UFC - honest thoughts

E · Post by E » 28 May 2007, 19:43

Well I think if I was younger UFC would be my number 1 sport, but would still have an interest in boxing. MMA woulb be number 1 though.

REasons:

1. Raw, more real fighting.
2. Marketing and production is excellent
3. The best fight the best - Fights are more balanced and there are more upsets

Having said that the most exciting boxing match is always better than the best MMA fight...but how rarely do we get those matchups and fights these days?

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 28 May 2007, 19:48

I've not really followed it but can appreciate why it is getting popular. I have heard of one or two names and it seems like the best do fight the best.

However, as a spectacle I find it boring, sorry UFC fans.

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 28 May 2007, 19:49

It reminds me of a Saturday Night In Liverpool and the fights end too quickly due to the realism.

Some disciplined dudes though.

How do we know the best are fighting the best most of the time?

I think I get bored of watching UFC/MMA due to that It looks like most of em hold their way to winning.

jonp · Post by **jonp** » 28 May 2007, 19:53

Iv watched it for a fair bit now and when it came to britain managed to get some tickets

I realy enjoyed the atmosphere and marketing and took notes for the people i work with to maybe try some of this at future shows.
The fighting can be explosive or it can be a bit boring (like boxing i must say)altho i cant see a ufc match being as enthralling as a Macklin-moore or Mutley-Anderson match because of how is how the rules are made for finishing.
I like it a lot and will go again and i think boxing has a lot to learn from ufc in terms of marketing and atmosphere.

Cannibal · Post by **Cannibal** » 28 May 2007, 20:24

UFC took the competitive aspect of boxing and combined it with the showmanship of pro wrestling, creating a broad cross appeal brand. Personally, I prefer K1, but I watch the odd UFC.

Coco · Post by **Coco** » 28 May 2007, 21:50

The only time when it is exciting is when there is a mismatch and someone gets bashed up usually from boxing techniques, along with a few elbows.

When you get a more competitive match it always goes to the floor and is very technical, more ju-jitzo and judo techniques.

Unfortunately these more competitive matches are not pleasing to the eye and it is poor for a spectator sport, as people lose through submission rather than getting knocked out.

At a more local level for me most of these cage fighters seem to be people who have boxed and give up because they weren't any good. And have since abused steriods badly.The better cage fighters tend to be the better boxers. But all that is just in my area.

However a boxer will never win these fights if they go to the floor

pm · Post by pm » 29 May 2007, 03:06

nearly every time i have watched ufc it has gone to floor grapples which i find totally boring.

i'd rather watch wwe in all honesty.

Captain Hook · Post by **Captain Hook** » 29 May 2007, 03:57

But these fighters legacies won't be anything compared to a boxers....

It reminds me of WWE, little Speedos on fat guys (Tank Abbott :) who elbow each other in the face.

Seen a few shows and it makes me puke, it's for those people who go to a Ricky Hatton fight and sit with their back to the ring, chatting and taking videos of mates on a mobile phone....

vagabundo55 · Post by **vagabundo55** » 29 May 2007, 04:45

I've seen a few UFC matches here and there. Frankly, it doesn't interest me at all. I mean, once in awhile i'll be entertained by a fight. I guess it's just a different sport to me. I don't go bashing it or anything though, I mean I don't hate it or dislike it, I just don't care much for it.

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 29 May 2007, 04:54

It's excellent in terms of promotion, no doubt.

I'm a complete layman on this but it seems as if it's all over or nothing much is happening for long periods.

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 29 May 2007, 05:10

Ant Evans wrote:Hey everyone.

Without starting one of those boring "boxing v MMA" rows, could you help me out by telling me if you've every watched a UFC show. If so, how'd u like it and if not, how come you've never watched one?

I wanna get a snapshot of where net-savvy boxing fans stand on UFC

never warmed to it myself. the fighters look too heavy, their bodies unnatural. fighting is scrappy and while fighting can be unpredictable and have some sophisticated moves, it can also be an unsightly maul with one guy sitting on the other in a pathetic stalemate. i'm reminded of royce gracie v kimo leopoldo, all those years ago. the punches are crap. and it's only versatile athletes like St Pierre that would make me tune in IF i was in the right mood.

E · Post by E » 29 May 2007, 05:20

Cannibal wrote:UFC took the competitive aspect of boxing and combined it with the showmanship of pro wrestling, creating a broad cross appeal brand. Personally, I prefer K1, but I watch the odd UFC.

THat's the key post I think....

black panther · Post by **black panther** » 29 May 2007, 05:36

When I first watched UFC I was turned off pretty quickly as all the guys seemed to do was hug each other on the floor. But now I watch it at every opportunity. Why? Because I've learned to appreciate all the subtle techniques involved in grappling on the floor - it takes a lot more knowledge than one would think. Also I am thinking of taking up Wing-Tsun (I box - amateur - tho im pretty crap!

) and I went to a demonstration - and conventional boxing punching was easily dealt with by these guys. But then again i suppose they were expecting the punches - i was told what to throw etc. so in a real fight situation I could have caught them of guard with feints etc. But UFC is the closed thing to no-holds street fighting which is why I enjoy it. But it will NEVER be as good to watch as boxing - I even find so called "boring" defensive,more scientific fighters such as Floyd Mayweather great to watch as being comparatively very slow of hand and foot - I can really appreciate all the defensive moves he pulls off - he's amazing. I reckon UFC though enjoyable is a fad and will come and go with regards to popularity whereas boxing is going nowhere!

101boxing · Post by **101boxing** » 29 May 2007, 05:58

why is it when there is a genuine respect for UFC, even when they end up sitting on each other for minutes on end with no shots, kicks or hair pulling, but when a stale fight comes along and there is alot of holding, but still shots thrown, boxing gets a bad press?

Captain Hook · Post by **Captain Hook** » 29 May 2007, 06:56

Because it's the honeymoon period...

There have been calls to ban boxing for years, and then this shit comes along where a guy can be laid out and another guy is elbowing him in the head....

Real skill......

Give me Mosley, Mayweather or Pacquiao anyday...

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 29 May 2007, 07:06

one thing about UFC, ppl say that it's REAL fighting. that if you get into a brawl outside akebab shop you're better knowing MMA than boxing. maybe so, but if you've got 3 or 4 drunkards coming at you, and you ground and pound 1 guy, the others will just kick the fvck out of you.

someone mentioned wing chun. a variant on traditional kung fu with an emphasis on in close, elbow to elbow fighting where you can learn to use one foe as a shield and tackle multiple opponents, for instance. that could be more effective on a saturday night but i don't think you get many WC guys winning in UFCs.

Captain Hook · Post by **Captain Hook** » 29 May 2007, 07:43

Floyd · Post by **Floyd** » 29 May 2007, 08:03

Going to a live match is ok. There is a good atmosphere. However I find the matches to be boring. Usually one guy on top of the other. A bit like a schoolyard fight. Personally I would rather watch Spinks versus Mayweather.

101boxing · Post by **101boxing** » 29 May 2007, 08:05

[quote="Autobarn"]one thing about UFC, ppl say that it's REAL fighting. that if you get into a brawl outside akebab shop you're better knowing MMA than boxing. maybe so, but if you've got 3 or 4 drunkards coming at you, and you ground and pound 1 guy, the others will just kick the fvck out of you.

any sport where you can continually punch someone who is on the floor does not deserve the description of 'sport'.

keep it where it belongs..........outside the pubs with Autobarn

E · Post by E » 29 May 2007, 08:14

black panther wrote:I reckon UFC though enjoyable is a fad and will come and go with regards to popularity whereas boxing is going nowhere!

Absolutely don't agree with this. Don't believe it's a fad - I mean why would a sport growing rapidly and in popularity suddenly decline? I think it will continue to grow but will live aslongside boxing.

