As we approach UFC 138 in Birmingham, England this Saturday, I can’t help but wonder if the UFC is purposely hosing the UK fans or if it’s a dying market lacking enough marketable names to play host to the UFC’s more important, mainst…
As we approach UFC 138 in Birmingham, England this Saturday, I can’t help but wonder if the UFC is purposely hosing the UK fans or if it’s a dying market lacking enough marketable names to play host to the UFC’s more important, mainstream cards.
I’m a firm believer in the sentiment that all cards shouldn’t be judge by their covers. Time and time again, fans have been pleasantly surprised with the outcomes of events that had trouble selling their intrigue to the masses. UFC 138 has the quality fights to continue that trend.
Former welterweight title contender Thiago Alves—a household Brazilian name—may seem mismatched with a downgraded 33-year-old opponent on paper, but Papy Abedi is undefeated with seven finishes and one decision victory. This is the type of fight that will save a former success story from irrelevancy or propel a new threat in the 170-pound division.
England’s own bantamweight Brad Pickett has proven his potential in the WEC by defeating Kyle Dietz, with a Peruvian necktie submission of the night, former No. 1 contender Demetrious Johnson and, most recently, Ivan Menjivar. Pickett is up against a young, nasty Brazilian who holds one of the longest win streaks in MMA—having seen the win column for 26 consecutive times—and who also kicks around with current UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo in the gym.
Obviously, anytime Chris Leben enters the cage, fans know they will more than likely see a gnarly knockout or a tough SOB binging on punches like a superhero—Leben’s gift and curse.
Here’s the problem: comparatively speaking, the British fans are just as passionate about the sport as Canadians or Australians or Brazilians. They’re just as worthy as the others to receive a huge card every once in a while—and it’s been awhile.
Without tapping into the magical powers of Google or Wikipedia, does anybody remember the headliners from UFC 38 (that’s a cheap shot), UFC 70, UFC 80, UFC 85, UFC 89, UFC 95, UFC 105 or UFC 120? I left one rather exciting event off the list, but you’re looking at all the UK cards…ever.
There is an unfortunate trend rearing its ugly head as you get past the part of the list where the UFC finished its blitzkrieg new market strategy in Britain. To put it frankly, the ol’ girl got dried up once the sport had been half-way established.
With the exception of UFC 75 (Rampage vs. Henderson), many of these cards on paper were second rate to what other international markets were getting—most notably Canada, and now Brazil.
The counter argument reminds us that while many of these events looked dismal on paper, they typically produced solid fights through and through. That’s great news for the small minority of fans, the hardcore diehards out there who tend to defend this point to their graves without considering their counterparts.
What about the big portion of casual fans, who are normally targeted by effective market strategies in hopes of building a long-term stronghold to help the organization become an international player? They seem to be getting ignored in the British Isles.
Realistically, the UK is the UFC’s European headquarters. So, we can’t expect all the British fans to share the same super-fan enthusiasm for a card like UFC 138. Like any market, they have their share of weekend fight fans.
The last time the octagon blessed British soil was back in October 2010 with UFC 120: Bisping vs. Akiyama. They followed up that event with Leben vs. Munoz this Saturday, an intriguing co-main event on any other card, over a year later.
Meanwhile, in the same time period, Canada enjoyed two Georges St-Pierre main events and Shane Carwin vs. Junior Dos Santos, the Aussies had Penn vs. Fitch and Brazil hosted Silva vs. Okami, which was a stacked card.
Maybe the well has dried up or maybe due to the UFC’s breakneck expansion and lack of marketable fighters beyond Michael Bisping, the company is simply making a business decision.
Are the Brits getting the shaft here? Is this Boston born Dana White’s extended Tea Party retribution?
Whatever the reason, if the UFC doesn’t reinvest in their British brand, the company’s largest European market will continue to dwindle and local talent will continue to be shackled out of the spotlight. At some point, especially with Dan Hardy on the brink of extinction, those Doc Marten’s will need replacing with younger, hungrier talent to carry the British MMA flag.
Cheers, British fans…I live in Chicago and we haven’t seen a UFC event since 2008.
UFC middleweight fighter Mark ‘The Filipino Wrecking Machine’ Munoz shows off some of his training for this weekends UFC 138 bout versus Chris Leben. The two fighters, are set to meet in the first five-round non-title bout in the promotions history. In this video journal, Munoz works out at his gym, the Reign Training Center, with Master Rafael Cordeiro, fighters Kryzstof Soszynski, and others.
UFC middleweight fighter Mark ‘The Filipino Wrecking Machine’ Munoz shows off some of his training for this weekends UFC 138 bout versus Chris Leben. The two fighters, are set to meet in the first five-round non-title bout in the promotions history. In this video journal, Munoz works out at his gym, the Reign Training Center, with Master Rafael Cordeiro, fighters Kryzstof Soszynski, and others.
Che Mills, former Cage Rage British welterweight champion and short-lived contestant on TUF 9, enters the UFC having accrued an impressive 13-4 professional MMA record, holding 2 notable knockout victories over DREAM Welterweight Champion Marius Zaroms…
Che Mills, former Cage Rage British welterweight champion and short-lived contestant on TUF 9, enters the UFC having accrued an impressive 13-4 professional MMA record, holding 2 notable knockout victories over DREAM Welterweight Champion Marius Zaromskis. He makes his promotional debut at UFC 138 in Birmingham, England, featuring on the undercard against scrappy TUF 13 semi-finalist Chris Cope, affectionately known as “The Woo Man” to anyone except his fellow contestants on the popular reality TV show. I recently took the opportunity to catch up with Che ahead of the biggest fight of his life.
JS: Hi Che, cheers for taking the time to talk today. First of all, your nickname “The Urban Monkey”.When I interviewed Joey Villasenor prior to your arranged bout at BAMMA 7, I remember he found it funny that he spars with Tom “Kong” Watson, and now he’d be fighting “The Urban Monkey”. Is it self-entitled or awarded? Can you briefly elaborate on its significance?
Haha, I don’t know about that one. I don’t know where that nickname came from, it’s a myth. It cropped up online somewhere, and some people have mentioned it, but I’m not a fan of it. I have sort of acquired a nickname, even though it wasn’t my choice. Chico Mendes, my BJJ coach, started calling me “Beautiful”, in a p*ss-taking ironic way, and it has stuck. Everyone in the gym now calls me it, whilst laughing simultaneously.
JS: Haha, ok, so will Bruce Buffer be announcing you as Che “Beautiful” Mills?
CM: Haha, I don’t know yet. A couple of my trainers might have slyly arranged this behind my back.
JS: Since it was publicised that you’re going to be fighting in the UFC, have you refrained from participating in the open training sessions at your gym, which include novice fighters? To me, the notion that I could train with a UFC fighter, at the precipice of his profession, seems preposterous. Are you not concerned about the increased risk of injury presented by these sessions?
CM: Funnily enough, I was recently discussing this issue with some guys at the gym. Counter-intuitively, it’s actually easier to spar with advanced-level fighters, because they’re technical, as opposed to a beginner who is more liable to catch you with something, because they can be wild and unpredictable, and trying to take your head off. So they can catch you off-guard. It’s often not their fault, because they don’t know any different. And conversely the pros will take it easy on the beginners. I still participate in the sessions, but if a beginner is getting carried away, I’ll just ask them to calm down, rather than get involved in a war. I’ll coach them through it, because aside from the odd one or two, they invariably aren’t aware of the etiquette. I still try to join in because they’re all different and valuable experiences.
JS: Most people within the MMA community presume that when the UFC come calling, you automatically jump at the opportunity because it’s “The Big Time”. However, recently, it was well-documented that fellow British prospect Jimi Manuwa declined an offer to fight for the UFC, citing inexperience as the key determinant behind the decision? What are your thoughts on this? In your case, was it a no-brainer?
CM: For me, definitely, I couldn’t refuse. When my coach rang me with the initial offer, he realised it was a rhetorical question. But, on the other hand, I understand Jimi’s rationale. Jimi has had ten professional bouts, whereas I’ve competed in 17. I thought I was ready for the UFC a couple of years ago, but in retrospect, I wasn’t sufficiently prepared. My skill-set is much developed and diverse now, and I’ve had more cage-time, which is indispensable. You can train forever, but nothing compares to actually fighting.
JS: Does a call from the UFC constitute the culmination of a decade’s worth of commitment and perseverance?
CM: Yes, in a way. The UFC is obviously the top MMA organisation, and where I’ve always wanted to be. A large number of MMA fans are only familiar with the UFC. To them, it’s synonymous. I often get asked, ‘you do that UFC don’t you?’
JS: Haha. Is it testament to the calibre of BAMMA’s roster that your scheduled fight with Joey Villasenor at BAMMA 7 was arguably more difficult on paper than the challenge that lies ahead at 138?
CM: Yes, definitely. If it wasn’t for the UFC offer, I would have still fought for BAMMA. The fight against Joey would have proven massive for my career, testing myself against a talented veteran. BAMMA is certainly heading in the right direction.
JS: Chris Cope, your opponent, has 6 professional bouts on his MMA record. Are you content to be fighting a relatively inexperienced MMA fighter for your inaugural UFC bout?
CM: I don’t think it really matters. He’s evidently good enough to be there irrespective of experience. I have to take every fight seriously, as it’s my job on the line. I don’t even look at his experience levels.
JS: You’re a self-proclaimed “gentleman” in the game, so I don’t expect to elicit any trash-talk today. But I must probe a little about Chris or the “Woo Man” as he has become affectionately known, due to his conspicuous personal psyching-up mechanism. Will the “Woo” annoy you at all? Could it potentially put you off your game?
CM: Haha no, I don’t think it’ll annoy me or put me off my game. It’s only shouting. He can shout as much as he likes. I could see his fellow contestants on The Ultimate Fighter found his constant wooing to be annoying, but to me, as a spectator from afar, it was admittedly pretty amusing. If he starts to do the “Woo” when he fights me, I’ll probably find it pretty funny actually. For me personally, I don’t hit myself or shout to pump myself up. I’m chilled out pre-fight.
JS: Ok, well I think Cope’s “Woos” be drowned out by the Birmingham “Boos”Onto the fight itself, and you are both predominantly recognised for your stand-up. Will this likely culminate in a battle on the feet? Or given that your record indicates that you’re more well-rounded (boasting 4 submission victories), could we see a role-reversal with a Brit aiming to get an American to the mat?
CM: No, definitely not. Obviously, I hold those submissions victories, and I think I’m quite awkward on the ground. I’m not the best grappler or wrestler individually, but I mix them up well. But yes, I’m predominantly a striker and I never enter a fight with the intention of taking it to the mat. However, if an opportunity presents itself for a takedown or submission, of course I’ll take it. It’s instinctive really. I have utilised my wrestling and BJJ instinctively in previous fights.
JS: Cope has been TKO’d twice already during his short career, whilst you are yet to be finished via TKO. Do you attribute this to possessing a more solid chin or a more elusive style?
CM: I’d say chin probably, given the amount of times I’ve been hit in fights. In the past, I’ve become embroiled in battles and thereby completely abandoning the game plan. In training, you work on slipping, head movement, foot movement, and then the fight arrives and I just want to get stuck in. I can take a decent punch. And it gives me a bit of confidence to see that he has been KO’d. I was the first person to knock out Marius Zaromskis. But there are so many factors that come into play.
JS: What did you make of Cope’s performances on TUF?
CM: I think it’s difficult to gauge a fighter’s skills solely by performances on the actual show, because the surroundings and coaches are foreign, the situation is intense. So you can’t really take it as gospel. But I watched his fight against Chuck O’Neil at the finale. He didn’t look too bad. He looked impressive with his combinations, but he seemed to lack power. No disrespect to his opponent on the night, but I don’t think Chuck really pressured him. So, it’s difficult to tell how good Chris Cope really is. He was allowed to fight his fight. I won’t make it quite as comfortable for him.
JS: And you yourself made a short-lived appearance on The Ultimate Fighter 9, losing an elimination match to subsequent winner of the competition, James Wilks. Did you always have faith that you would make it back into the UFC somehow?
CM: To be honest, I always hoped, but I never thought it was realistic. I hardly had a chance to showcase my skills on TUF 9, so I didn’t think the UFC would give me a second chance. So I decided that I was going to concentrate on making a living from other promotions.
JS: Whilst training as a full-time professional MMA fighter, Cope also apparently works at a San Diego law firm. Is there a chance that following this fight Cope will be filing a case of Grievous Bodily Harm against you?
CM: Haha, erm. Well, if he did, I think he’d have good ground to.
JS: Haha, where would a win against Cope rank in your all-time greatest victories? Would it surpass the two against Zaromskis?
CM: I think so, yes. Just the fact that it’s the big debut, and I’ll be bringing a lot of support, since Birmingham is very close by. This is the hardest I’ve ever trained for a fight so it would mean the most to me. Zaromskis was a big scalp for me, but the UFC stage is enormous. There’s a lot more pressure, but that’ll make the success even sweeter.
JS: Should you win, who particularly interests you in the UFC welterweight division?
CM: Whatever’s next is next as far as I’m concerned. I’ll leave it to the UFC to decide. I’ve never been one to call people out, nor have I ever turned down a fight offered to me. Ideally, if I string a few consecutive wins together I’d love to compete against the elite fighters in the UFC welterweight division.
JS: Ok Che, well thanks for your time. It’s been a pleasure, and best of luck for the fight.
Nick Diaz may have got what he wanted in the form of a title shot against UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. However, many fans would be surprised to see a belt around the Cesar Gracie trainee’s waist after UFC 143.In a recent poll featured o…
Nick Diaz may have got what he wanted in the form of a title shot against UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. However, many fans would be surprised to see a belt around the Cesar Gracie trainee’s waist after UFC 143.
In a recent poll featured on Bleacher Report’s UFC page, 71.1 percent of readers picked St-Pierre to defeat Diaz. Only 441 voters out of 1,525 predicted that Diaz will become the new UFC welterweight champion at UFC 143.
After vacating his Strikeforce title, Diaz was originally supposed to meet St-Pierre at UFC 137. However, after missing multiple press conferences, the UFC opted to replace Diaz with Carlos Condit. An injury to St-Pierre postponed the new title fight, which opened the door for Diaz to become the top contender once again when he picked up an impressive win over B.J. Penn.
While his chance comes at Condit’s expense, Diaz will finally have the chance to prove he’s the best welterweight in the world in February 2012.
Sean Smith is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. For the latest insight and updates on everything MMA, you can follow Sean on Twitter @SeanSmithMMA.
Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsThiago Alves’ nutritionist knows how it must look for his fighter to come in a pound over on his first trip to the scale at the UFC 138 weigh-ins, but he still wishes people would give the UFC welterweight …
Thiago Alves‘ nutritionist knows how it must look for his fighter to come in a pound over on his first trip to the scale at the UFC 138 weigh-ins, but he still wishes people would give the UFC welterweight the benefit of the doubt just this once.
As nutritionist Mike Dolce told MMA Fighting from England on Friday afternoon, Alves had no trouble making the 171-pound limit on his second try, and would have made it the first time except for a calibration issue.
“We had four different scales,” Dolce said. “Every scale had him between [1]69 [pounds] and [1]71 [pounds]. We were happy. It was an easy weight cut, he felt fine, high energy, bouncing around. We got to the weigh-ins and he was [1]72.3 [pounds] with his shorts on. He took off his shorts and he was [1]72 [pounds] on the dot. We were shocked, but hey, no problem. We walked off the scale, we went backstage, there was a sauna there, he sat in the sauna for a few minutes, then he took a pee, then we went back out and made 171 [pounds]. It was literally that simple.”
What’s not so simple, according to Dolce, was dealing with the public backlash that he saw on Twitter once news got out that Alves was over. Though Alves made weight “maybe 40 minutes later,” according to Dolce, by then the story of his initial miss was out and MMA fans seemed to have made up their minds about him.
“And that sucks, because I see how hard this kid’s working,” said Dolce. “He understands that he has to work his way back up the ladder, and he’s doing everything correctly in his personal, emotional, professional, and financial life to make sure he makes a statement and makes a run in the welterweight division. Having something silly like this, to see everyone jump on him, you know, I understand why since he’s had trouble in the past, but come on, the kid came back a half-hour later and made weight with a smile.”
Granted, before Alves hired Dolce as a nutritionist, the Brazilian had a bad habit of coming in over the limit. He came in three pounds heavy for his fight with Matt Hughes at UFC 85, and he clocked in at 171.5 for his rematch with Jon Fitch at UFC 117 — a minor miss that cost him 20% of his fight purse.
Now it seems that fans are so used to Alves missing weight that Friday’s miscue only confirmed what they already believed about him, even though, Dolce said, they weren’t the only ones surprised by the numbers on the scale.
“There was five guys who got to the weigh-ins and stepped on the scale and were overweight and were shocked also. They had to jump in the back and start trying to cut weight on their own. …It’s always our responsibility as professionals to be on weight regardless of the circumstance. But when there’s this many guys this far off, something’s wrong. It’s not just us.”
While several foreign fighters have commented publicly on the difficulty of getting their normal dietary needs met while cutting weight in the U.K., Dolce said he brought “a suitcase full of food” for Alves — about $400 worth for just a few days, in his estimation. Customs restrictions make it impossible to bring fruits or vegetables in to the country, he said, but the team was well prepared and Alves had “an awesome weight cut.”
“He looks great, not sucked down, no dark circles under his eyes,” Dolce said. “It wasn’t a matter of, can he make weight? It was that we stepped on four different scales and I would have to say that our scale is wrong, because the UFC is the official.”
The UFC announced last week that long-time host of ESPN’s MMA Live show, Jon Anik will be the new commentator for a second team to cover the hectic schedule of UFC events in the future. With the UFC event schedule being more hectic as it has…
The UFC announced last week that long-time host of ESPN’s MMA Live show, Jon Anik will be the new commentator for a second team to cover the hectic schedule of UFC events in the future. With the UFC event schedule being more hectic as it has ever been, the new team will complement the current team […]
As we approach UFC 138 in Birmingham, England this Saturday, I can’t help but wonder if the UFC is purposely hosing the UK fans or if it’s a dying market lacking enough marketable names to play host to the UFC’s more important, mainstream cards.