregor's persona? I dont know much about UFC, but I have been wondering would UFC still be as popular if you take McGregor out of it? Or other way to put it is that could boxing see its ratings and PPV go up if it had McGregor or a personality like McGregor?

Or its simply a fact that UFC is a better product and marketed better?

ufc blew up way before connor. connor just barely started getting all the fame a year or two ago. ufc been hot way before that.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

I have watched ufc since the very first one... Before the term mma was even around..

I have seen them create original stars like Gracie, shamrock, tank, Severn

Then they got banned and kicked off PPv and nearly bankrupt.. Zuffa bought it and slowly turned it into a legit sport, with legit rules and legit champs and contenders..

I saw zuffa build up the first "modern" superfight tito-shamrock

Saw them build the company around tito, chuck, couture and Hughes, when Japan's pride had all the elite fighters..

I saw ufc do time-buys on foxsports (just like PBC) and get on regular tv and slowly build an audience

I saw spikeTV give them a TV deal and reality show, and that exposure exploded ufc and allowed them to start paying for elite talent from Japan like silva and Cro cop

Watched as ufc grew into a legit big time organization around stars like silva and GSP

I have seen them hit the big time and land a huge TV deal with fox that turned them into a major sports organization on par with NBA, NFL, mlb, nhl

Now we are witnessing them truly becoming a global powerhouse and crossover not to just sports fans, but casual mainstream pop culture with the star power of Rhonda and Conor


All in about 20 years


I had high hopes PBC could do the same for boxing, but so far they haven't

[WesternChamp]

I have watched ufc since the very first one... Before the term mma was even around..

I have seen them create original stars like Gracie, shamrock, tank, Severn

Then they got banned and kicked off PPv and nearly bankrupt.. Zuffa bought it and slowly turned it into a legit sport, with legit rules and legit champs and contenders..

I saw zuffa build up the first "modern" superfight tito-shamrock

Saw them build the company around tito, chuck, couture and Hughes, when Japan's pride had all the elite fighters..

I saw ufc do time-buys on foxsports (just like PBC) and get on regular tv and slowly build an audience

I saw spikeTV give them a TV deal and reality show, and that exposure exploded ufc and allowed them to start paying for elite talent from Japan like silva and Cro cop

Watched as ufc grew into a legit big time organization around stars like silva and GSP

I have seen them hit the big time and land a huge TV deal with fox that turned them into a major sports organization on par with NBA, NFL, mlb, nhl

Now we are witnessing them truly becoming a global powerhouse and crossover not to just sports fans, but casual mainstream pop culture with the star power of Rhonda and Conor


All in about 20 years


I had high hopes PBC could do the same for boxing, but so far they haven't

yeah i remember when ufc first came about. it basically had no rules except for no eye poking and no biting. it was purely based on one skill. mixed martial arts wasnt even implemented in it yet. it was strictly karate vs muay thai or boxer vs wrestler, etc. i remember watching a match where this small as dude went up against this big as sumo wrestler and the small guy started punching the big guy in the nutts when they hit the ground lol.

[RussB23]

They are giving the fans what they want. The best always fight best, there is no ducking its simply not allowed. There is no "flat fee" or "marinating" bull****. If a fight needs to be made it gets made and usually delivers.