The UFC is a Mixed Martial Arts organisation that is taking the world by storm. Over the last three years, it has sky-rocketed from being an enthusiast sport into a phenomenon broadcast around the world.
Many people have stated that the UFC’s 1000 percent year on year growth will cause similar sports like boxing and wrestling to fail.
When I was young, I was a huge wrestling fan. There was a four year period where I would watch every show, break beds and imitate special moves from wrestling superstars on my brother.
This could only last so long, and when the fad wore off, I looked back on that period and thought: “Wrestling is a well thought out/produced show that was great when I was a kid.”
Therefore, I agree with Dana White’s (President of the UFC) comments when he says that it does not directly compete with Wrestling, it is merely a segway into the real sport of MMA.
If anything, it will give wresting a more targeted demographic, and Vince McMahon can plan his WWE shows around a more skewed audience (and therefore attract a more targeted advertiser base).
I believe it is a different story when it comes to boxing.
Now, I have never been a huge fan of boxing, and I believe this is because I just missed a crucial era in the sports history. Being an 90s child, I never got to witness the hype and tension leading up to a Cassius Clay spectacle or a Mike Tyson slugfest.
When I was a teen, all I heard from my dad was that boxing is not the same. It didn’t have the superstar fighters or the global coverage like it did back in his day.
I believe this statement.
I heard that Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley, two of the best fighters in the world, were fighting two days after the event had taken place?
On the same note, I heard that the UFC reality show, The Ultimate Fighter 11, is having an encore presentation on Fuel TV the same night. My point here is that, you would think a big production, fight for the ages type of event, would suggest a bigger advertising campaign?
Are they paying the fighters and sports promoters too much? Is anyone actually thinking about the future of the sport?
The UFC/WWE are running proper businesses whilst boxing is running one-card productions. The UFC/WWE only have accepted offers from companies that have offered to help grow the company and declined juicy offers that would see the sport run into the ground.
Like boxing.
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