A UFC/MMA Note
By Michael Woods April 5th, 2007We’re going to be running MMA pieces more often on this website. The sport is growing at a rapid pace, and it seems many (most?) fight fans seem to dig MMA once they are introduced to it, and give it a chance.
Let me know what you think about this move.
I’m open to listening and to suggestions…
—MJW
April 6th, 2007 at 10:02 am
Don’t like it. I view MMA to be a little bit trashy.
April 8th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
very good. Its getting more popular every year .
April 10th, 2007 at 11:49 am
Don’t like it…at all. I’m a purist and love the sport of boxing. Why does boxing have to share the stage with extreme fighting (or whatever its called). Unfortunately I’m seeing it more and more. Fox and ESPN both feature UFC, et al., on their boxing web sites. I expect one day this type of fighting will dominate the former boxing web pages and boxing will be the side stories. Boxing should take note. It’s killing itself with the multiple organizations, multiple champions and cheesy promoters. The boxing stars are becoming few and far between.
Suggestion…if you’re going to cover it can you do it on a seperate web page/space. I’m a boxing fan…not a fight fan.
April 10th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
I’m ok with it. But I think it should be in a different section. Maybe have a MMA section. While it is popular and sometimes exciting, it is not “sweet science.”
April 10th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
it would be great to have a more respected site cover it.
im glad to see people(espn SI sweetscience etc) getting on the bus before it passed them by. and mma fans were stuck with top rate atheles & fights, but third rate commentary and media
April 12th, 2007 at 12:21 am
That’s great news. MMA is an dynamic sport that has the potential to not only demonstrate everything boxing offers, but much more. This choice of broader options makes MMA more exciting to watch on a fundamental level. However, modern boxing has more then 100 years of organization and world proliferation over MMA. So without question the more refined skills, the level of fighters both mentally and physically, and the administration or logistics (ranking systems, promotions, the way fight contracts are arranged) are far superior in boxing and will probably stay that way for a very long time. I think it is a great move of TSS to report more on MMA. People who claim to like boxing but dislike MMA do so out of fanatical loyalty or perhaps scared that MMA might steal something from boxing. That’s silly, if anything the success of MMA will contribute to the overall fan level and desire of more people to enter both sports. My only concern about MMA’s continued growth is the way it is structured. With the acquisition of PrideFC, UFC has a stranglehold on top talent. UFC is notoriously stingy on long slave-like contracts and setting up fights on short notice. The matchmaking is often questionable but they promote everything as “the greatest ever.” Their announcers and promotional efforts are real “greatest shills ever.” I find it very odd that no one in the media has questioned or investigated how this organization can promote itself similar to boxing but without an unbiased ranking system, (the ranking or titles ideally should be controlled independent from the promotion). I know the money involved in UFC is tiny, but with the widespread popularity someone should take notice. While boxing is not ideal with its multiple ranking belts, it is a hell of a lot better then the complete absence of anything. UFC’s potential for unethical behavior is huge. Already it has made many questionable decisions, like protecting it’s popular champions, it’s usually one-sided matchmaking(for fan appeal not competitive ranked fighters), and outing of Matt Lindland, who at the time was one of the best in the world at his weight-class. Those are just a few and there probably will be many more in the future. At the height of Don King’s power in boxing he allegedly influenced different ranking belts or fight outcomes. Referees and doctors probably followed his agenda. Imagine if there were no rankings, no strong managers or controls in place to ensure fighter interests, and that he was the only big-time promoter. That is UFC now. Unless UFC makes drastic changes, multiple huge investors enter MMA and buy away top fighters, or congress deregulates, like in the 60’s with boxing, MMA’s future is in serious doubt. Already boxing has more money, more opportunity for success, a better entry system with amateurs. and controls that help ensure fighters are treated fairly, that the best can get a title shot no matter how boring. (Winky Wright, John Ruiz, etc.). Potential fighters realize this or will as they are exposed more to it. MMA’s popularity growth will taper off once the quality of fighters slows and the mainstream public makes this realization. UFC’s own greed will hurt them and all of MMA in the long run. So with all this considered, I again commend TSS on choosing to cover more MMA, despite the risks. Like I said at the beginning, MMA has great potential and who knows, maybe in a 100 years from now, if changes are made, boxing will no longer exist, completely replaced by MMA.
April 12th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
I love this website,and anything you can do keep it going is great.It’s kinda neat to see articles on both sports and the fans commentaries about them and each other.I’m a Maxboxing paid suscriber (6 years) and I was very close to being a Sweet Science suscriber,but with my HBO,Showtime,ESPN mag.,SI,Maxboxing,and monthly PPV buys (Boxing & occasionally MMA).I think that my accountant (wife) would’ve blown a fuse.That being said I would’ve bit the bullet if the video part of your website was stronger.Maybe a weekly show (like TNR) but with some MMA mixed in,another thing that compelled me suscribe to Maxboxing was reading all those great free articles made me curious about the locked (pay) stuff I was missing out on.I don’t think going suscriber-only was a good idea because if you want to get new customers you always have to give away samples.
April 17th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
I think it’s great. It’s inevitable now that boxing and MMA will coexist and even crossover in many instances, so TSS should be one of the best cross-platforms.
I think MMA’s popularity will bring back an awareness to boxing in general, and the competition will make it better as well.
Here in Phoenix, they’ve announced a new boxing gym in the last few weeks, that will supposedly be a real boxing gym though they are marketing it to the “cardio crowd” as well. And Royce Gracie is opening a new place not far from my house, and they’re bringing in boxing coaches at that last minute of their “grand opening.”
So long story short, I think the recent upsurge locally is largely due to MMA’s increased visibility.
April 19th, 2007 at 3:10 am
Great idea to present more MMA articles, although it may seem more of a violent sport then boxing, almost every man alive has that interest of mano y mano competition and MMA brings just that, true to form!