UFC's brand-over-fighter nonsense was always gonna end up like this. Folks like us tried to warn everyone and the brand loyalists simply won out.
Now it's this sterile, bland thing that I feel morally obligated to ignore. We've seen what happens to early generation fighters when they reach the end of their careers and how easily they're discarded after sacrificing their brain matter for everyone's entertainment. The company refusing to compensate fighters fairly, top level fighters turning their nose up at the idea of organizing because it wouldn't benefit them personally, the embedding of deep, fascist roots into gyms and everything else makes the sport wholly unpalatable.
These are very interesting points. I have been surprised to see people I really liked on a personal level embrace some really awful political ideology.
I just had one of those "Facebook memories" pop up, this one from 2020, where I called out fighters I knew to clean house and stop enabling their conspiracy theorist pals just because they're gym buddies.
Because it'll ruin the sport to let the Jake Shields' of the world become one of the voices for a sport he essentially aged out of while someone reasonable like Nate Quarry is treated like a leper.
Still not too late to save this thing..bring in Vince Russo..stop pretending these fights are all shoots..generate some storylines to make me care why I should spare a fraction of a f*ck for either fighter in the cage.
MMA at it's best is still compelling and entertaining. But a fight night is not required viewing anymore. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything, even if I miss a good match. It needs the weight of storytelling to make me actually care about it as a fan. So big PPVs, like Saturday's rematch between Weili and Joanna? That gets me excited. But I don't feel the need to tune in for a card like Rob Font vs Chito Vera which may well be an incredible fight but lacks any drama.
I find it bizarre that I've shifted from an MMA fan to a pro wrestling fan, but as someone with limited time for viewership, I want that time to entertain me and pro wrestling does a lot better job at that!
If MMA were basketball aren’t we just getting to the Bob Cousy not crossover dribbling or going through his legs stage? Or did MMA progress faster bc of the internet and all that? The sport is only 3 or 4 decades old.
To me, one big appeal of mma is that it’s very easy to be a “causal hardcore” fan. You pirate one ppv a month and watch 2-3 fights off each fight night card and you’re basically covered. $6.99 a month to be a big time fan.
This feels like your putting my thoughts into writing sadly. Well said. Still sad though. May the new girls and guys have as much fun with their MMA, like I had with mine.
The people that watch this crap nowadays will never know how stacked those PPV's used to be. They had championship fights on the friggin prelims. The prelims always had all guys you've at least heard of. I "knew" and had followed these guys careers for years. Now I haven't even heard of most guys on the main card.. I guess I just don't care to watch nameless , faceless violence. Or, if I do want to see it, the fights on worldstar are way more entertaining. None of these "feeling it out" and gameplanning bullshit. Just let em fly fuck it why not? Go back to 15-18 fights a years and stack the cards. It would make a lot less money, but the product would not suck donkey balls.
UFC's brand-over-fighter nonsense was always gonna end up like this. Folks like us tried to warn everyone and the brand loyalists simply won out.
Now it's this sterile, bland thing that I feel morally obligated to ignore. We've seen what happens to early generation fighters when they reach the end of their careers and how easily they're discarded after sacrificing their brain matter for everyone's entertainment. The company refusing to compensate fighters fairly, top level fighters turning their nose up at the idea of organizing because it wouldn't benefit them personally, the embedding of deep, fascist roots into gyms and everything else makes the sport wholly unpalatable.
These are very interesting points. I have been surprised to see people I really liked on a personal level embrace some really awful political ideology.
I just had one of those "Facebook memories" pop up, this one from 2020, where I called out fighters I knew to clean house and stop enabling their conspiracy theorist pals just because they're gym buddies.
Because it'll ruin the sport to let the Jake Shields' of the world become one of the voices for a sport he essentially aged out of while someone reasonable like Nate Quarry is treated like a leper.
Honestly, there is no reason for fighters at that level of fame to be voices for the sport after their careers are over.
Still not too late to save this thing..bring in Vince Russo..stop pretending these fights are all shoots..generate some storylines to make me care why I should spare a fraction of a f*ck for either fighter in the cage.
😆
MMA at it's best is still compelling and entertaining. But a fight night is not required viewing anymore. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything, even if I miss a good match. It needs the weight of storytelling to make me actually care about it as a fan. So big PPVs, like Saturday's rematch between Weili and Joanna? That gets me excited. But I don't feel the need to tune in for a card like Rob Font vs Chito Vera which may well be an incredible fight but lacks any drama.
I find it bizarre that I've shifted from an MMA fan to a pro wrestling fan, but as someone with limited time for viewership, I want that time to entertain me and pro wrestling does a lot better job at that!
Some believe MMA doesn't feel as necessary when pro wrestling is presenting a good product.
If MMA were basketball aren’t we just getting to the Bob Cousy not crossover dribbling or going through his legs stage? Or did MMA progress faster bc of the internet and all that? The sport is only 3 or 4 decades old.
To me, one big appeal of mma is that it’s very easy to be a “causal hardcore” fan. You pirate one ppv a month and watch 2-3 fights off each fight night card and you’re basically covered. $6.99 a month to be a big time fan.
This feels like your putting my thoughts into writing sadly. Well said. Still sad though. May the new girls and guys have as much fun with their MMA, like I had with mine.
I love that sentiment. Thanks for reading.
The people that watch this crap nowadays will never know how stacked those PPV's used to be. They had championship fights on the friggin prelims. The prelims always had all guys you've at least heard of. I "knew" and had followed these guys careers for years. Now I haven't even heard of most guys on the main card.. I guess I just don't care to watch nameless , faceless violence. Or, if I do want to see it, the fights on worldstar are way more entertaining. None of these "feeling it out" and gameplanning bullshit. Just let em fly fuck it why not? Go back to 15-18 fights a years and stack the cards. It would make a lot less money, but the product would not suck donkey balls.
I think it's much more frequent than that. I see fans all the time who weren't around for McGregor's run as a championship level fighter.