Author: James MacDonald

UFC on Fox: Fifth Installment Shows the UFC What the Fans Want to See

It seems like it should be easy enough. Build a card that people want to see and they will tune in on fight night to watch it. Intuitively, it could scarcely be any simpler. Yet, despite its apparent simplicity, most of the UFC’s nationally telev…

It seems like it should be easy enough. Build a card that people want to see and they will tune in on fight night to watch it. Intuitively, it could scarcely be any simpler.

Yet, despite its apparent simplicity, most of the UFC’s nationally televised cards have underwhelmed both casual fans and hardcores alike.

Earlier this year, I wrote a piece that criticised the UFC’s myopic handling of the Fox deal. It appeared as though they were unwilling to put any of their biggest stars on free television, instead saving them for short-term gains on pay-per-view.

While this criticism still holds true, the UFC has certainly adjusted its approach to booking its Fox shows. They might not be giving Georges St-Pierre away for free, but they are at least giving the mainstream audience something to get invested in.

It’s hardly a secret that fans are more inclined to tune in when something is at stake. And this means something genuinely has to be at stake, rather than simply claiming that the co-main and main event will determine the No. 1 contender—I’m talking to you, UFC on Fox 4.

Offering fights that are guaranteed to deliver in a qualitative sense is not a successful strategy in and of itself. Sure, the hardcore fans will tune in to watch Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller, but as far as the casuals are concerned, it might as well be Joe Bloggs vs. John Doe.

With UFC on Fox 5, Dana White and Co. figured out this axiom, serving up for mass consumption Benson Henderson vs. Nate Diaz. It was a stroke of genius on the part of the UFC’s matchmakers, coupling sure-fire action with genuine stakes.

Even though the fight ended up being about as one-sided as a match between Barcelona and Accrington Stanley, the ratings suggest that the UFC is on to a winning formula: a stacked card and a main event that offers something tangible to hook the casuals.

UFC on Fox 6 appears to stick to the same formula, boasting a compelling undercard and, again, a main event that has both stakes and the potential to deliver fireworks.

Having said that, I suspect that a flyweight title fight between Demetrious Johnson and John Dodson will struggle to attract viewers. The 125-pound division has not been established in the same way as the lightweight division and thus carries less drawing power at present.

The UFC may be hoping that the presence of “Rampage” Jackson will be enough to draw the casuals and expose them to the videogame-esque action that Johnson and Dodson will undoubtedly provide.

The UFC’s relationship with Fox may still be a work in progress, but even progress seemed like a distant possibility six months ago. We can be thankful that the UFC is finally heading in the right direction.

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BJ Penn: Why Lightweight Is No Longer a Viable Option for "The Prodigy"

Although BJ Penn has steered clear of the media since he was shellacked by the unnervingly glacial Rory MacDonald at UFC on Fox 5, Saturday night’s postmortem has centred on the possibility that “The Prodigy” is on his way to permanen…

Although BJ Penn has steered clear of the media since he was shellacked by the unnervingly glacial Rory MacDonald at UFC on Fox 5, Saturday night’s postmortem has centred on the possibility that “The Prodigy” is on his way to permanent retirement.

The debate as to whether the former two-division champion should go down this route has been mostly one-sided, yet it remains unresolved largely due to a vocal minority.

On the MMA Hour, earlier tonight, Ariel Helwani and Eric Jackman suggested that they would like to see Penn drop back down to lightweight—with the latter even stating that he wouldn’t be opposed to the Hawaiian sticking around at welterweight.

While I can’t defend the notion that Penn should hang around as a gatekeeper at 170 pounds, one can understand the desire to see him once again compete at his natural weight.

At the age of 33, it will be a while before “The Prodigy” picks up his pension, and while he may be past his prime, he is hardly in the same boat as the Ken Shamrocks of this world.

It was only last year that he fought to a draw with the then No. 2 welterweight on the planet, Jon Fitch. He was perhaps on his way to winning that contest until, not unexpectedly, he gassed out in the final frame.

So, the argument that Penn could compete at the top of the lightweight division is not without merit.

However, I suspect that the proponents of the aforementioned argument would be quickly disabused of this notion if Penn were to drop down to 155 pounds and face a top contender.

The reason for this is simple.

BJ Penn’s last two fights have shown that the size difference played only a minor role in the beatings handed out to him by Nick Diaz and MacDonald.

Despite what the Hawaiian’s more rabid fans might think, he was not out-muscled or worn down by his much larger foes.

One could even argue that neither Diaz nor MacDonald took full advantage of the physical handicap, since both bouts were fought almost exclusively at striking range.

The second point is that, at least on Saturday, Penn looked to have a lot more in the tank towards the end of the fight than anyone could have anticipated.

He almost sprinted to the centre of the cage at the start of all three rounds, and generally looked much fresher than he had against Diaz or Fitch.

No, it wasn’t size nor cardio that slayed him. It was indeed beauty that felled “The Prodigy,” albeit in the form of MacDonald’s violent, visually poetic combinations.

Put more simply, BJ Penn was outclassed by a much better mixed martial artist. The result would have been the same had Rory been four inches shorter and three inches narrower.

In a qualitative, if not quantitative, sense, the sport has reached new heights over the last couple of years. The calibre of mixed martial artist that now competes inside the Octagon is on a different level than anything we have seen before.

Freddie Roach once described BJ Penn as the best boxer in MMA, but “The Prodigy’s” recent outings have served to demonstrate the limitations of a purely boxing-centred approach.

Similarly, his once-peerless ground game no longer appears novel when compared to the submission artistry of Demian Maia or Rousimar Palhares.

In addition to the sport’s continued evolution, Penn’s skills have undoubtedly declined to a degree.

While I don’t subscribe to the view that they have dropped off the figurative cliff, it seems clear that he is slower, less explosive and his reflexes have been blunted to the point of debilitation.

I remain open to the possibility that I am wrong about BJ Penn’s prospects in the modern MMA world, but current evidence suggests that it is time for him to hang up the gloves and preserve the legacy he has fought so hard to build.

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UFC: Why We Should Be Thankful That Ronda Rousey Is Not Facing ‘Cyborg’ Just Yet

Female mixed martial arts did its best Neo impression earlier today, when it dodged a Cyborg-sized bullet that could have proved lethal to its future. The announcement that Ronda Rousey will be making her first title defense against Liz Carmouche is th…

Female mixed martial arts did its best Neo impression earlier today, when it dodged a Cyborg-sized bullet that could have proved lethal to its future.

The announcement that Ronda Rousey will be making her first title defense against Liz Carmouche is the best scenario for WMMA that one could have realistically hoped for.

Many of you might be wondering why I am so high on this particular matchup.

Let me preface this by saying that Carmouche is a good opponent for Rousey. However, my glee is more in relation to who the former Olympian will not be facing on her UFC debut.

By all accounts, Dana White has been working overtime to put together a blockbuster contest between Ronda Rousey and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos.

There is no question that is the fight everyone is eager to see. Therefore, it would appear to make sense to book that contest as soon as humanly possible.

But things are not quite that simple.

Although this might initially sound counter-intuitive, we should all be grateful that “Cyborg” has played hard to get in recent months.

Pitting the Brazilian against Rousey at the embryonic stage of the UFC female division’s development is the booking equivalent of playing chicken with a tank.

It is the kind of myopic approach to matchmaking that I have been so vocally opposed to in recent weeks.

Indeed, Dana White’s interview with Ariel Helwani earlier today only served to highlight how mind-bogglingly shortsighted the UFC brass can sometimes be.

In the aforementioned interview, the UFC President made it abundantly clear that he is in the Ronda Rousey business, not the women’s MMA business, stating bluntly:

“I’m not trying to shy away from that and say, ‘Oh no, we’re getting into women’s MMA.’ This is the Ronda Rousey show.”

Let’s leave aside how galling that comment must be for every other female mixed martial artist out there and instead focus on the implications of White’s statement.

If this is indeed the “Ronda Rousey show,” why put her up against “Cyborg” Santos in her UFC debut? One might call it honest matchmaking by the UFC, but that would be missing the point.

There is no doubt that Rousey can win that fight, but is there any doubt that she is equally likely to lose the fight?

Dana White has already conceded that the UFC’s interest in women’s MMA is tied to the fate of their new champion.

With that in mind, one has to wonder why they would play Russian Roulette with their only bankable female star.

We should be equally thankful that Sara McMann had the business savvy to realise that a fight with Ronda Rousey would be pointless at present.

The UFC must build the profile of its female division before it starts matching up the three best fighters in WMMA.

While those who have idealistic notions of a meritocratic matchmaking system might balk at this suggestion, it is critical that Ronda Rousey remains on the throne for the foreseeable future.

Dana White has made it clear that any other scenario puts the future of women’s MMA in serious doubt.

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Ronda Rousey to the UFC: Can the UFC Sustain a Women’s Division?

If anyone thought that UFC’s decision to create a women’s division would put to rest any question of WMMA’s viability as a business venture, they would be well advised to reassess that position. If anything, UFC’s sudden interes…

If anyone thought that UFC’s decision to create a women’s division would put to rest any question of WMMA’s viability as a business venture, they would be well advised to reassess that position.

If anything, UFC’s sudden interest in the female side of the sport has raised even more questions.

What exactly are the expectations for their upcoming female division?

If you have listened to Dana White recently, you could be forgiven for thinking that they view the division as an experiment, rather than as a long-term commitment.

UFC’s decision to restrict themselves to promoting a single weight class is a clear indication that they remain apprehensive.

Moreover, it is not entirely clear whether they are in the WMMA business or simply the Ronda Rousey business.

Indeed, Dana White’s answer to any question on the future of female MMA tends to be more focused on the future of Rousey. The fact that she is currently the only female fighter signed to a UFC contract is similarly telling.

Whether or not the UFC can actually sustain a women’s division boils down to a number of factors.

Firstly, and perhaps most important over the short term, Ronda Rousey has to deliver inside and outside the cage. That means she has to perform both athletically and commercially, otherwise I suspect the Zuffa brass will rapidly lose interest.

Why is this so important over the short term?

The focus will be on Rousey for the foreseeable future. If she continues to move the needle for the next year or so, it will give her competition time to develop.

The worst thing UFC could do right now is throw Rousey into a fight with Sara McMann. Booking that particular contest would be flirting with disaster.

McMann recently made the astute observation that a potential fight with her fellow Olympic medallist would be a waste of everyone’s time at present (via MMAmania.com):

But, from what I understand, there needs to be a proper build-up to a fight like that. People don’t really know me that well. They know her. So, it just doesn’t make sense, really, to have it without a strong following for me, too.

It’s fair to say that Rousey vs. McMann could conceivably headline a UFC pay-per-view event a year from now, assuming the latter receives the kind of promotion her talent deserves.

Over the long term, the most important factor in the sustainability of the UFC’s female division is the development of talent.

I have long said that Invicta FC is an invaluable developmental tool for women’s MMA, and that Zuffa should seriously consider either purchasing the fledgling promotion or striking a deal to use them as a feeder organisation—the MMA equivalent of Ohio Valley Wrestling, if you will.

A division boasting the likes of Ronda Rousey, Sara McMann, Miesha Tate, Sarah Kaufman, Shayna Baszler and Marloes Coenen will be self-sufficient for a while—you can add Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos to the list once she stops pretending that 135 pounds is beyond her reach.

Unfortunately, the drop off in talent is fairly pronounced once you look past the top of the division.

Such a top-heavy weight class will only sustain itself for so long, which is why it is imperative that UFC find a way to develop talent to not only support the existing division, but also to add new ones.

Of course, most of the above is moot if UFC’s interest in WMMA does not extend beyond the career prospects of Rousey.

We can only hope that Zuffa has a broader vision for female mixed martial arts than the current rhetoric would lead one to believe.

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MMA: A Critique of the Stereotypical Fighter Mentality

The recent news of Nick Denis’ decision to retire from mixed martial arts might not move the figurative needle in quite the same way as the never-ending tide of Anderson Silva vs. GSP superfight coverage. However, it has at least kick-started a f…

The recent news of Nick Denis’ decision to retire from mixed martial arts might not move the figurative needle in quite the same way as the never-ending tide of Anderson Silva vs. GSP superfight coverage.

However, it has at least kick-started a fresh discussion on fighter safety, particularly as it relates to the long-term effects of treating one’s skull like a piñata.

It also makes one wonder why so many fans have taken to arbitrarily defining a “real fighter” as someone who shows no regard for their own well-being.

Perhaps more importantly, it raises the question of whether such a barbarous mentality is healthy for the sport going forward.

