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Around SBN: Doug Flutie's Hail Mary, And Why College Sports Matter

WEC + UFC = The Future

by Luke Thomas on Dec 10, 2007 9:59 AM EST in News Comment 6 comments

John Alessio of X-treme Couture gives the 411 on "Zuffa" contracts and what's in store for the UFC and WEC in terms of working together. Notable quote:

KM: If your contract is with WEC and you are on deck with UFC can you clarify the connection? I thought WEC were running independently.

JA: My contract is with Zuffa. I am considered a WEC fighter and they don't like to cross paths like that, they are trying to build it up. What I was told is eventually the idea is build them up to where they are even with each other and have title unifications and stuff like that. We are still a year, maybe two years away.

I tend to think it's a little more than two years, but that's neither here nor there. What's interesting are the planned unifications down the road. I can't exactly see how that's the best of all possible outcomes given that the UFC isn't likely to relinquish enough top talent to the WEC to ever make unification competitive. Yes, Paul Filho went to the WEC, but he's the exception. Moreover, if they unify the two organizational titles, where does that leave the UFC is their champion loses? Even though the WEC and UFC are under the same banner, you have to wonder if the business model White's running makes the potential upset there worth the trouble.

Clearly Zuffa has vested interest in building the WEC brand, but I doubt White will ever truly risk tarnishing the UFC name or prestige.

0 recs | Comment 6 comments

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Re: WEC + UFC = The Future

I don't think it's that risky, if the WEC champ wins he moves up to UFC and defends his belt and they have a tournament to get a new WEC champ.
If the UFC champ wins everyone goes home happy.
The bigger dilemma I see is for guys like Brock Larson -- he lost in his WEC title shot so now what? The guy is easily good enough for the UFC but what do they do with him now?

by Kid Nate on Dec 10, 2007 11:36 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Re: WEC + UFC = The Future

I think a guy like Brock Larson, they can just throw right back into the mix. Put him against up and coming welterweights in the WEC. That's not a problem.

In terms of unification, we're atleast 2 years from that happening. The WEC is still building with the Wednesday show they're biggest one ever and I'm sure that trend will only continue. Filho, Faber, and Condit are all top ranked in their respective weight classes. Chase Beebe is a star in the making. Doug Marshall needs a few more dominating wins and he'll be a star. I think they just need to bring in consistent supporting role fighters who can compete with these guys and they're building a strong foundation.

by dropkick101 on Dec 10, 2007 12:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Re: WEC + UFC = The Future

Doug Marshall needs a lot more than a few wins to be a star.

by Luke Thomas on Dec 10, 2007 12:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: WEC + UFC = The Future

I agree that it's more than two years in the future but it's a necessary goal for an expanding company--and sport--to make. The UFC, along with all other promotions, can only support so many fighters in each weight class. There will come a time when having 10 fighters in one weight class who could legitimately deserve a title shot will happen.
This is where Zuffa controlling a second organization comes in. Currently, the WEC is seen as a farming league, and for good reason. But as it develops, along with the quality of fighters in the sport, the big brother-little brother relationship will slowly start to melt away into that of an equal or at least much closer match. Having two organizations each with a competitive stable will create the polarizing fanbase that helped the recent mma boom that was lost in the Pride buyout. As hated as fanboys are in any sport, their contribution to hype can't be denied. And obviously Zuffa is not going to cross-promote with anyone else, so having the WEC is their only option to create these types of rivalries.

by Simco on Dec 10, 2007 2:54 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Re: WEC + UFC = The Future

It's hard to see a day where enough people are watching WEC on Versus to really care about unifications, but maybe they will really start promoting it. The idea is real good in the long run if people actually watch WEC.

by Michael Rome on Dec 10, 2007 8:03 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Re: WEC + UFC = The Future

the missing piece in the WEC puzzle seems to be live shows -- there's no interest in drawing a live gate. Pretty clearly a break from Zuffa's approach to the UFC and a clear indicator that the real purpose of the WEC acquisition was to keep Strikeforce or IFL off the network.

by Kid Nate on Dec 10, 2007 9:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

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