"Nobody Wants To See It" Part 2

[SinCitysmallGUY]

It wasn’t that long ago that the UFC announced the return of Tito Ortiz.  It was 2006, and Dana White announced that he would rematch Ken Shamrock after a stint on The Ultimate Fighter.  Almost as soon as the announcement was made, messageboards filled to the brim with posts about how nobody wants to see the fight.  What’s the point?  Who would watch it?  Of course, when time came, the show did what was the highest buyrate in UFC history at that moment.  It remains the second highest ever, but could lose its slot to Randy-Lesnar, ironically another fight derided by these same fans.

If the early cries weren’t enough, the UFC announced a Tito-Ken free TV rematch after the “controversial” stoppage on PPV.  Once again, hardcore fans said nobody wants to see that fight.  It did the highest TV rating in UFC history.

Here we are once again, and the UFC is strongly considering Couture-Liddell 4.  And once again, the same voices cry out that nobody wants to see it.  The UFC should absolutely ignore these voices, there is a reason they are not running successful MMA companies.  In the U.S., the fight would do tremendous business.  Overseas, it would do better than others but would take a hit.  Either way, the idea that this fight has no interest is preposterous, it would do better than just about any other non-title fight.

In 2008, the UFC cancelled Wanderlei Silva vs. Chuck Liddell 2 because online fans did not want to see rematches.  Instead they booked the Shogun match, and the rest is history.  It was a stupid decision, and one they should not repeat.

[coltrane]

i'd like a Chuck Wandy 2 actually... the first was great.. and i think chuck's confidence level is low..   Wandy would win..

[Earl1972]

i'd love to see wandy/chuck 2

instead we are getting wandy/rampage 3 even though both fights ended the same

also i don't have much interest in randy/chuck 4 but it would definitely draw an audience

E

[stone_cold_steve]

UFC is  business.
They would do Liddell - Couture 15 if it still would draw an audience.  Or Tito vs a mammal with an even bigger head (now that would be something to see yet difficult to find)

Thing is there are way more TUF nuthuggers and Guys who think Kimbo Slice was the second comming of MMA than actual fans who really know of and care about the sport.

[WeightPSHR]

UFC is  business.
They would do Liddell - Couture 15 if it still would draw an audience.  Or Tito vs a mammal with an even bigger head (now that would be something to see yet difficult to find)

Thing is there are way more TUF nuthuggers and Guys who think Kimbo Slice was the second comming of MMA than actual fans who really know of and care about the sport.

This is true, but I don't think Kimbo really pulled in the UFC nuthuggers, he brought in a whole new uneducated MMA fan. That is why I think Kimbo was so bad for the sport. He was a setback. Imagine millions of peoples first impression of mainstream MMA when they say him? He has Reality Kings as a sponsor on his shorts on prime time cable...I know it is his managers company, but still....not in MMA.

Like it or not, the UFC nuthuggers are the ones putting money into this sport and helping it grow. It's one thing to care for the sport, but it also take money to keep the shows going.