It is a collective mindset that has been perpetuated not just by the sport’s fans, but also by its leading figures.

We have an intuitive appreciation for fighters who are willing to put their bodies, or even their lives, on the line in the quest for glory.

It is a seemingly paradoxical disposition, celebrating that which goes against our nature.

The desire to willingly sacrifice one’s body is not something that has been hardwired into us. Rather, it is a maladaptive contradiction that has been instilled in us largely through cultural transmission.

In modern culture, it is in many ways a product of the countless theatrical depictions of heroes battling adversity in the face of overwhelming odds.

Whether it’s Sylvester Stallone overcoming a juiced-up Russian or Jean-Claude Van Damme wheel-kicking a psychopathic Chinese hulk into submission, our minds have been trained to revere even the most inconsequential of courageous acts—those awesome 80s action flicks have a lot to answer for.

That isn’t to say it’s wrong to admire those who go above and beyond in the pursuit of greatness. Fighters who routinely sacrifice their bodies inside the cage, and who are willing to scrap at a moment’s notice, deserve all the praise they get.

I’m no less prone to marking out during a career-shortening fight than the next person.

That being said, this mentality has certain undesirable consequences, such as the unfair pressure it places upon the sport’s athletes to take fights that do not best serve their interests, physically or monetarily.

What we see now is, for all intents and purposes, a shaming culture within the sport. If a fighter does not meet our lofty expectations, he or she is immediately dismissed as not being a “real fighter.”

Dana White is as indispensable a figure as we have in mixed martial arts, but he shoulders much of the blame for the rise of this odious attitude towards athletes who view fighting as a job, rather than as a purely defining characteristic.

The UFC President can often be heard praising fighters who are willing to suspend their natural instinct for self-preservation, while criticising those who take a more pragmatic approach to both their careers and their health.

His recent attitude towards Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is arguably his most egregious transgression of this sort.

Despite habitually participating in the kind of contests that warrant a preceding declaration from Congress, “Shogun” has been targeted by White in his frequent diatribes against those who do not immediately bend to his will.

Just think about that for a moment.

To even imply that the man who battled Dan Henderson for five rounds at UFC 139, in one of the most brutal fights you are ever likely to witness, is anything less than a “real fighter” is borderline offensive—and I don’t offend easily.

The problem seems to be that Dana White has a zero-sum conception of the relationship between fighting and pragmatism.

As he sees it, fighters are meant to fight, not think. Real fighters do not turn down fights, no matter how bulletproof their reasoning might be for doing so.

It’s unfortunate that this attitude is so pervasive within mixed martial arts. It has gotten to the point that even some fighters have adopted White’s “fight first, think later” attitude towards the sport.

Only a few days ago, BJ Penn could be heard implying that he is a real fighter because he would take on Anderson Silva without hesitation, whereas Georges St-Pierre has been less enthusiastic about the prospect.

Is this how the fighter mindset should be defined, as a dichotomy between the impulsive and the pragmatic?

In reality, there is no conflict between fighting and the judicious management of one’s career. On the contrary, evidence suggests that it might be the most efficient path towards longevity in the sport.

But don’t take my word for it. Instead, just ask the recently unemployed DaMarques Johnson if living up to Dana White’s definition of a “real fighter” leads to career prosperity.

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The Ultimate Fighter: Top 5 Worst Coaches in the Show’s History

As the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter limps to its conclusion, one begins to wonder whether the show is in any way salvageable—even with Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen lined up as coaches for next season. Staler than old bread, the TUF format …

As the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter limps to its conclusion, one begins to wonder whether the show is in any way salvageable—even with Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen lined up as coaches for next season.

Staler than old bread, the TUF format is long overdue a makeover.

What exactly that would entail is anyone’s guess. However, something has to be done to win back those fans who have grown tired of tuning in to a show that has become formulaic and repetitive, particularly as the talent has steadily waned.

With that being said, fear not. We can always go back to those earlier, classic seasons of TUF to remind ourselves of just how entertaining the show was in its prime.

Over the years, the UFC has offered up many of its top fighters as coaches for the show. While some have excelled, others have demonstrated that some people just aren’t meant to coach.

What follows is a celebration—nay, lamentation of those fighters who coached themselves into a punchline.

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