2008 Bloody Elbow Reader Awards: Promotion and Personality of the Year
by Mike Fagan on Jan 28, 2009 12:54 PM EST
in MMA News
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PROMOTION OF THE YEAR: Ultimate Fighting Championships
The year started at UFC 81 when Brock Lesnar lost in a spectacular debut against Frank Mir. A month later, Anderson Silva climbed atop the pound-for-pound rankings with a dominant victory over Dan Henderson. Fans were then treated to Wanderlei Silva's explosion over Keith Jardine, Lyoto Machida's patient domination of Tito Ortiz, and Sean Sherk falling short to lightweight champion B.J. Penn at UFC 84.
July brought a conclusion to the Ultimate Fighter 8 as Forrest Griffin edged out a close and controversial decision win over Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. The following month, the UFC invaded Canada for the first time as Georges St. Pierre rolled an overmatched Matt Serra while setting the North American indoor attendance record for an MMA event.
The end of the year built on an already successful campaign. Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar met at UFC 91 and saw the company return to the million PPV mark for the first time since UFC 66. The year end show, our readers' choice for card of the year, featured two title bouts and a grudge match between Silva and Jackson. The event has been rumored to have also exceeded the million buy mark.
There's no denying that 2008 exceeded any and all expectations. The beginning of the year put Zuffa against a wall. EliteXC was growing and landed on network TV, T-shirt company Affliction entered the foray with big money contracts, and creditors were concerned the UFC's aggressive expansion strategy would backfire. By the end of the year, EliteXC is all but dead, Affliction looks to be on its last legs, and the UFC's European expansion appears to be payin off.
Oh, and they destroyed the WWE and HBO's Championship Boxing in PPV buys in the process.
3rd PLACE: Dream
PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR: Dana White
What can be said about Dana White that hasn't already been said about Lex Luthor or Bill Gates or Alexander the Great? The UFC figurehead continued to provide the grease and oil for the UFC machine. Additionally, White increased his own exposure by appearing on the cover of Men's Health, in a photo shoot for Rolling Stone, and running the interview gamut for UFC 91 and 92.
White really endeared himself to the internet with the innovative idea of producing a video blog. The vlogs gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at what White does leading up to a fight night. In addition, we get to see fighters in a more natural setting. The vlogs have lost a bit of their initial luster, but still serve a great purpose of hyping up fights.
White really becomes an anti-hero when you consider his flaws, of which he has many. Most notable is his propensity for putting himself ahead of the fighters. Zuffa has pushed the UFC brand over its fighters, and White has pushed himself as the UFC. For better or worse, you're left with the promoter being more noteworthy than the talent that makes him money.
White also did little to temper the notion that he is a hot-headed, foul mouthed kid from Boston running a multi-million dollar industry. He's still rarely seen in a business suit and only curbs his sailor tendencies when he appears on ESPN, etc. We also witnessed the two day odyssey with the not-quite-fired Jon Fitch over his image rights. That's not to mention his on-going spat with former champion and friend Tito Ortiz.
But that's what makes White the Personality of the Year. He has become the single most important person in a meteoric industry. Comparisons, though not perfect parallels whatsoever, can be made to Don King who self-promoted himself to the same levels he did his fights.
With his goal of making the UFC the biggest sport in the world within five years, we should expect to see a lot more of the bald headed beast in the coming years.
2nd PLACE: Brock Lesnar
3rd PLACE: Kimbo Slice
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UFC over its fighters?
I think the UFC putting its brand before its fighters is exactly why it is so healthy and strong. Look at EXC..what were they without Kimbo? A failure. Look at Affliction…what are they without Fedor? A failure. Name the fighter that the UFC can’t promote a fighter without? Exactly.
No big surprises here.
You didn’t give us the 2nd and 3rd spots of either category. I am curious where Gina Carano placed for personality OTY. I talk shit about Dana White being a spoiled brat and a wannabe celebrity but the guy gets shit done and I guess, at the end of the day, that’s what matters.
"Stop smiling you are about to be punched in the face !"
yep
people might not like Dana very much but the guy was involved in the sport when most “fans” were completely oblivious to it. he clearly loves the sport and wants to make it more popular, what else can you ask for?
Right on about Dana,
we may not like some things about him but the man delivers a great product & definitely puts the sport of MMA in the spotlight & keeps it there.
I can't believe EliteXC lost for promotion of the year! :)
And Personality of the Year should have gone to $kala for his gusty freak-out performance ringside as Kimbo was getting beat on. I mean, that kind of emotion you just can’t buy :)
Dana White as Lex Luthor?
Luthor is an evil genius; Dana’s just evil! (Besides, it’s arguable that Luthor’s intentions are good, while Dana…yeah)
Do not make me unleash my inner nerd!
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by Scott C. Broussard on Jan 28, 2009 1:12 PM EST reply actions
Never quite understood why Promotion of the Year was even a category…. maybe Promotion Outside of the UFC.
Despite the critics, the UFC being promotion of the year should go without saying at this point.
I think DREAM/FEG put on the best events
But yah UFC certainly did the best business. But Dana as personality of the year? Of course, nobody in the UFC is allowed to be a bigger personality than Dana. The only guy that tried was Tito. Even Chuck Liddell dicktucks when Dana is around because he doesn’t wanna get fired for stomping on Dana’s ego by letting him know hes not the center of the universe.
Gimme 1 Round!
lol....
You said Liddell dicktucks… well played.
by Gunslinger20 on Jan 28, 2009 5:16 PM EST up reply actions
The GSP Serra rematch was in April, it didn’t follow the Rampage Griffin fight, I think Mike is talking about GSP and Fitch in August, which follows July, but anyways, good stuff.
by littlenicky2355 on Jan 28, 2009 2:36 PM EST reply actions
4th
Bolts from the Blue // "Game over." - Jamal Williams
Bloody Elbow // "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." - H.L. Mencken
by Richard Wade on Jan 28, 2009 9:31 PM EST up reply actions
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