UFC 96 Dilemma and the Problem With Overloading Cards

by Michael Rome on Jan 13, 2009 9:39 PM EST in News Comment 64 comments

As of today, the main event for UFC 96 in Columbus is Shane Carwin vs. Gabriel Gonzaga. As recently as the UFC 92 post-show conference Dana White expressed an interest in having Chuck Liddell headline the show, but Dave Meltzer reported on his radio show that Chuck does not want to fight in March.

March is likely too soon for Mir-Lesnar. Neither are hurt, but that is a fight they want to have time to build. I think that fight will most likely happen in Montreal at UFC 97. Similarly, Hughes-Serra can't happen there because it is set for May and Serra is busy taking care of a newborn. Wanderlei can't rebound that fast, the Lightweight and Welterweight champions are both in a fight five weeks earlier, and Randy Couture just had surgery.

Gonzaga-Carwin is an awful main event. It would really test the lower bounds of the UFC brand power, because the fights below it aren't anything special. Carwin has never been part of an advertised main card, and Gonzaga is not a draw. If Chuck Liddell is out, the only possible fight out there that can really carry this card is Rampage Jackson vs. Rashad Evans for the Light Heavyweight championship.

Even that fight is pushing it. Neither man was hurt in their last fight, and Jackson took no real damage at all, but if they sign on now they are looking at 6-7 week camps before they get into Columbus. It's possible, and guys have come in on far less notice in the past, but if they can't get that the card is in serious trouble.

The lesson here in my view is that they let too many guys have their way and fight in December, and now nobody is ready. Wanderlei wanted to be on the biggest card of the year, and so did Quinton, and they got their way, and now that they need a quick turnaround it's harder to do. They simply don't have enough main event talent to do triple main events and get away with it. UFC 95 has a terrible main event, and UFC 96 is even worse at this point.. At least 95 is on Spike.

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Not Good

The main event does suck – that’s true.

But they have time to stack the card with some decent LW or WW events, surely. Edgar vs. Griffin II sounds good. At WW maybe … ahh hell. This card is going to suck.

I was looking to buy tickets for this, too. Damn!

by donkeypunch on Jan 13, 2009 9:57 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I guess we’ve pinpointed when Silva/Leites is happening.

by subo on Jan 13, 2009 9:58 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Pretty safe bet, but honestly, that’s also not a very marketable main event. It’s going to require a better lead-in than the aforementioned Gonzaga/Carwin. That’s a third fight at best on a paid card..

by Blackout612 on Jan 13, 2009 10:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

agreed...

is the problem:

1) Overloading cards so not enough draw for up-coming events

2)The Ultimate Fighter: TUF coaches fighting for the title doing this stupid reality show which gives them an 8 month layoff

3)Title holders only defending their title twice a year

4)Fighters only getting a few fights a year when they are healthy and want to fight more. If they are healthy, let them fight.

by steveoc24 on Jan 13, 2009 10:00 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Grab the checkbook, Dana

Not sure that there’s anyone out there that can save the main event of 96 that isn’t already in the Zuffa ranks, but there are the likes of Arona, Overeem, King Mo and Crocop that are available to come in and make future troubles of this nature a little less likely.

by Blackout612 on Jan 13, 2009 10:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

What about Rampage/Rashad? Could they be ready by then?

by Rundownloser on Jan 13, 2009 10:07 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

He went over that

Not sure if you missed it..

by Blackout612 on Jan 13, 2009 10:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Woops. I read the whole article, I don’t know how I missed that. Thanks.

by Rundownloser on Jan 13, 2009 10:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Its in the works..

by Johann on Jan 14, 2009 2:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

maybee jake shields will be free by then and ready to fight. i still think the ufc will pull something off. they always do. when’s a.silva supposed to fight? chuck has always been the when and were type of fighter. im surprised he nixed march.

by bdw on Jan 13, 2009 10:07 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Maybe Sherk/Huerta could be a semi-main to Anderson/Leites? I’d prefer Diego/Sherk, but that isn’t happening for obvious reasons.

