WAMMA having a credible title belt...
by mattman73
on Jul 21, 2008 3:28 PM EDT
Am I missing something?
WAMMA has one belt in one weight class.
Don't they really need to have a belt in every weight class to be credible?
When they crown a champion in every weight class then maybe we can have this discussion but until then it's just B.S.
Besides WAMMA claims they are going to do all these good things for the sport beside giving us fans a so-called undisputed champion.
Well can one person tell me one thing they have done good for the sport?
No because all they want to do is leech off the established organizations by pretending to validate them with some belt that WAMMA will make money off of.
Same as above when they actually do some of all the stuff they claim they are going to do on their website then I'll give them some credit.
Until then they are a joke.
1 recs |
16
comments
Email
PrintComments
Well said
I agree with you – until we see more action they are pretty much a joke.
by lovingmma25 on Jul 21, 2008 3:40 PM EDT 0 recs
LOL@ WAMMA…that’s what I think about it.
http://tharealness.wordpress.com/
by Tha Realness on Jul 21, 2008 4:19 PM EDT 0 recs
Their LHW rankings have all UFC fighters… good luck with that WAMMA. =\
by Nick Thomas on Jul 21, 2008 4:20 PM EDT 0 recs
I will say...
that their intentions seem to be good. Their goals of establishing health insurance for fighters/pension plans…etc. would be so much more important than the crowning of paper champions.
But until they get to that point the world is only going to see them as a sanctioning body.
Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
"The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls and looking like hard work." -- Thomas Edison
by brentbrookhouse on Jul 21, 2008 6:18 PM EDT 0 recs
When are they going to start?
I agree all that other stuff sounds good but when are they going to start doing it?
I haven’t seen any movement in them getting any of that stuff accomplished
I believe they talk about getting MMA sanctioned in every state but isn’t the UFC doing far more in that area than WAMMA.
Here is what WAMMA claims to want to do.
The World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts is dedicated to the following purposes:
1. Uniform Control and Supervision of Mixed Martial Arts.
To promote and obtain efficiency and harmony in the control and supervision of professional men’s and women’s Mixed Martial Arts throughout the world.
What exactly does this mean?
2. Encouragement of Mixed Martial Arts as Sport.
To encourage professional Mixed Martial Arts as an activity conducive to physical fitness and as a sport which is a source of wholesome entertainment for the public.
Haven’t seen them doing any of this.
3. Encouragement of Public Appreciation.
To encourage greater public appreciation and patronage for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.
Haven’t seen them doing any of this.
4. Promotion of Clean, Fair and Equitable Competition.
To keep professional Mixed Martial Arts and all activities connected therewith, clean, fair and equitable to all parties concerned.
Haven’t seen them doing any of this.
5. Promotion of Mixed Martial Arts Safety.
To make professional Mixed Martial Arts as safe a sport as possible for fighters, and to promote their welfare.
Haven’t seen them doing any of this.
6. Recognition of Champions.
To recognize the best fighter in each division as the champion of the world, having won such a title in competition, in compliance with all provisions of this Constitution, and the Rules and Regulations of WAMMA.
They have one champion. But did he really win it following the Rules and Regulations of WAMMA? I’m not sure I thought they wanted a #1 ranked fighter vs. a #2 ranked fighter to fight for their title. But whatever they got one belt. Now how about the other weight classes.
7. Certification and Recognition of Championship and Elimination Bouts.
To certify and recognize championship bouts in each weight division for WAMMA championship, provided that such bouts are held in compliance with this Constitution and the Rules and Regulations of WAMMA.
Not really any point in talking about this yet is there? They only have one belt.
8. Promotion of Competition in Mixed Martial Arts.
To promote, enhance, and establish quality competition in Mixed Martial Arts, with WAMMA-recognized champions defending their titles against qualified opponents on a regular basis.
I think this really means were going to make money off the fighters holding our WAMMA belts.
9. Elimination of Discrimination in Mixed Martial Arts.
Discrimination by reason of race, religion, or national origin is an abhorrent affront to human dignity and, as such, is incompatible with the purposes and principles of WAMMA, as embodied in this Constitution and the Rules and Regulations of WAMMA. Consequently, apartheid and/or discrimination is prohibited and shall be penalized accordingly.
This really sounds good and very politically correct but is it really a big problem in MMA.
I mean WAMMA is only going after the US market right the two guys at the top Fedor and Anderson Silva don’t even talk English. They are not from this country. I don’t see much discrimination going on against them. But hey it sounds good and looks good on paper.
10. Mediation to Resolve Controversies.
To mediate in controversies when appropriate, with the goal of making Mixed Martial Arts a clean business with ethical competition and respect for the rights of everyone involved.
This sounds good also but do they really have any legally binding authority to make people respect their decisions?
So I will say their intentions sound good and look good on paper but I don’t see any of it happening.
If I’m wrong or someone has some evidence of them doing something good other than positioning themselves to make money off some bogus belts will you please share it with me.
by mattman73 on Jul 21, 2008 6:51 PM EDT 0 recs
For sure...
I don’t think they’re doing. And I don’t think they ever will. I’m just saying that a lot of people are making it sound like they’re actively tearing down the sport when I think they HONESTLY want to do the good things they’re shooting for, they just don’t have the means to accomplish it. I’m not a WAMMA fan and have been very open about that…I even said that exact thing to the WAMMA CEO and COO on the phone. But, I think if a promotion is willing to allow them to be involved with their show…that is all on the promotion and I don’t think it is exceptionally “scummy” of them.
Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
"The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls and looking like hard work." -- Thomas Edison
by brentbrookhouse on
Jul 21, 2008 6:57 PM EDT
up
0 recs
You talked to them on the phone?
I notice you said you talked to them on the phone.
Did you do an interview with them or a story that I might be able to read?
Thanks.
by mattman73 on
Jul 21, 2008 8:02 PM EDT
up
0 recs
Sure...
That would be right here. I didn’t say in that particular interview that I was anti-WAMMA but told them as part of the back and forth before hand that I couldn’t see any way that they could “succeed” in their mission and was opposed to what they were doing as a sanctioning body. Still I tried to address a lot of the “controversy” that was being batted around at the time of said interview.
Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
"The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls and looking like hard work." -- Thomas Edison
by brentbrookhouse on
Jul 21, 2008 9:44 PM EDT
up
0 recs
Nice read.
Nice interview.
But I’m still stuck with everything they say sounds good but the only thing I have seen them do is position themselves to start making money by having a WAMMA Championship belt.
Every existing promotion to some degree had the potential to lose big money when starting out and some are still losing money.
To me it just looks like these guys are trying to find a way in without having to risk money to make money.
If they were out front doing all the other good stuff first I would be more optimistic of their objectives but that isn’t what is happening. I guess I can’t blame them for not wanting to pay to get in the sport but everyone else has why not them?
Another thing I don’t get is if that extra revenue is out there to support WAMMA in the sport why wouldn’t the existing promotions want to eliminate WAMMA and keep that extra revenue for themselves?
I mean the promotions are going to be doing all or close to all of the work why grant WAMMA a way in to share in that revenue?
I just don’t get what they can do that the promotions can’t do for themselves if they were willing to work together. I mean WAMMA doesn’t have any legal arbitrary powers to settle disputes between organizations so still if a cross-promotional event was needed to crown a WAMMA Champion those two promotions still have to work it out it’s not like WAMMA has the authority to tell either party what to do. So why do they need WAMMA?
by mattman73 on
Jul 21, 2008 10:35 PM EDT
up
0 recs
Another thing I question is...
They don’t plan on paying any of the WAMMA Champions anything.
The fighters will only be paid by Affliction or whatever organization it may be right?
The WAMMA Champions are going to be asked questions about WAMMA and have to appear with the belt which amounts to promoting the WAMMA brand as far as I am concerned.
I don’t see how that is fair. Do they just think every fighter will think it is a privilege to wear the WAMMA belt and not expect to be compensated for promoting it?
Cause I think the interviews and all that stuff is work also and probably the least fun part of the work for a fighter. I mean sponsors pay fighters for talking about them and wearing their stuff how is that different than what they would be doing for WAMMA?
Am I wrong or confused on them not planning on paying the WAMMA Champions?
by mattman73 on Jul 21, 2008 7:57 PM EDT 0 recs
Fighters...
do have the option to not fight for the title. They and their management have to agree to do so. They aren’t paying the champions…but being in a title fight usually brings a little extra bank your way anyway.
Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
"The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls and looking like hard work." -- Thomas Edison
by brentbrookhouse on
Jul 21, 2008 9:40 PM EDT
up
0 recs
As I recall...
for the Fedor/Tim fight – Tim was the one that wanted a belt so bad. I don’t think Fedor really cares about having a belt.
Just thought I’d throw that out there
by lovingmma25 on Jul 22, 2008 10:43 AM EDT 0 recs
From my interview with them...
they said Fedor’s camp was asking “what if he doesn’t want to defend against a top 10 guy?” and were told he’d be stripped of the title.
I don’t like the idea that they were even considering not fighting top 10 fighters…but hey. Whatever..
Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
"The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls and looking like hard work." -- Thomas Edison
by brentbrookhouse on
Jul 22, 2008 8:01 PM EDT
up
0 recs
I agree.
Yea I found it odd that they didn’t have a problem with him fighting weaker competition while holding the WAMMA belt. Granted those fights wouldn’t be title fights but I still found that odd. (At least if I understood that part of it correctly.)
Here is the part I’m referring to:
In my mind some of the criticism of Fedor is that he hasn’t consistently fought the very best in each and every one of his fights. In my mind it is inconceivable that a fighter must face his most fearsome competition each and every time he steps into the ring or the cage. And I want to use this as an example, Anderson Silva is now going to be fighting outside of his title weight division to do battle with James Irvin and no one is going to say that it isn’t a meaningful fight but certainly it isn’t one where his title would be on the line. But everyone is going to watch that fight and enjoy that fight. And as for title defenses WAMMA will institute a time period in which the winner of Fedor/Sylvia will have to face a ranked WAMMA opponent to maintain their belt status.
He says “In my mind it is inconceivable that a fighter must face his most fearsome competition each and every time he steps into the ring or the cage.”
Isn’t that exactly what you want your Undisputed Champion doing though?
I mean on the off chance he fights a guy barely ranked in the top 20 heavyweights and loses what does that do to the credibility of the WAMMA belt. Especially when it’s striving to be the undisputed championship belt.
That didn’t make any sense to me.
by mattman73 on
Jul 23, 2008 3:23 AM EDT
up
0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
New FanPost