ZUFFA BOXING -- Coming To You In 2018

[USMCer]

You're writing this from an American perspective.

For a non-American fighting in the UFC is a massive problem for several reasons. Most of the cards take place in America which means that you have to suffer jet lag or train at like 3AM at night to prepare for the American time, you can't have your local sponsors (a lot of boxers from Europe earn a lot of money this way because they can promote themselves in their countries and become stars there), you can't fight in front of your home crowd which would actually be interested in you - American audience will probably never be particularly interested in you if you're European especially if you don't have good English (resulting in not being a draw which in turn results in having to win a ton of fights to even get near a title shot) and all those American insurances and stipends to train don't mean anything for you.

Unless you're a Conor McGregor, being a European fighter the UFC is likely a bad choice for you. That's why a lot of Eastern Euros prefer to fight in their local promotions in Poland or in Russia.

The UFC is only good for American fighters or fighters who can for whatever reason become draws in America.

The UFC is basically an American sport like NASCAR. It doesn't have any global reach and it doesn't even try to expand. They only put **** cards in Europe, they've never even been to Russia.

UFC Events since June:

Events outside of the U.S.
UFC 212 PPV = Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Jun)
UFC Fight Night 110 = Auckland, New Zealand (Jun)
UFC Fight Night 111 = Kallang, Singapore (Jun)
UFC Fight Night 113 = Glasgow, Scotland (Jul)
UFC Fight Night 114 = D.F., Mexico (Aug)
UFC Fight Night 115 = Rotterdam, Netherlands (Sep)
UFC 215 PPV = Edmonton, Canada (Sep)
UFC Fight Night 117 = Saitama, Japan (Sep)
UFC Fight Night 118 = Gdansk, Poland (Oct)
UFC Fight Night 119 = Sao Paulo, Brazil (Oct)
UFC Fight Night 121 = Sydney, Australia (Nov)
UFC Fight Night 122 = Shanghai, China (Nov)
UFC on FOX 26 = Winnipeg, Canada (Dec)

Events in the U.S.
UFC Fight Night 112 = OKC, OK (Jun)
UFC TUF 25 Finale = Las Vegas, NV (Jul)
UFC 213 PPV = Las Vegas, NV (Jul)
UFC on FOX 25 = Long Island, NY (Jul)
UFC 214 PPV = Anaheim, CA (Jul)
UFC Fight Night 116 = Pittsburg, PA (Sep)
UFC 216 PPV = Las Vegas, NV (Oct)
UFC 217 PPV = NYC, NY (Nov)
UFC Fight Night 120 = Norfolk VA (Nov)
UFC TUF 26 Finale = Las Vegas, NV (Dec)
UFC 218 PPV = Detroit, MI (Dec)
UFC Fight Night 123 = Fresno, CA (Dec)
UFC 219 PPV = Las Vegas, NV (Dec)

['b']

UFC Events since June:

Events outside of the U.S.
UFC 212 PPV = Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Jun)
UFC Fight Night 110 = Auckland, New Zealand (Jun)
UFC Fight Night 111 = Kallang, Singapore (Jun)
UFC Fight Night 113 = Glasgow, Scotland (Jul)
UFC Fight Night 114 = D.F., Mexico (Aug)
UFC Fight Night 115 = Rotterdam, Netherlands (Sep)
UFC 215 PPV = Edmonton, Canada (Sep)
UFC Fight Night 117 = Saitama, Japan (Sep)
UFC Fight Night 118 = Gdansk, Poland (Oct)
UFC Fight Night 119 = Sao Paulo, Brazil (Oct)
UFC Fight Night 121 = Sydney, Australia (Nov)
UFC Fight Night 122 = Shanghai, China (Nov)
UFC on FOX 26 = Winnipeg, Canada (Dec)

Events in the U.S.
UFC Fight Night 112 = OKC, OK (Jun)
UFC TUF 25 Finale = Las Vegas, NV (Jul)
UFC 213 PPV = Las Vegas, NV (Jul)
UFC on FOX 25 = Long Island, NY (Jul)
UFC 214 PPV = Anaheim, CA (Jul)
UFC Fight Night 116 = Pittsburg, PA (Sep)
UFC 216 PPV = Las Vegas, NV (Oct)
UFC 217 PPV = NYC, NY (Nov)
UFC Fight Night 120 = Norfolk VA (Nov)
UFC TUF 26 Finale = Las Vegas, NV (Dec)
UFC 218 PPV = Detroit, MI (Dec)
UFC Fight Night 123 = Fresno, CA (Dec)
UFC 219 PPV = Las Vegas, NV (Dec)

Notice how all the fight nights that no-one gives a chit about are overseas while all the big events are in the USA?

Not trying to be a thorn, the UFC is pretty good as a global sport, but it is a very US-centric company. You want to make a name for yourself and make the money, you have to be on a non-fight night card and most of those big 'numbered' events takes place in the USA, which presents disadvantages for foreign fighters.

It is what it is though, UFC is a US company and the US is the biggest market.

[john l]

I got an idea its just a way to let his MMA guys box without losing out.They will keep trying to get an aging boxer with a name former great even.And will try and get wins over them with the former great being older,smaller and NO WHERE NEAR WHO HE WAS.Thats his main goal control his fighters who want to box and with them having a MUCH larger middle class everthing with be tipped in their favor.The older BROKE boxer will give up his rep(and that of boxing)for a big last payday.They will be lining up its sad

[Rockin']

Will Boxing fans be resistant to the idea of "MMA guys" getting into the Boxing game?

I say, not at all. People love to see blood and knockouts, if these mma guys fight anyone with an ounce or two of skill they are ****ed.