by Blackout612 on Jan 13, 2009 10:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Meant to be a stand alone reply..

by Blackout612 on Jan 13, 2009 10:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

huerta does have 1 fight left doesn’t he. sherk/huerta as a co-main to anderson/?lietes would be interesting. i think okami deserves the shot over lietes though.

by bdw on Jan 13, 2009 10:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed @ Okami

But I think it was a timing thing.

by Blackout612 on Jan 13, 2009 10:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Why doesn’t Silva just open the main card fighting Leites and then take a 3 hour nap and fight Okami for the main event?

by steveoc24 on Jan 13, 2009 10:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Book it

by Blackout612 on Jan 13, 2009 10:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Obvious reasons as in Huerta went Hollywood or Diego’s fighting Stevenson?

What about Sherk/Florian? I know the UFC doesn’t want to take the chance of Florian losing since he’s a #1 contender and Sherk just fought Penn, but Florian is going to have to take a warmup fight since Alves has the winner of Penn/GSP.

by steveoc24 on Jan 13, 2009 10:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Diego/Stevenson

Florian won’t take another fight, he’s going to coast. Particularly because Sherk will beat him again. I know some people would love to argue that, but styles make fights, and Sherk is a tough out for most everyone at 155.

by Blackout612 on Jan 13, 2009 10:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

but what if BJ beats Pierre? BJ has Alves next. That is way too long of a layoff for Florian.

by steveoc24 on Jan 13, 2009 10:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe that's what Sherk is waiting for

He might not get booked again until that outcome, because then Florian/Sherk could once again be fighting for a vacant title.

by Blackout612 on Jan 13, 2009 10:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, BJ’s big head wanting to fight gsp has really put a stall in both divisions. I can’t complain though, I’m attending 94.

by steveoc24 on Jan 13, 2009 10:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Have fun & I hate you.

by Blackout612 on Jan 13, 2009 10:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

thats what i think will happen as well if bj beats gsp (although im leaning slightly towards gsp in that one). i think there is no way bj could defend both belts on a consistant basis. if he wins, he’ll vacate the lw belt and kenny/sherk/diego will fight it out.

by bdw on Jan 13, 2009 10:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No doubt

But I still think Sherk/Florian duke it out. Diego hasn’t fought at 155 yet, and even a dominating win over Joe-Joe wouldn’t time out well for him (nor do I believe he’d deserve it at that point). I’d like to see Diego vs Nate Diaz after Diego takes out Stevenson, actually (and I digress, but Joe-Joe should move down to WEC).

by Blackout612 on Jan 13, 2009 10:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

sounds good to me. diego/nick was a great fight. i think diego/nate could be even better. i am assuming as well that diego dominates stevenson and has no problems adjusting to 155.

by bdw on Jan 13, 2009 10:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Diego/Nate is instantly marketable for obvious reasons, and probably a much better fight than many would expect. Would be a great UFN headliner (especially since Nate seems to be a fixture on them).

by Blackout612 on Jan 13, 2009 10:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

don’t forget about Griffin even though he just lost to Sherk. I think Diego will need a couple wins before he gets a title shot.

by steveoc24 on Jan 13, 2009 10:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

or the bully, or guida etc. there are so many great lws in the ufc, you cant go wrong.

by bdw on Jan 13, 2009 10:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yup.. u just can’t have all your contenders fighting each other since the title holder is busy fighting in another division..

by steveoc24 on Jan 13, 2009 10:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If I'm thinking right,

we’ll be lucky to get two more fights out of BJ and GSP in ’09. If those two just completely go at it for 5 rounds they will both hurt. They would have to be.

I’m thinking a 5 month break for each.

by donkeypunch on Jan 13, 2009 10:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

lets pray neither one of them are a TUF coach next season.

by steveoc24 on Jan 13, 2009 11:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Then we’ll see an interim fight for each weight class?

"My job is a decision-making job, and as a result, I make a lot of decisions." --George W. Bush, The Decider, Lancaster, Pa., Oct. 3, 2007

by lovingmma25 on Jan 14, 2009 11:31 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Florian has greatly improved since his last fight with Sherk. I would almost see Florian having the advantage in the stand-up. Florian’s ground game has improved, whoever thought he would finish Stevenson like that. I would love to see this fight again.

by steveoc24 on Jan 13, 2009 10:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Funny enough..

Sherk is an older guy, but he’s improved a great deal since they last fought, as well. That’s one of the things I love most about him; he’s been around a long time and he’s not afraid to adjust his game or add more elements to it. He and Couture share that distinction, while guys like Chuck seem either unwilling or unable to do the same.

They’ve both improved, and Sherk’s impeccable control is what Kenny couldn’t and won’t overcome.. And shit yes I want to see them fight again. It would be a lot more fun this time, but I’d still have to pick Sherk by UD.

by Blackout612 on Jan 13, 2009 10:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Dana White

will pull something directly out of his ass for UFC 96. And we will all eat it up. Gross, I know.

by nitro on Jan 13, 2009 10:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

YEP

i can remember when lesnar/coleman was announced as the main for 87 a few months out and everyone went ape-shit. then gsp/fittch was added and herring replaced coleman and just like that, it was a must see event.

by bdw on Jan 13, 2009 10:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Put it on Spike then.

Yeah, who got the final Death Blow? 'Cause I thought that Hawaiian guy had it comin' to him. - C. K.

by monkeyfightclub! on Jan 13, 2009 11:24 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Three straight Spike cards?

No chance. 95 was originally supposed to be a PPV, even.

by Blackout612 on Jan 13, 2009 11:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You’d think that after all this time and all of these cards people would stop bitching about ME’s and putting down cards that don’t have name stars. If you’re not happy with UFC 96 don’t buy it, then if it turns out to be one of the best cards of the year it’ll be your loss. I’ve stopped being a starfucker awhile ago, i’m more interested in good fights than name fighters.

The UFC has proven that regardless of the ME or the overall big names on a card the fights are what matters most, look at UFC 91 how many people on here bitched about that card?. Then it turned out to be a great card and all of those same people ended up sounding like idiots, how about the Fight For The Troops card another card that was bashed again turned into a hell of a show.

Stop worrying about stuff that is out of your hands, the UFC has proven that they know how to put on shows that are entertaining and deliver your money’s worth most of the time. Wasting time complaining isn’t going to change anything if the UFC listened to most people on here they’d probably be out of business by now so sit back relax and enjoy the show I sure as hell will.

by Raker on Jan 13, 2009 11:34 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Hindsight doesn't buy PPV's

by Blackout612 on Jan 13, 2009 11:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You know, if Shogun isn’t too banged up after the Coleman fight, he might be able to fight Chuck then. Even though Chuck doesn’t want to fight, I think that the carrot of Shogun could be enough. At the very least, the fight was supposed to happen and Shogun is somebody that’s beaten Rampage. If this fight makes Chuck think that he could get another shot at Rampage, I have no doubt that he’d take it.

by Rundownloser on Jan 14, 2009 12:01 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Unforunately

The quick-turnaround Shogun of the past may be long gone by this point. I’m just hoping he doesn’t get hurt again.

by Blackout612 on Jan 14, 2009 12:14 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Surely they aren’t going to call that a main event. I was going to go either way (My birthday, and my 1st UFC, it made sense) but still, hopefully Dana gets Chuck to come on board and save a good card that is SERIOUSLY lacking a main event.

by Dexerion on Jan 14, 2009 12:11 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

What is Anderson Silva doing?

by Dexerion on Jan 14, 2009 12:12 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Right now?

He’s in Curitiba, dancing in slippers in his kitchen.

by Blackout612 on Jan 14, 2009 12:14 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

New info

Nevermind Silva/Leites at 96;

Thales Leites has no doubt he will be facing Anderon Silva in a UFC middleweight title challenge at UFC 97. While the UFC has not confirmed the bout, the black belt says it is a done deal and his time has come to face a fighter widely considered to be the pound-for-pound best in the world.

