Five Ways The UFC Is Becoming More Like WWE

When UFC 1 took place on a cold November night back in 1993 from McNichols Arena in Denver, Colorado, it ignited the beginning of the world’s foremost mixed martial arts (MMA) competition, fueled by the concept of the best fighting the best to call themselves champion. It may have been extremely rough around the edges in […]

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When UFC 1 took place on a cold November night back in 1993 from McNichols Arena in Denver, Colorado, it ignited the beginning of the world’s foremost mixed martial arts (MMA) competition, fueled by the concept of the best fighting the best to call themselves champion.

It may have been extremely rough around the edges in those ‘dark’ days where the sport having few rules and regulation had it on the precipice of doom, but the opposite is very much true today. After the Fertitta brothers along with Dana White purchased the UFC for a paltry sum and turned it into a legitimately regulated competition watched on pay-per-view the world over, the UFC exploded into a global brand that put shows on nearly every weekend.

When its popularity peaked in 2016 on the heels of the Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz rivalry, the Fertitta brothers saw an opportunity to cash in, and cash in they did. Selling the UFC to Hollywood talent giant WME-IMG (now Endeavor) for a then-record $4.2 billion, one of the biggest franchise sales in sports (of any kind) history was complete. But all was not rosy. This year has seen the advent of some truly horrific pay-per-view and television ratings, with UFC 213, UFC 215, and UFC 216 ranking as three of the lowest-watched PPVs ever, while December’s TUF 26 Finale was the least-watched UFC live event of all-time.

So while it was undoubtedly rough around the edges in its infancy, the UFC is dealing with a whole different set of problems heading into 2018, and many would argue that the UFC owners don’t exactly know what they’re doing. A growing sense is that the Hollywood agency is now trying to book the more mainstream, over-the-top spectacle fights rather than those that clearly have a more legitimate meaning based on meritocracy.

It’s lead to a steady stream of criticism that the UFC is becoming more like pro-wrestling and their WWE counterpart, obviously not the most endearing of words from fight fans. The argument, unfortunately, cannot be totally denied. Let’s take a look at the reasons why:

Jason Silva/Zuma Press/Icon Sportswire

5.) Titles Mean Next To Nothing:

Endeavor has to be commended for finally getting the middleweight division moving in the right direction by booking Robert Whittaker vs. Luke Rockhold for UFC 221, but there is one weight class that is an absolute mess in the UFC.

It’s obviously Conor McGregor’s held-hostage lightweight division, where “The Notorious” fought once and won the belt way back at UFC 205 in November 2016 before leaving to box – and lose – to Floyd Mayweather for the entirety of 2017. McGregor made the record-setting payday he was always looking for and can’t be blamed for doing it, but the fact remains the 155-pound landscape, which is still one of the most talented in MMA, has no clarity whatsoever at the current moment.

An interim belt was given to Tony Ferguson at October’s UFC 216, but without a path to a unification bout with McGregor, he opted to have elbow surgery, leaving not one but two champions on the sidelines with no real news about a return. Take into account the middleweight situation as well, where Michael Bisping was allowed to avoid the top 10 contenders by facing a retiring No. 14 Dan Henderson and an unretiring Georges St-Pierre, who had never even fought in the division. St-Pierre won and vacated the belt hardly a month later.

Interim titles are also created around much more frequently, making them seem more like the WWE titles that are handed over and won back on a never-ending cycle.

Because of these occurrences, UFC titles seem like little more than gold belts to be flaunted after a win rather than symbols of true MMA supremacy to be defended with pride.

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Kevin Lee Reveals Conor McGregor’s Rumored UFC Return

Conor McGregor’s supposed MMA return remains one of the hottest topics in an MMA topic currently devoid of true pay-per-view-worthy stars. Although many fight fans have seemed to grow at least somewhat tired of ‘The Notorious” outside-the-cage antics as he holds the coveted UFC lightweight title hostage, there’s also little question that those same fans […]

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Conor McGregor’s supposed MMA return remains one of the hottest topics in an MMA topic currently devoid of true pay-per-view-worthy stars.

Although many fight fans have seemed to grow at least somewhat tired of ‘The Notorious” outside-the-cage antics as he holds the coveted UFC lightweight title hostage, there’s also little question that those same fans would tune in to watch the biggest name in the UFC fight no matter whom it was against.

He’s been rumored to face off with interim champion Tony Ferguson, who is currently on the sidelines after getting elbow surgery, and boxing legend Floyd Mayweather recently hinted at a UFC return – even though he ultimately shot it down – after beating McGregor in the boxing ring via 10th-round TKO this August.

With the MMA world awaiting any kind of news, recent interim title contender Kevin Lee revealed what he knew during a recent appearance on MMA Junkie Radio (quotes via MMA Mania), noting that he would most likely fight Ferguson but ‘something crazy’ could happen with Mayweather:

“Either that, or something crazy is going to happen there. But, at least I think everything that I’ve seen and all the little whispers that I’ve heard, he comes back, he fights Tony.”

If and when the anticipated title bout does go down, Lee doesn’t believe McGregor will be able to handle the experience of Ferguson after facing and losing to him at UFC 216. As for when “The Motown Phenom” said he’s heard the fight will happen this March:

“I don’t think he beats Tony. There ain’t no way. Tony’s going to be way too experienced, Tony’s going to be way too tough… He’s going to be too much for him. So I’m interested to see that fight. I wish they would just go ahead and make the damn fight happen already. I hear it’s supposed to go down in March, so we’ll see.”

There’s absolutely no doubt that a title unification bout between the two 155-pound champions would be one of the biggest fights the UFC could currently put on, and it would also go a long as to addressing McGregor’s lack of title defenses throughout his entire MMA career.

But McGregor has seemed to love the wealth of fighting rather than actually fighting since fighting Mayweather, so he may be wanting an even bigger potential payday than the Ferguson fight would provide, namely against Mayweather in MMA or perhaps Georges St-Pierre.

Either way, the UFC needs McGregor back, so the sooner, the better. Can they corral their unpredictable star back into the Octagon in early 2018?

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Tony Ferguson Trolls Conor McGregor With “Season’s Beatings”

Tony Ferguson may not have even a potential title unification bout with Conor McGregor on the horizon, but that won’t stop him from trolling the controversial Irish champion online. Without the fight many fans are calling for, ‘El Cucuy’ is on the sidelines recovering from a recent elbow surgery awaiting McGregor’s prospective return, something that truly […]

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Tony Ferguson may not have even a potential title unification bout with Conor McGregor on the horizon, but that won’t stop him from trolling the controversial Irish champion online.

Without the fight many fans are calling for, ‘El Cucuy’ is on the sidelines recovering from a recent elbow surgery awaiting McGregor’s prospective return, something that truly may never happen after a $100 million payday to fight Floyd Mayweather in a boxing ring this August.

Ferguson is going to do his best to get ‘The Notorious’ back in Octagon, however, posting a ranting tweet online that featured a GIF of Will Ferrell from “Old School,” in addition to a laughable misspelling of “potato”:

It’s definitely true that “El Cucuy” has spewed a lot of at-times incomprehensible trash talk in the last year or two, but his overall message that McGregor, who hasn’t defended the 155-pound title since winning it versus Eddie Alvarez in November 2016, should either get back in the Octagon or vacate the belt is one that’s been repeatedly voiced by growing numbers of fans. The promotion made his mind up for him in a similar situation by stripping the 145-pound title.

The Irish star may have some of the most jaw-dropping knockout power in MMA history, but his seeming unwillingness to defend a single title has placed his spot among the true pound-for-greats in MMA into serious question.

“El Cucuy” appears ready to climb into that rarified air, yet the fight he needs to do it may not be available anytime soon – no matter how many times he calls out “The Notorious” online.

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Demetrious Johnson Will Fight Floyd Mayweather With No Grappling

In the hours following Joe Rogan suggesting that Dana White was actually talking to Floyd Mayweather about a comeback in the UFC, several fighters threw their name into the hat for what predictably perceived would be an easy – and massive – payday in the Octagon. One of the biggest names to do just that was […]

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In the hours following Joe Rogan suggesting that Dana White was actually talking to Floyd Mayweather about a comeback in the UFC, several fighters threw their name into the hat for what predictably perceived would be an easy – and massive – payday in the Octagon.

One of the biggest names to do just that was UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, who said he would give up 20 pounds to meet ‘Money’ in mixed martial arts. Mayweather denied the rumor shortly thereafter, however, making it seem certain he would not fight in the UFC, which was what more expected would actually happen than him risking his legacy and undefeated record to end his latest retirement.

But “Mighty Mouse” isn’t giving up on the bout, as he revealed to TMZ Sports (via MMA Mania) that he would fight Mayweather without one of his go-to skillsets of grappling, which he has used to become arguably the flashiest submission artist in the UFC following his suplex-to-armbar stoppage of Ray Borg:

“I think it would go very well for me, obviously. I’m very well-rounded. It’s mixed martial arts. I would even do a handicap. I won’t even grapple with him. I won’t even go to the ground at all. I’ll get him in the clinch, bang up, hit him in the liver, kick him in the liver, take out his legs and work him.”

With essentially two-thirds of his all-around game rendered useless, Johnson still isn’t scared of what Mayweather would bring to the cage. The top pound-for-pound fighter in all of MMA went into detail about how he would beat up “Money” if he decided to clinch like he does in boxing:

“100 percent [I would win],” said Johnson. “Yeah, of course. You have the clinch, there’s kicks, there’s elbows, it’s mixed martial arts. I come from one of the great coaches – Matt Hume, Brad Kertson – and my skill set is well-rounded.

“I’d probably get after that liver. Have to get after that liver. Beat him up in the Muay Thai clinch because he likes to clinch a lot. You see it in his boxing, when he clinches, once we initiate that clinch, I’m gonna throw a knee right to his liver.”

Finally, Johnson sold the bout hard, challenging the legend to beat up the smallest fighter in the UFC:

“Floyd, come over here and beat up the smallest guy in the UFC,” said Johnson. “Come try your hand, try to beat up the smallest guy.”

‘Mighty Mouse’ seems to be campaigning quite hard for a farcical bout with Mayweather, a true testament to the sad state of fighter pay and treatment in the UFC if the most dominant athlete has to essentially beg for the huge payday of fighting a retired boxing great because he can’t get a big fight in MMA.

Johnson obviously saw how much Conor McGregor made to meet Mayweather this August, but ‘Mighty Mouse’ simply isn’t on the Irish star’s level in terms of pay-per-views – quite the opposite is true. Either way, he seems to want the Mayweather match-up rather feverishly, but for our sakes, let’s hope no one gets it.

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Former UFC Champ Destroys Floyd Mayweather’s Chances In UFC

Boxing great Floyd Mayweather Jr. may have shot down the ridiculous rumors he was going to fight in the UFC, but the topic is still being thrown around the mixed martial arts world. With top UFC champions such as Demetrious Johnson chomping at the bit to welcome “Money” into the Octagon where he most likely get […]

The post Former UFC Champ Destroys Floyd Mayweather’s Chances In UFC appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Boxing great Floyd Mayweather Jr. may have shot down the ridiculous rumors he was going to fight in the UFC, but the topic is still being thrown around the mixed martial arts world.

With top UFC champions such as Demetrious Johnson chomping at the bit to welcome “Money” into the Octagon where he most likely get quickly destroyed just like he outclassed Conor McGregor in the boxing ring earlier this year, a certain UFC great joined the ranks of many whom voiced the stance that Mayweather had no chance in the UFC.

Beloved former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell met up with TMZ Sports to discuss Mayweather’s “chances” in the Octagon briefly:
“The Iceman,” not surprisingly, echoed the sentiment of nearly everyone that Mayweather, who is undefeated in boxing and over 40 years old, would just get manhandled:

“C’mon man, he can’t fight in the UFC, Why would he do that? He’s just gonna get hurt. Whoever he fights, they’d wanna hurt him.”

Indeed, whoever he would meet in the UFC would want nothing more than to make a quick name for themselves by becoming the first MMA athlete to defeat arguably the best defensive boxer in history.

However, there also isn’t really a legitimate MMA athlete who could be matched up with him without making the UFC seem like a sideshow circus – even more than the promotion has throughout a questionable 2017.

Liddell has weighed in on the topic, even though it almost certainly won’t happen. Let’s hope that “The Iceman’s” cold view of his chances are the last time we have to discuss it.

The post Former UFC Champ Destroys Floyd Mayweather’s Chances In UFC appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Former UFC Champ Destroys Floyd Mayweather’s Chances In UFC

Boxing great Floyd Mayweather Jr. may have shot down the ridiculous rumors he was going to fight in the UFC, but the topic is still being thrown around the mixed martial arts world. With top UFC champions such as Demetrious Johnson chomping at the bit to welcome “Money” into the Octagon where he most likely get […]

The post Former UFC Champ Destroys Floyd Mayweather’s Chances In UFC appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Boxing great Floyd Mayweather Jr. may have shot down the ridiculous rumors he was going to fight in the UFC, but the topic is still being thrown around the mixed martial arts world.

With top UFC champions such as Demetrious Johnson chomping at the bit to welcome “Money” into the Octagon where he most likely get quickly destroyed just like he outclassed Conor McGregor in the boxing ring earlier this year, a certain UFC great joined the ranks of many whom voiced the stance that Mayweather had no chance in the UFC.

Beloved former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell met up with TMZ Sports to discuss Mayweather’s “chances” in the Octagon briefly:
“The Iceman,” not surprisingly, echoed the sentiment of nearly everyone that Mayweather, who is undefeated in boxing and over 40 years old, would just get manhandled:

“C’mon man, he can’t fight in the UFC, Why would he do that? He’s just gonna get hurt. Whoever he fights, they’d wanna hurt him.”

Indeed, whoever he would meet in the UFC would want nothing more than to make a quick name for themselves by becoming the first MMA athlete to defeat arguably the best defensive boxer in history.

However, there also isn’t really a legitimate MMA athlete who could be matched up with him without making the UFC seem like a sideshow circus – even more than the promotion has throughout a questionable 2017.

Liddell has weighed in on the topic, even though it almost certainly won’t happen. Let’s hope that “The Iceman’s” cold view of his chances are the last time we have to discuss it.

The post Former UFC Champ Destroys Floyd Mayweather’s Chances In UFC appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.