Originally Posted by Mecca:
Question, seeing as there are all sorts of reports that Fox is telling the UFC to shove it for their TV asking price and is supposedly going to replace them with the WWE...where will the UFC go since their asking price is pretty outrageous.
To the highest bidder, which will probably still be FOX because they are trying to get FS1 off the ground and still need live content for their 3 or 4 networks. If WME had to settle for $200MM/yr instead of the $400MM/yr they were dreaming of a few years ago, who gives a shit? I'm not one of the investors. [Reply]
All that said, the Fertitta brothers look like geniuses now. They had a lot of experience with the dark days before TUF, and amongst all the highs and huge PPV successes, they probably also remember bad years and that the revenue can and will take a dip.
So they built up new stars, prettied up the product with Reebok, got USADA testing, made it look like a new huge sport on the rise, sold it, and got the fuck out. It is clear now that WME massively overvalued the UFC, and are now experiencing the drop that the UFC always seems to go through every few years.
Wouldn't it be hilarious if a few years from now the UFC has a couple more tough years, Conor is gone, no new stars, etc and WME sells the UFC back to the Fertittas for a fraction of what they paid? Then they could go back to work building it up again for the next buyer. [Reply]
Tony Ferguson is hurt and out of the LW title fight. He's probably also going to be stripped of the LW interim belt because Max Holloway will fight Khabib on only 6 days notice for the real title. (Dana still wants to strip Conor, obviously)
This is not an April Fool's joke.
I'm told Holloway is still in Hawaii, UFC making flight arrangements being made now. Khabib already in Brooklyn, as he was scheduled for a media day. Ferguson injury happened last Thursday, MRI this weekend showed torn knee. Heartbreaking.
If Holloway wins, he would be champion of both 145 and 155. That seems rather.... unlikely against Khabib with no fight camp.
I'm told the injury to Tony Ferguson was literally caused by a trip. The freak accident of all freak accidents. He was walking, saw someone he wasn't expecting to see, veered sharply to say hello and tripped.
Originally Posted by Pants:
This fight is ****ing cursed.
I was looking forward it to so much. So much.
So was I, I'm a big Khabib fan, but I really like Holloway too. It should be a good fight. Uncle Dana claims he'll never make the fight again but if Khabib wins he'll have to book Ferguson as the challenger. He just talks out his ass so much it's ridiculous. [Reply]
Originally Posted by alnorth:
All that said, the Fertitta brothers look like geniuses now. They had a lot of experience with the dark days before TUF, and amongst all the highs and huge PPV successes, they probably also remember bad years and that the revenue can and will take a dip.
So they built up new stars, prettied up the product with Reebok, got USADA testing, made it look like a new huge sport on the rise, sold it, and got the fuck out. It is clear now that WME massively overvalued the UFC, and are now experiencing the drop that the UFC always seems to go through every few years.
Wouldn't it be hilarious if a few years from now the UFC has a couple more tough years, Conor is gone, no new stars, etc and WME sells the UFC back to the Fertittas for a fraction of what they paid? Then they could go back to work building it up again for the next buyer.
UFC and MMA in general are experiencing a problem that wrestling promoters use to have and Vince would even ask to this day..how do you make a star if you can't work the finish?
A couple of losses and your rising star is toast. If you are left with no stars you have no product. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Mecca:
UFC and MMA in general are experiencing a problem that wrestling promoters use to have and Vince would even ask to this day..how do you make a star if you can't work the finish?
A couple of losses and your rising star is toast. If you are left with no stars you have no product.