“I don’t see it as even a possibility. To me [the fight with Anderson] it’s 100% for sure, because the UFC sent me the agreement and I signed it. Everything on my side has been done properly. The UFC sent a bout agreement ten days ago and I signed,” Thales affirmed, in an interview with GRACIEMAG.com.

by Blackout612 on Jan 14, 2009 12:29 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

However.....

Maybe now Mir/Lesnar does happen as early as 96.

by Blackout612 on Jan 14, 2009 12:32 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think they'll do Brock vs Mir

Lesnar vs Mir sells it’s self, Lesnar has said he would like to fight Mir as soon as possible, that coupled with the fact that he has spent a shit load of time in Ohio via the OVW, the WWE feeder fed makes it seem likely. As for Mir Im sure he would like to fight as soon as possible and use the momentum and cardio he had coming out of his last camp.

YAMATO DAMASHII

by R.T. on Jan 14, 2009 12:33 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Sounds possible, I just think they want to do a Prime Time special for that one too and that would likely be pushing it.

by Michael Rome on Jan 14, 2009 12:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

True.....

but desperate times call for desperate measures. They could get by with the regular countdown show just have it focus completely on the Main event.

YAMATO DAMASHII

by R.T. on Jan 14, 2009 12:43 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sounds like another decent option.

by Rundownloser on Jan 14, 2009 1:07 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

A Lesnar-Mir main event instantly makes the Gonzaga-Carwin fight more relevant...

I don’t know if relevant is the right word here, but what it allows is for the possibility of the winner being the next serious challenge for the HW belt. It doesn’t have to go that way necessarily, BUT…

With all of the fans that will tune in to see Lesner vs. Mir, many will see Carwin for the first time and there will also be a great deal of people not quite familiar with Gonzaga (he hasn’t really been featured since the arrival of Brock into the UFC). Depending on the outcome (I’m expecting an exciting KO by Carwin), fans will have a stake in the next HW title match-up.

by flassasin24 on Jan 14, 2009 12:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Gonzaga vs Carwin would....

would get more traction off a Lesnar vs Mir Main event.

YAMATO DAMASHII

by R.T. on Jan 14, 2009 12:34 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

This requires some outside-the-box thinking

Renzo Gracie vs. Pat Miletich 2? Thats a fight you can sell to the locals as well as core UFC viewers, everyone knows Miletich as well as the Gracie name. Miletich is certainly ready to go.

by smoogy on Jan 14, 2009 12:39 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

by Michael Rome on Jan 14, 2009 12:43 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Admit it, you’re intrigued.

by smoogy on Jan 14, 2009 12:56 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

@

155 or 170?

YAMATO DAMASHII

by R.T. on Jan 14, 2009 1:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

When is zuffa merging the WEC’s MW and LH divisions?
Because those will add some serious potential to the cards.
Then, toss the Silv/LEitis or Silva vs…anyone into the mix.

Voila.

by Paytience on Jan 14, 2009 1:13 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Make Anderson Silva vs Chuck Liddell for this card.

by lbk on Jan 14, 2009 11:30 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Honestly..

I have no desire to see that fight and it keeps getting brought up. Don’t see the appeal, really. I’m not a fan of Chuck’s, but it doesn’t mean I want to see him get his face ripped open ala James Irvin. He’s already got knocked out by Sudafed and Rashad. Spider would be three strikes.

by Blackout612 on Jan 14, 2009 3:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If it doesn’t work out they’ll just save the money on marketing and assume that they’ll take a slight loss on it. Not ideal, but after so many blockbusters, they’ll probably live with it.

by Dooda on Jan 14, 2009 2:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Dana will make something happen. I think Chuck will be on this card no matter what he says…

by xbuckeyex05 on Jan 14, 2009 5:03 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Also I will be very upset if They do Lesnar/Mir because I wanted to buy tix for this event till i heard this was the ME. By then the good tix will be gone not to mention I am now broke…

by xbuckeyex05 on Jan 14, 2009 5:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs