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UFC Needs To Rebound Big With Tomorrow’s UFC 211

It’s no secret that the UFC has had a less than stellar start to 2017. New owners WME-IMG have appeared to struggle settling into their new roles at the helm of the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion and it has shown with the pay-per-view (PPV) cards that have took place so far this year.

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It’s no secret that the UFC has had a less than stellar start to 2017.

New owners WME-IMG have appeared to struggle settling into their new roles at the helm of the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion and it has shown with the pay-per-view (PPV) cards that have took place so far this year.

PPV has and likely always will be the main platform and main source of income for the promotion, but UFC 208, which took place on Feb. 11, 2017, and UFC 209, which went down on March 4, 2017, weren’t cards to remember. UFC 210, which took place on April 8, 2017, didn’t garner much attention either, as it appeared to have been a rather weak card aside from its main event and co-main event, which ended in a whirlwind of controversy.

With that being said, the UFC is in desperate need of a rebound and the promotion is well-aware of that.

That rebound should come at UFC 211, which will hit screens tomorrow May 13, 2017 live on PPV from Dallas, Texas. Seemingly aware of the slow start it has gone through to start the new year, the UFC has stacked the deck for UFC 211, making it look like a vintage event that fight fans had grown to love.

The upcoming card will be headlined by a heavyweight title rematch between Stipe Miocic and Junior Dos Santos, two sluggers who went back-and-forth for five rounds in a bloody war in their first meeting back in Dec. 2014.

The co-main event has a strong chance to produce fireworks as well, as reigning strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk will put her 115-pound title on the line for the fifth consecutive time against Jessica Andrade. ‘Joanna Champion’ has proven to be an exciting fighter and she will face a legitimate threat in the No. 3-ranked Andrade.

Two intriguing title fights are set to headline the card, but that isn’t all. No. 3-ranked surging welterweight contender Demian Maia will meet No. 6-ranked Jorge Masvidal in what could potentially be a 170-pound title eliminator. Former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez will return to action as well, as he takes on No. 10-ranked Dustin Poirier. Finally, former featherweight title challenger Frankie Edgar will take on rising prospect Yair Rodriguez in an interesting clash of styles.

It’s well-rounded cards with a plethora of talent and depth like this one that made the UFC the premier organization for mixed martial arts. Unfortunately, the promotion has seemed to stray away from this strategy in recent memory, but UFC 211 should serve as a rebound, and one that is needed by the promotion.

Let’s hope that UFC 211 doesn’t just mark a rebound, but a return to high level consistency as well.

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Eight Major Missteps Since The UFC Was Sold

In 2001, Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta purchased the struggling UFC organization for just $2 million, and alongside President Dana White they successfully built it into a powerhouse that 15 years later would lead to the largest franchise sale in sporting history. In July of 2016, talent agency WME-IMG purchased the company for a staggering $4.2

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In July of 2016, talent agency WME-IMG purchased the company for a staggering $4.2 billion, and a month later officially took the reigns, ushering in a new era for MMA’s leading organization.

At the time UFC was at an all-time high and the new owners couldn’t have picked a better week to take charge, with UFC 202: McGregor vs. Diaz II delivering a record 1.65 million pay-per-view buys that same weekend.

With that in mind, it’s remarkable to think that less than a year later the UFC is now in the midst of a slump, with fans and fighters alike having become increasingly disgruntled under the new regime, while the stats tell their own story: just 800,000 PPVs sold in the first quarter of 2017, compared to almost 2.5 million in 2015 and 2.2 million in 2016.

In this article we’ll look at the reasons for this troubling decline, highlighting eight key missteps by the UFC since the new owners took charge.

Ronda Rousey’s Comeback Fight

Ronda Rousey had a huge role to play in the UFC’s rise in popularity over the past few years, but by the time WME-IMG took the reigns, Rousey’s hype train had been derailed by a devastating KO loss to Holly Holm.

Rousey’s striking deficiencies had been painfully apparent that night, while psychologically it was clear that she’d also been exposed as she suddenly vanished from the limelight afterwards and admitted later that she’d considered suicide.

With that in mind, the smart move would have been to hand Rousey a tune-up fight for her return a year later.

There was going to be a huge level of interest in her comeback no matter who she fought, so why not give her an opportunity to earn a confidence-boosting win that could lead to higher stakes match-ups the following year?

Instead the UFC made a critical strategic error by throwing Rousey straight back into a title shot with newly crowned champion, Amanda Nunes, a superior striker and ruthless finisher riding high on a wave of confidence.

On paper it was a terrible match-up for Rousey, and in reality it proved to be even worse as Nunes took just 48 seconds to dismantle her by TKO.

That humiliating loss has cost the UFC dearly as it appears to have convinced the superstar to bring her career to a premature conclusion.

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Luke Rockhold: UFC Just Chasing To Pay Off A Debt

Like many middleweight contenders, former 185-pound champion Luke Rockhold isn’t pleased with the current state of the division. Instead of fighting one of the few very deserving contenders, champion Michael Bisping will instead take on former longtime 170-pound king Georges “Rush” St. Pierre at a date and venue that has yet to be confirmed despite

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Like many middleweight contenders, former 185-pound champion Luke Rockhold isn’t pleased with the current state of the division.

Instead of fighting one of the few very deserving contenders, champion Michael Bisping will instead take on former longtime 170-pound king Georges “Rush” St. Pierre at a date and venue that has yet to be confirmed despite the fight being announced by UFC President Dana White this past March. St. Pierre hasn’t competed since scoring a highly controversial decision victory over Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 in 2013 and he has never competed at middleweight.

It’s understandable why the top contenders in the middleweight division would be angered by the UFC’s decision and Rockhold recently said that new owners WME-IMG are simply looking to pay off a debt after purchasing the promotion for a record setting $4.2 billion last year:

“I don’t know, man,” he told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour when asked about his situation. “You can’t predict anything these days. So, [the UFC is] just chasing to pay off a debt really, is what they’re doing, trying to put these megafights together that don’t make sense. I don’t know. You never know what they’re going to do these days. Who knows.”

Rockhold was scheduled to rematch former Strikeforce champion Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza late last year, but he was forced to withdraw from that fight after suffering a knee injury.

Now, Yoel Romero is the division’s rightful No. 1-contender, while No. 3-ranked Robert Whittaker and No. 4-ranked Gegard Mousasi have been making waves as well.

As far his fighting future goes, Rockhold sounded adamant when saying that he isn’t interested in fighting unless an interim title is on the line or unless Bisping is matched against a top contender. The 32-year-old also advised Romero, Whittaker and Mousasi to follow his lead:

“If they’re not putting an interim title on the line, or if they’re not making Bisping fight a contender, I’m not fighting anybody,” he said. “And so should the rest of the division, too. What’s the point? Without me, Mousasi, Yoel, and Whittaker? I think everyone should just stand their ground, and say f*ck you. Put a title on the line or else, f*ck, you don’t even have a division.”

“I think everyone is already on strike, aren’t they?” he said. “We’re all waiting on a title. Whittaker’s down. I’ve voiced my opinion, and I think Mousasi should stand his ground too. I mean, without us you have no f*cking division. Make something happen.”

Rock hold did, however, admit that he prefers a fight with Whittaker over a fight with Mousasi if he is indeed going to return sometime soon:

“I asked for the Whittaker fight,” Rockhold said. “I think that’s a more clear cut, straight path to the title. Mousasi’s coming off…you know he looked good, against Weidman, but there was some controversy at the end. Then you got Whittaker who knocked out Jacare. It’s pretty clear-cut. You go put that guy away, and you don’t have to worry about anybody else trying to jump you.”

Do you agree with Rockhold’s comments and who would you like to see him fight next?

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Breaking Down The Sad State Of Each UFC Division

The UFC is currently going through a ‘unique’ period. New owners WME-IMG are now well into their first year of business after purchasing the UFC for a record setting $4.2 billion last year and the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion has experienced a somewhat slow and lackluster start to 2017. Not only have there

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The UFC is currently going through a ‘unique’ period.

New owners WME-IMG are now well into their first year of business after purchasing the UFC for a record setting $4.2 billion last year and the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion has experienced a somewhat slow and lackluster start to 2017.

Not only have there been a lack of big fights, but some weight classes have also been going through a period of turmoil whether that be due to a lack of contenders or deserving contenders being passed up to book ‘money fights’. Some divisions, on the other hand, are alive and well and experiencing a period of excitement.

With that being said, let’s break down the state of each UFC division:

Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Women’s Strawweight

Joanna Jedrzejczyk has established herself as a legitimate champion at 115-pounds, defending her title four consecutive times. She will look to make the fifth defense of her title in the co-main event of UFC 211 on May 13, 2017 when she takes on Jessica Andrade.

“Joanna Champion” has indeed brought excitement to the division, but a 115-pound title fight likely won’t headline a pay-per-view event anytime soon and that is also due in part to the lack of depth in the fledgling division. Jedrzejczyk has already beaten No. 1-ranked Claudia Gadelha twice as well as No. 2-ranked Karolina Kowalkiewicz.

If she gets by the No. 3-ranked Andrade next month, No. 4-ranked Rose Namajunas will likely serve as the next title challenge, but outside of “Thug” Rose, the division is lacking legitimate contenders.

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Dana White Says UFC Turned Down Offer For $5 Billion Last Year

When the UFC was sold to WME-IMG for $4.2 billion last year, the transaction set a record for being the most lucrative in sports history. That number, however, could’ve been higher according to UFC President Dana White. In a recent interview with FOX Sports, White said that the promotion actually received an offer for $5

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In a recent interview with FOX Sports, White said that the promotion actually received an offer for $5 billion, but he ultimately felt as if Ari Emanuel, the co-CEO of WME-IMG, had a stronger vision for the future of the UFC:

“I was never in this for the money ever,” White said. “When we bought this thing, we bought it for $2 million and then we were upside down and everything else. For me it’s always taking it to the next level. Let me be honest with you, when we were doing this deal there were two groups that came in for more money than Ari [Emanuel]. There was one [offer] for $5 billion. Ari is one of these guys, he’s got huge balls, he’s very smart, and he has laid out a really great plan for the sport. The vision that Ari has for it right now, I am on board and I love it.”

After experiencing a somewhat lackluster start to 2017, WME-IMG has received a bit of criticism for the direction in which they seem to be taking the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion. White, however, remains on board with the talent agency’s plans.

Do you expect WME-IMG to indeed take the UFC to new levels in the future?

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Poll: Do You Still Love The UFC?

It’s hardly a secret in the MMA world that the UFC is off to an incredibly rough start in the first four months of 2017. Last weekend’s UFC on FOX 24 showed some signs of a turnaround as the best card of the year thus far, but even that packed, exciting event needed a late

The post Poll: Do You Still Love The UFC? appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

It’s hardly a secret in the MMA world that the UFC is off to an incredibly rough start in the first four months of 2017.

Last weekend’s UFC on FOX 24 showed some signs of a turnaround as the best card of the year thus far, but even that packed, exciting event needed a late rally to avoid becoming the lowest-rated FOX-aired UFC event of all-time. Many blamed a lack of effective promotion, but regardless of a reason, a huge opportunity was missed at a time when the sport needed a shot-in-the-arm type of card.

Add that to the fact that the promotion overbooked the last few months of last year, and you have a messy situation where new owners WME-IMG are attempting to implement a still-developing strategy without much – if any – true top-level star power behind it, the one thing that drove the promotion to its biggest ever year last year.

All of the aspects working against WME seem to be coming to a head right as they’ve attempted to cut costs drastically by laying off fighters and employees, and it has obviously made them look like they don’t know what they’re doing. Whether it’s the often-criticized Reebok deal, hiccups with USADA, or just the strange booking strategy that seems to favor so-called ‘money fights’ like the upcoming Michael Bisping vs. Georges St-Pierre middleweight title fight, it’s clear the new owners have a lot of work to do to continue the success of the Fertitta brothers.

Their insistence to cut fighter costs and pay them a low wage after they let the cat out of the bag by paying $4.2 billion for the company will be an ongoing struggle for them, and it’s clear that their new strategy – or lack thereof – has taken the wind out of the sails of many an MMA fan in the early days of this year.

What do you think? Do you still love the UFC like you used to, and do you think WME will be able to turn it around?

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