Premature title fights, athletes taking drugs, double standards for different fighters and a class-action lawsuit being filed: many people are questioning the legitimacy of the UFC.
The reputation of mixed martial arts used to be that it was too violent; a fair call given the nature of the sport.
The dominant brand in MMA, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), had a goal in mind when it was developed; to aid in the growth of the sport and show people the skill and discipline needed to compete at the top level.
In 21 years the UFC has done just that. People everywhere know the general idea of what the company does, and many around the world refer to the sport as ‘UFC’ rather than mixed martial arts.
However, no matter how hard they try, the UFC (or MMA in general) will never be a ‘mainstream’ sport. Whether lovers of MMA like myself like it or not, it’s just too violent for some people. The UFC doesn’t need to worry about having a certain image, or selling a certain fighter, because the dream of making MMA ‘the biggest sport in the world’ will remain a dream for eternity.
Too many people look at it as just two men fighting inside a cage, which is a real shame, given the fact that it is a sport that requires incredible skill, heart, and is sanctioned with strict rules and regulations inside the cage.
Outside the octagon however, a different story is panning out. Many are unhappy with how the UFC is run in almost every aspect, from sponsorship deals and fighter pay to title shots and who gets to compete under their banner.
MMA prospect Tyler Manawaroa was an exciting competitor on The Ultimate Fighter, but his UFC dream came to an abrupt end when he was told he would be denied a contract because a ‘racist’ Twitter post he made when he was 17 – despite originally not being allowed on The Ultimate Fighter due to being under the age of 18.
This caused outrage with many MMA fans, and even prompted a Facebook page to be made, filled with taunts at the company and hilarious memes.
Don’t get me wrong, not signing Manawaroa could have potentially been an acceptable move (however ridiculous), if they treated all their fighters this way. The UFC’s newest superstar Conor McGregor called his opponent Dennis Siver a ‘Nazi’ on Facebook. Siver is of German descent. Many reported the incident, but the UFC did not even comment on it, and let it die down.
McGregor went on to get a UFC title fight after a terrible comment made about another fighter, and Manawaroa didn’t even get a fight in the UFC because of a joke he made when he was 17.
Matthew Riddle was an exciting young fighter in the UFC, however after testing positive for marijuana twice, the UFC decided to release him from the promotion.
Nick Diaz has just tested positive for marijuana for the second time in his UFC career, and the third time in his MMA career. As a three-time offender in the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Diaz will most likely face a hefty fine followed by a suspension, however coach Cesar Gracie says that Nick Diaz will fight again in the UFC.
After the first time Diaz was found guilty of having marijuana in his system, following a fight he lost, he was given a title shot against then-champion Georges St-Pierre. Logic? Nowhere to be found.
In addition, current pound-for-pound kingpin, and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones was found guilty of having cocaine in his system prior to his title fight with Daniel Cormier. He was fined $25,000 and spent a single night in rehab. Dana White said he has the full support of the UFC.
While MMA fans like myself will continue to pour money into the company through merchandise and pay-per-views, that doesn’t mean we should be happy with how everything is done. At the end of the day, rules are rules, and the UFC need to be more consistent when it comes to enforcing them. How big of a star you are or how well you can sell a pay-per-view event or fight should not award you special privileges.
What the UFC lacks is fighter equality. Should their company ever experience a downfall, it won’t be because of violence or lack of support for MMA. It will be due to the politics of their organisation.
The UFC has done so much for mixed martial arts, and has helped develop a massive fan-base for what is an incredible sport that requires immense skill and discipline. However, they need to stop playing favourites.
The UFC needs to repair their relationship with the current fans if they hope to gain new ones. Word of mouth promotion is dying out, and many MMA fans aren’t talking about how great the UFC is anymore. The bad is starting to outweigh the good.
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