UFC on Fox 2 was a huge disaster as fans inside the arena were leaving during the main event. Television viewers watching on Fox were probably switching channels during the two-hour broadcast last Saturday evening.
The pre-lim portion of the card in Chicago actually had some decent finishes but all three fights on the Fox broadcast went to a decision.
I don’t know whose idea it was to have Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman as the first fight on the show but it wasn’t a smart one. Maia was supposed to face Michael Bisping but Bisping subbed in to fight Chael Sonnen after Mark Munoz was injured in training camp.
Weidman was the late replacement for Bisping.
Fox and the UFC could have substituted Maia’s fight vs. Weidman for one of the prelim fights such as Lavar Johnson vs. Joey Beltran or Cub Swanson vs. George Roop.
Both of those fights had knockout finishes.
It is kind of funny how fans were complaining how the Cain Velasquez vs. Junior Dos Santos fight was too short on UFC on Fox 1 and now they are complaining about the three fights going the distance on UFC on Fox 2.
Fans are not just complaining about the lackadaisical fights on the broadcast but also about the many commercials and on-air talk between the Fox broadcasters.
The first fight did not start until after 20 minutes into the first hour and there was only one fight in the first hour. Talk about a good way to drive viewers away.
The UFC and Fox should have a high-profile fight to start off the show next time and maybe fans would continue to tune in to the whole show. Skip all the on-air talk between the broadcasters and maybe there can be five fights shown live instead of just three.
Spike TV was showing old UFC fights during the Fox broadcast and those fights were vastly more entertaining than any of the fights on Fox.
Let’s hope the UFC will have a better show this Saturday night when UFC 143 takes place in Vegas.
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