Being Thankful for the UFC

by Luke Thomas on Nov 24, 2008 10:40 AM EST in News Comment 26 comments

We've all got our gripes with them, but it's difficult to find this analysis disagreeable:

Twenty-six live events, two weekly best-of shows, two seasons of television’s guiltiest reality-show pleasure and 95 percent of the top fighting talent in the world, all regularly cracking each other’s bones for our entertainment pleasure.

It may be de rigueur to harass management for their business practices, but there’s little merit in claiming that any other company provides the sheer quality, quantity and in-cage integrity of Zuffa’s Ultimate Fighting Championship. In a year where we’ve seen some truly heinous behavior from the me-too promoters -- who always seem a step away from either prison stripes or bankruptcy court -- the UFC’s efforts have looked positively pristine in comparison.

Unlike boxing, which has a roof audibly creaking from the weight of past transgressions, the UFC has essentially homogenized combat sports -- an accomplishment on par with Harold "Red" Grange moving from college to pro football and turning the latter from a national joke into a national phenomenon.

Champions fight rightful contenders, weight classes are kept to a minimum and big fights are the rule rather than the exception. That kind of uniformity is the major reason mainstream media outlets are running fight results alongside NBA scores.

No money? No problem. Of the 26 UFC and WEC events that will be held this year, 14 of them aired on free television; they’ve made millionaires out of guys who had previously fought for a few thousand bucks and a free Trimark VHS tape; they compensate even lower-tier talent with performance incentives, circulate back-door checks like night club flyers and make a genuine effort to determine who the Best Fighter in the World really is.

The banner isn’t perfect -- the fine print, as we’ve seen in the Jon Fitch likeness fiasco, is stubbornly one-sided -- but in the often-dirty world of pugilism, it’s the sport’s equivalent to comfort food: You know exactly what you’re going to get. And that’s a good thing.

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If the UFC stops pissing people off or people stop bitching about the UFC, then something is really going wrong.

Thank you UFC, for giving me good fights to watch and something to waste time at work reading and talking about.

Also thanks to BloodyElbow for giving me great stuff to read and an awesome community to talk with.

by iiowyn on Nov 24, 2008 10:49 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I could not agree more

The UFC has been incredibly consistent. They’ve had lackluster cards and occasional poor matchmaking, but by and large, the UFC is the UFC because they’ve put out the most dependably quality MMA product on the market for years. It could be that those ‘one-sided’ deals are what made the promotion what it is today (and that the lack thereof helped to kill the others.) They’re absolutely not perfect, but I challenge anyone to find me a business that is.

I can’t believe this article was on SHERDOG. Be sure to click Luke’s link, gang – the thanks to Seth Petruzelli and Brock Lesnar for knocking out and avoiding fighting freaks (respectively) are quite apt.

You know, when I started at this site, I worried it was another anti-UFC community that existed so people who heard of the sport a few years before the rest of us could claim to be ‘real MMA fans’ that seeked to protect their gem from the unwashed hoardes of boxing and pro wrestling fans.

I was wrong. Thanks to Luke and the BE gang for keeping it balanced.

by subo on Nov 24, 2008 10:52 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

LUKE

nice write-up. i think some fans get too caught up in the few negative things about the ufc. when it comes to the ufc and the wec the good far outweighs the bad. i remeber the other day seeing a fan blog about how sick he was about people praising the ufc for its free events when they were not free since they were on cable tv and you have to pay for cable. give me a break! this is what these haters come up with. i think most of them are former pridefc fanboys who cant get over the fact that the ufc bought them out. any way, while the ufc may not be perfect, they are the best by far and away.

by bdw on Nov 24, 2008 10:54 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Sorry to keep banging on the same drum, but I think this is important.

Tthis story reminded me of that discussion Luke and I had on another thread regarding whether BE’s style of blogging is a form of ethical journalism or little more than rumor mongering.

On November 19th, Luke posted a story about UFC having an ad campaign with the theme “UFC vs Mainstream sports”. You got 47 comments, mostly negative, lambasting the UFC.

The very next day, the UFC posted a press release on UFC.com clarifying that “Zuffa had not endorsed the photos, nor are they part of any approved UFC advertising campaign” and the creator of the images explained they were pictures from a speculative ad campaign pitched to the UFC.

So you decided to post negative news about Zuffa in real-time, but you never posted the correction. Do you see my point now, and do you have any plans to make an updated post regarding this matter?

