Paid Members ColinBollocks Posted May 8, 2012 Paid Members Share Posted May 8, 2012 I thought this show was a bit of an experiment, to see how the UFC brand would do without a big name. Now they know.David is right, if they are wanting extra eyeballs on the likes of Diaz, then they're going to have to stick a big name out there. We should get something bigger/better added to the Stann show in August - they're nuts if they don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rey_Piste Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 As much as saying they need a big name for the shows, they will also need to promote the shows well and try to promote the fighters as well. Making the fighters big names is something they need to do. I think Stann is someone they could promote and having him doing the studio segments alongisde Randy Couture was a part of that. As much as I hate it, they could very much prmote Stann as the clean cut all American. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 I always assumed that the FOX deal, in its first year or two at least, was a vehicle to get people interested in the sport, and the UFC brand. Surely the best way to do this would be to stick exciting, fan friendly fights on the cards? Names that whilst they may not be relevant as far as titles and top five rankings go, are somewhat known outside MMA circles?As mentioned, Griffin vs Ortiz would have been perfect for such a show. They won't make much difference to PPV buys, but could maybe attract more fans to a free TV show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members ColinBollocks Posted May 8, 2012 Paid Members Share Posted May 8, 2012 This won't happen, but I'd be on the phone to Liddell. Play up the returning legend thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Funnily enough, I was thinking that myself. I've long believed that there are fighters who hit a certain age where they're no longer in the title chase, but still want to compete and can draw viewers.Liddell vs Ortiz III was scheduled but never happened, and we have fighters like Randy Couture, Matt Hughes, BJ Penn, Wanderlei Silva, Rampage Jackson and so forth who are all perhaps past their best and not in a position to compete with the younger guys anymore, but who can still put on a show and compete with fighters of a similar age and career position.The UFC could do worse than put what can be described as "special attraction" bouts at the top of their FOX cards, hoping that the recognisable names draw eyes who then see the younger guys fighting on the undercard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimufctna24 Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Liddel can barely talk proper.He is in the same catorgory as James Toney and Ninja Rua as someone who could risk serious injury if they compete again. Liddel's mind is willing, but his chin is so weak. A KO like the one who suffered against Rashad could be very bad news. If UFC let Liddel fight again. I for one would be discusted no matter how high the ratings would be.Hughes. Penn and Jackson are fine however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted May 9, 2012 Author Paid Members Share Posted May 9, 2012 Yeah Chuck should leave it. He can still go but he can't absorb a shot anymore, when you look at his fights in his prime he had a solid chin and his last few fights it was clear as day that that's not the case anymore. Even he seems to have admitted as much. Plus Dana was the most vocal in calls for Chuck to retire, saying he 'didn't wanna make a dime of that kind of money' so I doubt he'd be up for it either.As for FOX headliners, I see what everyone means. As much as we love fights like Nate Diaz vs Jim Miller I can see why it might not attract new viewers who aren't so familiar with them. I just look at it from a standpoint of if it's a fight I wanna see then I'm all for it and I get caught up in that, it's easy to lose sight of what will draw a new audience when you're following it all the time. Personally I loved the card but I realize they could have done better as far as names headlining and maximizing their chances of getting people tuning in.Defo makes sense to have a name headlining. Forrest vs Tito 3 would be perfect, as would fights involving Rampage, BJ Penn, Wanderlei, Hughes, Shogun etc. Guys who are names and can have exciting fights but not in the title hunt. Then fill the undercard with the Nate Diaz's, Edson Barboza's, Rory MacDonald's, Renan Barao's etc and people will see them and you hopefully create the next generation of stars off that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rey_Piste Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Outside of Couture, Ortiz, Rampage and Liddel. How big of a name are guys like Penn or Griffin to people who aren't hardcore MMA fans though? It is true they need to get the guys on the cusp of the title, then have number 1 contender fights on PPV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members ColinBollocks Posted May 9, 2012 Paid Members Share Posted May 9, 2012 They only do a few FOX shows a year, so they can get away with it - especially if they're doing their job and creating new stars in the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimufctna24 Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Outside of Couture, Ortiz, Rampage and Liddel. How big of a name are guys like Penn or Griffin to people who aren't hardcore MMA fans though? It is true they need to get the guys on the cusp of the title, then have number 1 contender fights on PPV.Very big.BJ Penn is the highest drawing lightweight of all time. His PPV's sold 3 times as much as Frankie Edgar's and him and GSP almost drew a Million buys togeather. With all the Primetime shows and PPV's he has drawn everyone knows who he is.Griffin is a name every casual fan knows. He was one of the fighters that started the boom period, he also has drawn big money in main events with Rampage and Rashad. Most MMA fans have seen his first fight with Bonnar and hold it up as a classic.Stars on top, contenders and newcomers on the undercard would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Egg Shen Posted May 10, 2012 Paid Members Share Posted May 10, 2012 As i posted in the other thread, it feels like a transitional period, the UFC seem prepared to take a hit in ratings to deliver exciting fights, and remember this show drew poor off the back of a star studded show that was terrible. You can pretty much guarantee that everyone that watched saturday went away happy, and thats a good thing going forward. People like David seem to have the opinion that the UFC need to be hitting this thing out of the park right away, it aint the case, its a growth period for the UFC and Saturday has to be seen (product wise) as a positive.I think to fall back on an Ortiz-Bonnar 3 fight, which will likely suck is a bit of a copout, it feels like a quick win instead of looking at this thing as a long term thing...7 years remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimufctna24 Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I think to fall back on an Ortiz-Bonnar 3 fight, which will likely suck is a bit of a copout, it feels like a quick win instead of looking at this thing as a long term thing...7 years remember.Thing is though, they can solve both problems.Put the long term prospects underneath, and let the current stars draw on top. When the prospects can draw off their own back after being exposed and piggybanking of the stars, let them headline then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Tibbs Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I've put this on the MMA forum but while where on the subject!Interesting scenarios and characters draw the casual fans. I said this rating would tank (and was shot down in flames for it) when the main event was announced. Diaz and Miller don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rey_Piste Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Lorenzo Fertita talked about this with Yahoo sports and he does put across some good points. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mma--ufc-on-f...ot-worried.html Whilst they do need big names on the shows as headliners, a lot of the big names are getting old. You're obviously not going to get Jon Jones, GSP or Anderson Silva on these cards , Valasquez/JDS was a one off. At the end of the day it is only their third show on Fox, this is just the initial feeling out period, give it a bit of time and they'll start putting on the shows on dates that don't clash with other big events. It's going to take them time to figure all this stuff out, since going away from PPV only fights is still fairly new to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Dead Mike Posted May 10, 2012 Paid Members Share Posted May 10, 2012 IMO they need to keep pushing cards like this one & build up the audience for the sport as opposed to relying on 'star' fighters to make people tune in. The Liddell's, Couture's, Ortiz's et al have helped get the sport where it is but the increased popularity & growth has led to more people training MMA & (in the US especially) more people opting to pursue careers in the sport that may have traditionally been drawn towards American Football or Wrestling. This means that over the next few years we'll see a wealth of new talent coming through, making it potentially harder for the UFC to concentrate their marketing efforts (or 'push') individual fighters.Imagine them putting a load of cash behind Benson Henderson (not questioning Bendo's ability's here..just an example) as an exciting young fighter only for him to get beat in his next 3 fights. The fact that MMA can be so unpredictable & that all the fights (should be) competitive is what differentiated them from Boxing & brought them to FOX in the first place. I don't really follow Boxing but I know people were getting/are frustrated with seeing top level Boxers face bum after bum & having to wait for the 'big' fights. This approach allows organisations to invest in specific fighters, get them known & build public interest in them, in order the UFC to 'make new stars' they'd either have to find a young prospect who tears through the division..ala Jon Jones or orchestrate fights to create such stars. Personally I've no interest in seeing mismatched fights & fighters like Bones Jones are few & far apart. Concentrating their marketing & hype machine around the excitement of the sport first & foremost and individuals second would, IMO go a long way in 'future proofing' them against the inevitable retirements of Anderson, GSP, Penn etc & the inevitable defeats of Jones & Henderson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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