Joe Silva wants a smaller UFC cage: Would the WEC fighters lose something if you moved them from...

Would the WEC fighters lose something if you moved them from the smaller WEC cage to the bigger UFC Octagon?

Dana White: Actually, we’ve been talking about making the Octagon smaller. We’re considering making it smaller. [UFC matchmaker] Joe Silva wants it. I think he wants to turn the thing into a [expletive] bathtub. Have them fight in a little tollbooth.

HT: sports.yahoo.com

over 2 years ago Nick Thomas 51 comments 0 recs |

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I guess I would like to know what the pros and cons of both sizes of cage are…..

by davidhamilton83 on Oct 8, 2009 2:11 PM EDT reply actions

they suit different styles. With a smaller cage, you have less room to move and therefore more action. It suits guys who want to flight close sloppy fights. Usually makes for quick finishes. Guys who like to work distance and have long reaches like the longer cage (Machida, Anderson…). They can move around in it. The fights tend to be more technical stand up and longer lasting (less finishes)

Boxers often negotiate ring size before a fight. A big ring may suit Chad Dawson or FMM while a Tyson esque fighter or body puncher like Cotto wants a small ring.

Why Dana wants a smaller ring? Another row of 10,000 seats.

by ryanwk628 on Oct 8, 2009 2:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Easier to cut the ring off and corner a fighter in a small cage, harder to evade strikes or use movement when striking.

The big cage also favors the BJJ guys, because there’s less chance of going to the ground by the cage where they might get stuffed into the corner.

by judonerd on Oct 8, 2009 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions

I feel like a complete “moran” — I didn’t even realize the cage was a different size between the WEC and the UFC. And I’m not a noob — I’ve been watching both for years, and pretty much never miss a show from either. How did I never notice that before?

by Kierkegaard on Oct 8, 2009 2:12 PM EDT reply actions

smaller fighters maybe?

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by Anton Tabuena on Oct 8, 2009 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Don't be too hard on yourself, I never realized either and I consider myself a hardcore fan.

Now it seems so obvious though. It probably was cause of the smaller fighters, but now thinking back to the lightweight fights, I see the difference.

by J_Maddux on Oct 8, 2009 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh believe me, I’m a hardcore fan. And I agree, it does seem a bit obvious now that I really think about it and look back on it, but … still … never crossed my mind.

//sigh//

by Kierkegaard on Oct 8, 2009 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Same here. Hardcore fan, but never realized the WEC cage was smaller.

I love me some Sexyama!

by pud333 on Oct 8, 2009 3:17 PM EDT up reply actions

I watch every WEC & UFC show & had

no idea the cages were different sizes. That is strange. The line about fighting in a tollbooth was hilarious though.

Arguing on the internet is like being in the special olympics, even when you win you are still retarded.

by dnevil001 on Oct 8, 2009 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions

SF cage is as small as WEC or even smaller.

IMO bigger cage is better. small cage favors the wrestlers better. since not to much space to sprawl. you can gets your hand on the fighter much faster in a smaller cage.

by 1WAYtiket on Oct 8, 2009 6:30 PM EDT up reply actions

I noticed it right away when I first started watching WEC. IMO its too small and the UFC cage is too big.

SHOGUN WILL SLAY THE DRAGON!!!
SHOGUN TO BE THE NEW LHW CHAMP!!!
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

by xFenixKnightx on Oct 8, 2009 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions

So if the WEC is 25×25 and the UFC is 30×30 … and you think WEC is too small and UFC is too big … I guess you’d like to see 27×27?

by Kierkegaard on Oct 8, 2009 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions

27.5 × 27.5

SHOGUN WILL SLAY THE DRAGON!!!
SHOGUN TO BE THE NEW LHW CHAMP!!!
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

by xFenixKnightx on Oct 8, 2009 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Your TV is too small.

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.

by jemaleddin on Oct 9, 2009 9:54 AM EDT up reply actions

I say keep the cage as it is..

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by Anton Tabuena on Oct 8, 2009 2:14 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Agreed.

by goodbones on Oct 8, 2009 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Indeed.

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.

by jemaleddin on Oct 9, 2009 10:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Kalib Starnes is against this idea!

by BJJDenver on Oct 8, 2009 2:19 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs

Good thing he’ll never have to worry about it again.

I STILL poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on Oct 8, 2009 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions

He is even more against the idea of fighting in a tollbooth! ;-)

Arguing on the internet is like being in the special olympics, even when you win you are still retarded.

by dnevil001 on Oct 8, 2009 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Why? Easy access to cars for a quick getaway!

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
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by jemaleddin on Oct 9, 2009 10:12 AM EDT up reply actions

More leaning against the fence in the clinch! More pushing people’s heads against the cage so they can’t move on the ground! Great idea!

by JRN on Oct 8, 2009 2:21 PM EDT reply actions

Arianny vs. Natasha in a bathtub fight is something we all would want to see.
Other than that. Keep it the same size.

by "Mr. NC-17" on Oct 8, 2009 2:24 PM EDT reply actions

WEC’s cage is 25 × 25, UFC 30 × 30. The only time you really noticed it in WEC was when light heavyweights were fighting, someone like Brian Stann would make the cage look small.

by andherewego on Oct 8, 2009 2:32 PM EDT reply actions

I would actually like to see a fight in a tollbooth. Just one time, but the idea is interesting.

"I'M GOING TO SHA-BOOMS!"

by beery_pbr on Oct 8, 2009 2:58 PM EDT reply actions

Hendo & Randy

WOULD DOMINATE

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by ElliotMatheny on Oct 8, 2009 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions

How big will DREAMs 6 sided cage be? 25 × 25 ?

by bigc4277 on Oct 8, 2009 3:26 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Joe Silva's Tiny Cage

Let’s be honest: the only reason Joe Silva wants a smaller cage is because it takes him a half an hour to walk across the current cage with those Keebler Elf-esque legs of his.

...Behold, a pale horse. The man that sat upon it was Wieters, and hell followed with him.

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by Brett Jones on Oct 8, 2009 3:50 PM EDT reply actions 6 recs

lol

by ironic sumo on Oct 8, 2009 6:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Flagged for fight-picker-bashing?

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
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by jemaleddin on Oct 9, 2009 10:13 AM EDT up reply actions

What they need to do is change the color scheme of both UFC and WEC cages thats for sure! I bet the DREAM cage will look much better than UFC’s on camera. I dunno, it just looks bland to me. Why dont they meet in the middle and make the WEC cage a bit bigger since it does look kinda small and make the UFC’s smaller becuase its too big.

BRILLIANT!

SHOGUN WILL SLAY THE DRAGON!!!
SHOGUN TO BE THE NEW LHW CHAMP!!!
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

by xFenixKnightx on Oct 8, 2009 3:55 PM EDT reply actions

They haven’t said they are going to go all the way down to a WEC sized cage, but making the cage smaller does seem like it would be something that it necessary if there was going to be some sort of merge/crossover with the WEC.

by Phildo on Oct 8, 2009 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions

I suspect a reason why they use the current cage coloring is the blood issue – light blue or green minimizes the bright red (cf PRIDE’s mat). If you watch M*A*S*H, all the doctors wear white scrubs (reflecting the 1950’s medical practices), and the blood is highly visible. Eventually, the color of scrubs was changed to modern light blue or sea green to mute the red & possibly make it less distressing.

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by Scott C. Broussard on Oct 8, 2009 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions

I dont understand it though. Casuals KNOW there is blood. Infact they think theres more blood than there usually is. I bet if they see enough MMA they would know that there isn’t nearly as much as they think. My co worker the other day asked me what I was looking at and I was like “MMA.” She goes, “OHHHH thats where they kill each other, right? Like really try to kill each other and almost bleed to death, right?” Me, “uhhh yeah, sure, but no not really.”

SHOGUN WILL SLAY THE DRAGON!!!
SHOGUN TO BE THE NEW LHW CHAMP!!!
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

by xFenixKnightx on Oct 8, 2009 5:44 PM EDT up reply actions

DREAM is on japanese national TV

they dont condone bleeding pigs fighting when kids are watching it.

You have to beat the legend, in order to become the LEGEND
-Melvin Manhoef (after his destruction of Sakuraba)

by chopstickthugz on Oct 8, 2009 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions

What are you talking about? They’re always cleaning fighters cuts in between the fight, unlike UFC.

SHOGUN WILL SLAY THE DRAGON!!!
SHOGUN TO BE THE NEW LHW CHAMP!!!
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

by xFenixKnightx on Oct 8, 2009 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions

No....

No keep it the same size…it gives all the different types of martial arts space to use their art effectively.

by AfroSamurai on Oct 8, 2009 4:22 PM EDT reply actions

I hate smaller cages.

The UFC’s big cage allows for a ring-type feeling, with all the room to move around, while having none of the drawbacks of a ring.

I specializes in grammar fail.

by a tommy point on Oct 8, 2009 4:26 PM EDT reply actions

Shrinking the UFC cage is a terrible idea.

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by Mike Fagan on Oct 8, 2009 6:05 PM EDT reply actions

Why exactly? I don’t really have an informed opinion on the matter; I was just curious what specifically you would find so reprehensible about it.

"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito Ortiz on Vitor Belfort at Affliction:DOR

by Rundownloser on Oct 9, 2009 1:46 AM EDT up reply actions

A smaller Octogon would have its advantages

The fight would be a lot more technical, like it has been said above. Seems like it would be a good move to shrink the size just a little.

http://www.fightstoptalk.com/

by Karmakaze on Oct 8, 2009 6:18 PM EDT reply actions

Imagine: Lesnar + Kongo + Big John Mc in WEC cage = Intimate atmosphere…

by dancingChicken on Oct 8, 2009 6:20 PM EDT reply actions

Crap, Brock wouldn't start kissing people again, would he?

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
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by jemaleddin on Oct 9, 2009 10:16 AM EDT up reply actions

I hate the idea.

The only good reason I can see for doing this is it would likely force action. Which is why Zuffa is thinking about doing it I’m sure.

by Andy R on Oct 8, 2009 6:24 PM EDT reply actions

by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 8, 2009 6:54 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

lol they won’t make the cage smaller by curling the edges up.

This shirt is "dry clean only", which means it's dirty.

by Sam Cupitt on Oct 8, 2009 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions

flagged for making me vomit at work

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by woomikee on Oct 9, 2009 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions

I’m against this idea. If there was a big flaw (not floor you jokers) in the original cage then sure change it up, but as there wasn’t don’t bother. I have a feeling if you did it would throw out the timing of guys like Machida and Randy.

This shirt is "dry clean only", which means it's dirty.

by Sam Cupitt on Oct 8, 2009 8:36 PM EDT reply actions

Smaller cage, more

It’s obvious the motivation.

by MickDawg on Oct 9, 2009 12:36 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

it’s mixed martial arts, not “Slugfest” or “Knockout”. wrestling, BJJ, and all the rest are part of the sport. a guy that’s outgunned doens’t have to stand and get hit in the head ad nauseum…makes for boring fights sometimes, but i like that part of mma. you can’t deny mma is a thinking man’s mix of fighting and brains.

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by theworldsoldestsport on Oct 9, 2009 3:43 PM EDT reply actions