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 29 May 2007, 08:20

101boxing wrote:
Autobarn wrote:one thing about UFC, ppl say that it's REAL fighting. that if you get into a brawl outside akebab shop you're better knowing MMA than boxing. maybe so, but if you've got 3 or 4 drunkards coming at you, and you ground and pound 1 guy, the others will just kick the fvck out of you.

any sport where you can continually punch someone who is on the floor does not deserve the description of 'sport'.

keep it where it belongs..........outside the pubs with Autobarn

not much of a fan myself.

i don't think it's caught on as much over here as ppl let on. i mean, it's on the bravo channel ffs, just as robin reid's IBO World title, non title 6-rounder was a couple of years ago.

Wales · Post by **Wales** » 29 May 2007, 08:43

Ive begun warming to it, although Is till only know the likes of Matt Hughes, Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz etc...
It's begining to gain momentum as a global brand, the next UFC (73 is it) is being held in Belfast next month! I diagree with the only entertaining fights being one sided too, there were some corkers on Sunday evening. Randy Couture lost his HW (or was it LHW?) title to ... errm.. cant remember the guys name in what was a fairly big shock. With UFC purchasing the Pride promotion it looks as though the best really will be fighting the best in MMA soon.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 29 May 2007, 08:53

Autobarn wrote:
101boxing wrote:
Autobarn wrote:one thing about UFC, ppl say that it's REAL fighting. that if you get into a brawl outside akebab shop you're better knowing MMA than boxing. maybe so, but if you've got 3 or 4 drunkards coming at you, and you ground and pound 1 guy, the others will just kick the fvck out of you.

any sport where you can continually punch someone who is on the floor does not deserve the description of 'sport'.

keep it where it belongs..........outside the pubs with Autobarn
not much of a fan myself.

i don't think it's caught on as much over here as ppl let on. i mean, it's on the bravo channel ffs, just as robin reid's IBO World title, non title 6-rounder was a couple of years ago.

Watch and see, within a year there will be MMA on either the terrestrial channels (less likely) or Sky, in fact I think there is already some on sky, and there is definetly some on other free to air digital channels ar the moment.

MMA is still only in its infancy, but it is already attracting lots of new fans. There was a massive crowd at the Cage Rage show I went to.

it is still the honeymoon period though, no doubt about that.

kevo · Post by **kevo** » 29 May 2007, 08:56

black panther wrote:When I first watched UFC I was turned off pretty quickly as all the guys seemed to do was hug each other on the floor. But now I watch it at every opportunity. Why? Because I've learned to appreciate all the subtle techniques involved in grappling on the floor

Good post, I used to feel exactly the same way about it, but over the past 18 months I find myself looking forward to the big UFC cards as much as the big boxing shows.

There are a lot of boring fights, but its the same for boxing. I was nearly in tears watching Taylor-Spinks, but the Andre Arlovski-Fabricio Werdum fight at UFC 70 was just as bad.

Wales · Post by **Wales** » 29 May 2007, 09:00

jamesmcdonnell wrote:
Autobarn wrote:
101boxing wrote:not much of a fan myself.

i don't think it's caught on as much over here as ppl let on. i mean, it's on the bravo channel ffs, just as robin reid's IBO World title, non title 6-rounder was a couple of years ago.
Watch and see, within a year there will be MMA on either the terrestrial channels (less likely) or Sky, in fact I think there is already some on sky, and there is definetly some on other free to air digital channels ar the moment.

MMA is still only in its infancy, but it is already attracting lots of new fans. There was a massive crowd at the Cage Rage show I went to.

it is still the honeymoon period though, no doubt about that.

Yep, Sky had cage rage, sentana had UFC form manchester on PPV (and I suspect they'll have the belfast card on it too). Bravo have the UFC cards, and also the ultimate fighter (contender type show). Also, with the ultimate fighter the fighters who win do end up being quality fighters, just recently a contender from the show beat the guy who was his trainer in the show. The trainers are current MMA stars.

Also worth noting that a British guy won one of the ultiate fighter thingys recently, so there will be added UK TV and Media interest in the sport.

UFC - honest thoughts

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