Links:

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2008/11/19/665388/snapshot-of-the-day-ufc-vs
http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&gid=15997

by syzygy2005 on Nov 24, 2008 11:26 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

“So you decided to post negative news about Zuffa in real-time, but you never posted the correction.”

What negative news? However the posters decided to respond to the campaign, BE just posted it as “hey, look at this new ad campaign!”

by Michaelthebox on Nov 24, 2008 11:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jesus, dude. I seriously have no idea what you’re problem is.

Here are the facts: that guy published the pictures on his website and they were picked up by MMA Mania. I saw them on MMA Mania and thought they were interesting. Mania GOT A LETTER IN WRITING FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHER SAYING IT WAS OK FOR THE PICTURES TO BE PUBLISHED to say nothing of the fact that the guy uploaded them to his website for public consumption and fair use. The UFC found the pictures, freaked out and sent a letter to the guy saying they weren’t going to carry the campaign any longer and how dare he public. He sent a letter to us asking to remove the pictures so he didn’t get sued. End of story.

Now, I never posted “negative” news about Zuffa. I posted the pictures as they existed. And there was no correction to run. All I was asked to do was to remove the picture, which I did. Zuffa’s release the following day was likely punishment for publishing the pics before they had final approval, but to be honest that’s between Zuffa and the photographer.

So no, I have no plans to make an updated response. I personally don’t think ANY of this information is your business, but you seem to think there’s some conspiracy where none exists.

My advice to you is either stop reading blogs or learn about them and start your own. Every single one of your criticisms are old canards that are dismissed by anyone familiar with the medium. You need to get off my back and do some research. Seriously, it’s for your own good at this point.

by Luke Thomas on Nov 24, 2008 11:37 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

That first “you’re” should be a “your”.

by Luke Thomas on Nov 24, 2008 11:37 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think you have a problem with handling criticism. I know what blogging is, I blog about current events as well, so you can stop being so dismissive. As a reader and commenter on the site, as well as a fan of the sport who has seen the effects of irresponsible blogging on the sport, I do consider this my business.

If you click on that UFC link, you will see a letter from the creator of the ad campaign that clearly says that this was a SPECULATIVE ad campaign PITCHED to the UFC. I don’t know where you’re getting this thing about “the UFC sending a letter to the guy saying they weren’t going to carry the campaign any longer”. I would appreciate a source. Until I see one, I’m going with what the author is saying.

My point is that it’s irresponsible to post information real-time if you’re not going to follow it up with updated information or corrections to prevent misconceptions. Try to open your mind just a little bit to let some criticism through.

by syzygy2005 on Nov 24, 2008 11:50 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Also, I have no idea why you’re mentioning conspiracies. I don’t think you have bad intentions, that’s why I’m trying to communicate to you the unintended effects of your policies.

by syzygy2005 on Nov 24, 2008 11:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

“If you click on that UFC link, you will see a letter from the creator of the ad campaign that clearly says that this was a SPECULATIVE ad campaign PITCHED to the UFC. I don’t know where you’re getting this thing about "the UFC sending a letter to the guy saying they weren’t going to carry the campaign any longer". I would appreciate a source. Until I see one, I’m going with what the author is saying.”

Nate talked to him and then called me. There’s your source.

I have no problems handling “criticism” provided it’s reasonable. Between emails or comments on this site I get criticized every single day. Much of it is crap, some of it is right on point. But yours is so wildly off the mark I don’t know what to say. You’ve pointed out positively nothing I or anyone else has done wrong. There’s nothing to follow up one with this story. My responsibility was to take down the pictures, which we did. There was nothing to “correct”. We did follow up with updated information. That’s the end of it.

by Luke Thomas on Nov 24, 2008 12:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I consider Zuffa’s follow-up press release and the author’s public letter “updated information”. I don’t understand why we’re having such a hard time communicating. If you had more information from the source, you should have put that in the update as well.

by syzygy2005 on Nov 24, 2008 12:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m gonna give this one more shot, because it seems you genuinely do not understand my point.

When you post a story in real-time, you should also post any further developments to that story in real-time.
Especially if the new development offers a different perspective than the original story.

So what I’m saying to you is: when you make a post about “UFC’s new ad campaign”, and then later the UFC says “this is not our new ad campaign”, you should make a new post saying “the UFC says this is not their new ad campaign”.

If you don’t, the viewers get the wrong idea, which is that “this is UFC’s new ad campaign”.

by syzygy2005 on Nov 24, 2008 12:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

“I’m gonna give this one more shot, because it seems you genuinely do not understand my point.”