[RedZmaja]

UFC Events since June:

Events outside of the U.S.
UFC 212 PPV = Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Jun)
UFC Fight Night 110 = Auckland, New Zealand (Jun)
UFC Fight Night 111 = Kallang, Singapore (Jun)
UFC Fight Night 113 = Glasgow, Scotland (Jul)
UFC Fight Night 114 = D.F., Mexico (Aug)
UFC Fight Night 115 = Rotterdam, Netherlands (Sep)
UFC 215 PPV = Edmonton, Canada (Sep)
UFC Fight Night 117 = Saitama, Japan (Sep)
UFC Fight Night 118 = Gdansk, Poland (Oct)
UFC Fight Night 119 = Sao Paulo, Brazil (Oct)
UFC Fight Night 121 = Sydney, Australia (Nov)
UFC Fight Night 122 = Shanghai, China (Nov)
UFC on FOX 26 = Winnipeg, Canada (Dec)

Events in the U.S.
UFC Fight Night 112 = OKC, OK (Jun)
UFC TUF 25 Finale = Las Vegas, NV (Jul)
UFC 213 PPV = Las Vegas, NV (Jul)
UFC on FOX 25 = Long Island, NY (Jul)
UFC 214 PPV = Anaheim, CA (Jul)
UFC Fight Night 116 = Pittsburg, PA (Sep)
UFC 216 PPV = Las Vegas, NV (Oct)
UFC 217 PPV = NYC, NY (Nov)
UFC Fight Night 120 = Norfolk VA (Nov)
UFC TUF 26 Finale = Las Vegas, NV (Dec)
UFC 218 PPV = Detroit, MI (Dec)
UFC Fight Night 123 = Fresno, CA (Dec)
UFC 219 PPV = Las Vegas, NV (Dec)

Those events outside of the USA sucked. Those cards were mostly garbage. Nobody wants to be on those cards. Do you think there is a fighter in Europe whose dream is to fight on an UFC fight night card in Gdansk, Poland? LOL everybody wants to be on big PPV cards because they're the only UFC cards that make money.

Who is the last big UFC star who fought in Europe? Conor hasn't fought in Ireland for ages. They had a Bisping fight in Britain but they scheduled it for 6AM in the morning local time so that the Americans could watch it at 8PM.

I guess Overeem in Holland in may 2016 because that's his home country but the UFC will never bring a foreign big name star to a European country.

[john l]

I say, not at all. People love to see blood and knockouts, if these mma guys fight anyone with an ounce or two of skill they are ****ed.

They will be putting their best guys who might have some decent am carear with boxers who are not even 10% of what they were(Jones,Mosley,ODLH)and just hope to get a little lucky.They will also be bigger.Watch there are a lot of broke fighters out there that will be willing to take a chance to SELL their name.I hope I'm wrong but I don't see him building a roster and looking to get into regular boxing.He will treat the sport like a w hore lets face it many BOXING promoters do.

[RedZmaja]

You want to make a name for yourself and make the money, you have to be on a non-fight night card and most of those big 'numbered' events takes place in the USA, which presents disadvantages for foreign fighters.

If you are a talented fighter in some European country boxing is the way to go. Get one of the ABC belts, market yourself in your country as a legit boxing world champ, get some sponsors, star in commercials and fill out some local arena for 20, 30 thousand people for titles defenses. Then use the belt as a leverage to get some big money fights abroad or even at home if you are from a big country like Germany, Britain or Russia.

The MMA/UFC road on the other hand means having to fight deep bellow on the undercard in America for small money, no sponsors and almost no chance to become a big draw. And you'd have to win 10 fights in a row to get even close to a title shot while a marketable American fighter would get it much quicker. Also, nobody will care much about you in your own country when your fights are at 4AM in the morning.

The rare Europeans who became stars in MMA are from the Japanese PRIDE days like Fedor, Cro Cop, Overeem...

[////]

Thought you guys hated Zuffa/UFC because it was "anti-boxing" (this was never true, the promoters got started in boxing). Now that they're promoting boxing again what are some of you angry about?

Just sports fans doing your "Go team! Boo team!" thing?

Zuffa/UFC don't have a spotless history but they'd easily be the cleanest boxing promotion upon arrival. Boxing is a corrupt cesspool.

How long would someone like Anthony Joshua fight under Zuffa before getting drug tested and his manboobs turning into 2 old deflated balloons like Overeem

[RSBonos]

WME boxing

['b']

If you are a talented fighter in some European country boxing is the way to go. Get one of the ABC belts, market yourself in your country as a legit boxing world champ, get some sponsors, star in commercials and fill out some local arena for 20, 30 thousand people for titles defenses. Then use the belt as a leverage to get some big money fights abroad or even at home if you are from a big country like Germany, Britain or Russia.

The MMA/UFC road on the other hand means having to fight deep bellow on the undercard in America for small money, no sponsors and almost no chance to become a big draw. And you'd have to win 10 fights in a row to get even close to a title shot while a marketable American fighter would get it much quicker. Also, nobody will care much about you in your own country when your fights are at 4AM in the morning.

The rare Europeans who became stars in MMA are from the Japanese PRIDE days like Fedor, Cro Cop, Overeem...

Usyk is a CW champion and yet can't get a fight in his home country and has to consistently fight fighters in their home turf.

Americans and even the UK have it easy. A lot of boxers records would look much different had they had to fight in another country and face the judges over there.

Imagine American fighters having to travel to Russia with 3 Russian judges and a Russian referee? First and foremost you have to be from an English speaking country.

The reason Mcgregor got real popular is because national pride of the Irish and he coud speak English, therefore be marketed to the entire western world.