Sign of the Apocalypse: ‘UFC on FUEL: Franklin vs. Le’ Promo Features the Headliners…Complimenting Each Other?

(Props: fueltv)

Well this might be the most disturbing video-promo in UFC history. Here we have Rich Franklin and Cung Le — who are set to headline the UFC’s first China event on November 10th — spending a full minute talking about how great their opponent is. What the hell? Whatever happened to cartoonish, pro-wrestling style bravado? All of sudden, it’s not cool to insult your opponent’s fighting style, or vow to literally kill them?

I wonder if cultural factors are at work here. Keep in mind that I’m completely talking out of my ass, but maybe the local Chinese audience would be turned off by two fighters acting like conceited assholes, as we expect our fighters to act during pre-fight promos. That could be a stretch, but it’s worth noting that the promo also describes Le as a “kung fu master,” when his background is actually in Taekwondo, wrestling, and Sanda/Sanshou (which only has a loose connection to kung fu), so I think there might be a little pandering going on here.

And I’m going to let you in on another secret: Cung Le? Vietnamese, not Chinese. I’m just saying. Follow the money.

The current lineup for “UFC on FUEL TV 6: Franklin vs. Le” is after the jump.


(Props: fueltv)

Well this might be the most disturbing video-promo in UFC history. Here we have Rich Franklin and Cung Le — who are set to headline the UFC’s first China event on November 10th — spending a full minute talking about how great their opponent is. What the hell? Whatever happened to cartoonish, pro-wrestling style bravado? All of sudden, it’s not cool to insult your opponent’s fighting style, or vow to literally kill them?

I wonder if cultural factors are at work here. Keep in mind that I’m completely talking out of my ass, but maybe the local Chinese audience would be turned off by two fighters acting like conceited assholes, as we expect our fighters to act during pre-fight promos. That could be a stretch, but it’s worth noting that the promo also describes Le as a “kung fu master,” when his background is actually in Taekwondo, wrestling, and Sanda/Sanshou (which only has a loose connection to kung fu), so I think there might be a little pandering going on here.

And I’m going to let you in on another secret: Cung Le? Vietnamese, not Chinese. I’m just saying. Follow the money.

The current lineup for “UFC on FUEL TV 6: Franklin vs. Le” is after the jump.

MAIN CARD
Rich Franklin vs. Cung Le
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Paulo Thiago
Tiequan Zhang vs. Jon Tuck
Thiago Silva vs. Stanislav Nedkov
Takanori Gomi vs. Mac Danzig
Alex Caceres vs. Kyung Ho Kang

PRELIMINARY CARD
John Lineker vs. Yasuhiro Urushitani
Tom DeBlass vs. Riki Fukuda
Takeya Mizugaki vs. Jeff Hougland
David Mitchell vs. Hyun Gyu Lim