Wrong again.

by Luke Thomas on Nov 24, 2008 12:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Please explain where I went wrong in that last post, with the extra detailed specific examples. I might learn something.

by syzygy2005 on Nov 24, 2008 12:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

How about this: either you can believe me for saying that we understand basic tenets, responsibilities and have reason to publish or not publish certain pieces of information OR that we don’t; that we don’t have reading comprehension skills and are arbitrarily disagreeing with you. That’s the best I can give you.

by Luke Thomas on Nov 24, 2008 12:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

That’s fine. I think I will choose not to take things on faith.

by syzygy2005 on Nov 24, 2008 12:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Works for me.

by Luke Thomas on Nov 24, 2008 12:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Could you imagine what we would have without the UFC?? What a mess. Like them or not, the UFC is the foundation (and the first 100 stories or so) of the mma structure. You know, I like their product, but I don’t always agree with their methods. Fortunately for them, they are a private company and can do whatever they want. Of course any of us are free to go out and start our own promotion and do things differently, although I think we all can see now, how difficult that really is.

As for BE, I visit several other sites regularly, and I have to say, even some of the better ones are on an annoying downslide. BE definitely is the best run and has the best contributors around and I consider it my home. I notice little bias on the site content and the only negative views I see are towards actions/fighters/promotions that are bad for the sport of mma.

http://eliotmarshall.com/

by BJJDenver on Nov 24, 2008 11:50 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

BJJDenver

i agree. i read several mma websites a day and only blog here occassionally, but BE is one of the most un-biased mma sites on the net.

by bdw on Nov 24, 2008 11:57 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Go to agree. I’ve joined some other sites lately, and was surprised. I knew about Sherdog and the UG, but even some of the more respected sites seem like their run by junior high school kiddies…

As for the “I notice little bias on the site content”, I couldn’t disagree more. This site is clearly both pro- and anti-UFC. It boggles the mind. ;)

by mythbuster on Nov 24, 2008 11:59 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It was a lot better about a year ago. CagePotato and Fightlinker have picked up the slack of reasonably unbiased (or open about their biases) reporting, but about a year ago a lot of the bigger sites were more evenhanded. Fiveouncesofpain used to be terrific, but their new format is junk and Caplan seems to be slowly skewing anti-UFC. I never visit MMAMania anymore, just doesn’t seem to be any point. MMAJunkie is basically a mouthpiece for organizations to say whatever they want; their willingness to run anything as long as its said by an MMA insider has become a complete embarrassment. In particular, the Baghdad Bob-style denials by Lappen after Standgate that MMAJunkie printed were a disaster. Not to mention the featherweight interviews they do with orgs like AFL.

I think the Fanpost section for BloodyElbow has really made this site. Turns out that Blogging by community is actually more effective than the old standby methods used by other sites. It basically forces a high standard of quality.

by Michaelthebox on Nov 24, 2008 12:43 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

“I think the Fanpost section for BloodyElbow has really made this site. Turns out that Blogging by community is actually more effective than the old standby methods used by other sites. It basically forces a high standard of quality.”

The FanPosts make the commenters better, which forces us to get better, which forces the commenters to get better, etc….

Thanks for the support.

by Luke Thomas on Nov 24, 2008 12:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly. I don’t always agree with you Luke, but I really respect what you guys have done with this site. Keep it up!

by Michaelthebox on Nov 24, 2008 12:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

And also there seems to be more respect on this site, for fighters and one another. When I first joined, Tha Realness made a fanpost regarding the Rampage-Griffin decision and I made a sarcastic comment about it. I was (rightfully) jumped on, “say something nice or don’t say anything” kind of thing.

For the most part, this is a nice place to go to discuss things without worrying about trolls or the like. There are exceptions of course, but sometimes people get way too emotional about things and take it too far, but it usually smooths over.

And besides, I haven’t found a bank that would allow me to transfer over of BE cash :P

by mythbuster on Nov 24, 2008 1:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Try the Spearmint Rhino, lol!!

http://eliotmarshall.com/

by BJJDenver on Nov 24, 2008 2:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

“As for the "I notice little bias on the site content", I couldn’t disagree more. This site is clearly both pro- and anti-UFC. It boggles the mind. ;)”

lol, that is definitely one way to put it. The good thing is there are so many passionate fans of the sport here, and they definitely stick to what they believe is right, then argue it to death, lol! But of course, always in a respectful manner!

http://eliotmarshall.com/

by BJJDenver on Nov 24, 2008 2:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs