WEC Pay-Per-View Plans Should Be on Hold

by Cannon Jacques on Mar 26, 2009 11:39 PM EDT in News Comment 30 comments

Michael David Smith thinks that the pay-per-view plans have been shelved, at least in the near term. To wit:

...My own speculation is that the organization's previous talk of putting WEC 41 on pay-per-view was something of a trial balloon, and that the feedback from fans led the promotion to think pay-per-view would not be successful.

So Versus gets to televise one of the best MMA fights of the year, a fight that will likely draw the highest ratings in WEC history.

I wholeheartedly agree with the above assessment. Smith goes on to say that he believes that the WEC will eventually test the pay-per-view waters, possibly later this year. The WEC's Peter Dropick intimated that the Mike Brown/Urijah Faber rematch would be the focal point of any pay-per-view effort this summer, and a look at Baudelaire's numerical description of WEC events drives home the critical role that Faber fills for the promotion. At this point, there can be no WEC pay-per-view effort without him. The ratings for live Versus events haven't come close to matching those for event #34, featuring the initial Faber/Jens Pulver bout and Miguel Torres vs. Yoshiro Maeda.

In short, any WEC pay-per-view needs: 1) Urijah Faber 2) Miguel Torres 3) some great matchmaking coupled with aggressive marketing. With Gina Carano likely going to Strikeforce, there aren't currently any big free agents that could step in and captivate the North American public. For the time being, the promotion must utilize the people they have. While the roster has many skilled, exciting fighters, they're also unheralded for the most part. This last aspect of the WEC stable is precisely the reason why Dropick and company should be in no hurry to delve into pay-per-view.

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I'm glad this isn't going to be on PPV

it’s seemed like the WEC has been snakebit for a while — at least since Faber’s loss. After putting on a string of just great cards that featured classic back and forth matches, they’ve had a string of busts. Hopefully they’ll get back on track.

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by Kid Nate on Mar 26, 2009 11:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Is that partially because they changed matchmakers? I don’t know exactly when that happened, but I wonder if that has had anything to do with it.

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

by Rundownloser on Mar 26, 2009 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Could be part of it, Sean Shelby took over for Scott Adams starting with WEC 37 in December.

by ufc4 on Mar 26, 2009 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah.

Momentum really isn’t on their side at this point. Also, commercials have dominated some of the recent telecasts. Put that with short fights, and you’ve got the recipe for an unexciting event.

by Cannon Jacques on Mar 26, 2009 11:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, it might be worth $30 just to not have to see all those commercials.

by ufc4 on Mar 26, 2009 11:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i think they should think about doing a ppv only if it was torres vs faber.. That would sell for sure.

a kid vs faber/torres would be great, but i think it should still be on vs.. unless they really stack the card with thier marquee names..

a flyweight tourney could help the cause by building up a star..

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by Anton Tabuena on Mar 26, 2009 11:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I still don't think the larger fanbase

knows nor cares who Torres is. Faber got famous and marketable through the MSNBC series Warrior Nation. Shortly after that aired WEC got mainstream exposure and a star was born. Torres should actually beat some of the good fighters in his own division before looking to move up anyways. Until now he’s crushed dudes much smaller than him. Now he has matchups with athletes that at least compare in size such as Curran, Aldo and Benavidez

Gimme 1 round!

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 27, 2009 1:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have to agree with Skwirrl. Torres shouldn’t be considered for moving up in weight until he actually starts to clear out his own division.

Bolts from the Blue // "Game over." - Jamal Williams
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by Richard Wade on Mar 27, 2009 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why don't they just fold into the UFC?

The WEC can’t be making that much money on it’s own that it would hurt Zuffa’s bottom line too much in the short time, and before long they could probably use Faber and/or Torres as UFC PPV headliners. I realize it may cause some logisitical problems having so many fighters on the roster but I’m sure they could deal with it by having one or two PPV’s and one Fight Night per month.

by ufc4 on Mar 26, 2009 11:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I sometimes wonder if this is, eventually, the way things need to go. I suppose they don’t want to dilute the UFC brand. The only way I see them growing the WEC is injecting some additional talent. They’re doing this with the flyweights, but they really need star power. That’s why I kind of liked putting the women with Gina in with the WEC. In other words, I’d like to see Zuffa significantly pump up the WEC or somehow integrate it into the UFC.

by Cannon Jacques on Mar 26, 2009 11:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think it would actually improve the UFC brand, once people got used to the idea of the lighter weight guys I think some like Faber, Brown, and Torres could end up being some of the UFC’s biggest stars and it would only add to the depth of overall talent on the roster. Who wouldn’t love to see Brown/Faber added to UFC 100? That shit would be epic.

by ufc4 on Mar 26, 2009 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

this is how they inject new talent...

The Zuffa should move the lightweights from the UFC to the WEC, and move all the welterweights to the UFC. Have Penn-Florian headline that first WEC PPV. The WEC would have its own marquee division and there would be no silly parallels between the two brands. Welterweight and above would be in the UFC, Lightweight and below would be in the WEC. This makes way too much sense.

At USC we're not snobs, we're just better than you.

by TrojanCBB on Mar 27, 2009 12:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The welterweights have already been moved to the UFC and I disagree that the lightweight division should be removed from either organization.

by Richard Wade on Mar 27, 2009 5:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

why do you disagree?

if zuffa is serious about making the wec succeed, what better way than to put legitimate draws like penn, florian, and sherk in? make a clear seperation without overlapping divisions.

At USC we're not snobs, we're just better than you.

by TrojanCBB on Mar 28, 2009 2:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just don’t see the benefit of eliminating the lightweight division from the UFC again.

by Richard Wade on Mar 28, 2009 11:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the benefit...

Now that the BJ-GSP fight has taken place, if the lightweights were moved to the WEC, it would not change the UFC’s bottom line one bit. BJ is the only lightweight who can headline a UFC pay per view and there are no more big MONEY fights for him right now. Whereas it would give a highly competitive division with some marketable stars to the WEC. The lightweight division has plenty of fighters who can’t quite break through to top draw status in the UFC, but would do incredible business for the WEC. It would be a smart business move for Zuffa if they are serious about putting the WEC on PPV.

At USC we're not snobs, we're just better than you.

by TrojanCBB on Mar 29, 2009 4:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The WEC keeps another promotion from getting on Versus. Especially now that people expect MMA programming on Versus they can’t let another promotion get that spot.

A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.

by iiowyn on Mar 27, 2009 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Come on, have you seen the ratings for their last few shows? And that’s with name fighters like Torres and Faber, who are they gonna get to fill the spot that could actually pull decent ratings? Nobody, so I don’t think that’s much of a concern.

by ufc4 on Mar 27, 2009 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That was why they bought the WEC in the first place. It is still valuable placed on Versus for the same reason.

A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.

by iiowyn on Mar 27, 2009 2:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think this is the way to go, personally. Fold the WEC in to the UFC and then the UFC has 3 new weight divisions (Fly, Bantam, and Feather). That makes for 8 total weight classes. There shouldn’t ever be a PPV that doesn’t have a title fight. Maybe they could even expand from 3hr to 4hr PPVs and show an additional fight or two on the main card. They could take those 6 or shows a year they put on VERSUS and just put on 6 UFC shows… “UFC on VERSUS” or the like. It would be a nice place to showcase some fighters that usually get stuck on the undercard. A show for up and comers if you will.

by drightler on Mar 27, 2009 1:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Or, if they merged the WEC into the UFC, they could just hold an extra 8 or so shows a year. 2 could be PPV, the rest could be Ultimate Fight Nights and other free tv events. They’d make more money, have very few PPVs without a title fight (they might still have one or two a year, what with injuries), and increase their bottom line a lot more than the WEC on Versus does.

At any rate according to this article, Zuffa is contracted to keep airing WEC events on Versus through WEC 45. So who knows what will happen after that.

by Chromium on Mar 27, 2009 10:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We have more than enought weight classes in the UFC right now, adding 3 more would be stupid the WEC is doing great and the more they put on great shows and cards the bigger they will become. They have managed to make BW’s and FW’s must see fights and guys like Torres and Faber must see fighters, I love that there is another top shelf promotion that features lighter weight fighters on free tv it’s really the best of both worlds as an MMA fan.

by Raker on Mar 27, 2009 4:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I have no problem with a WEC PPV.

I have a problem with Zuffa having a UFC & WEC PPV in the same month.

by AlwaysRelaxing on Mar 27, 2009 10:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I really like WEC… I do. But UFC is the superior brand. It has an overall better roster of fighters. I’d be pissed if there wasn’t a UFC PPV some month because there was a WEC PPV instead. I still think they should fold the WEC in. It would mean more UFC PPVs headlined by a title fight, and better money for the fighters previously in the WEC. The Versus ratings suck, so folding the WEC in would also mean more exposure for those fighters and that means more sponsor money. I think it’s the best way to go all around.

by drightler on Mar 27, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

WEC should either fold into the UFC, or get on ESPN.

by AlwaysRelaxing on Mar 27, 2009 11:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The only thing I hate about this situation is.....

Guys like Faber, Torres and Brown deserve to get a cut of PPV revenues. I hope the WEC is no more soon, and all the Zuffa fighters are under the UFC banner and they just put on more shows.

I understand the WEC exists ONLY so Zuffa can put content on Versus. Still, I’d like to see something worked out.

by Dexerion on Mar 27, 2009 2:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

But UFC is the superior brand. It has an overall better roster of fighters.

This really shows that people need to study more about what the WEC is and trying to become, yes the UFC has the best fighters from HW to LW. But the WEC has the best FW’s and BW’s in the world it’s not some b-league org it’s the best place for lighter weight fighters. People always cry about wanting to see more MMA yet for whatever reason when it comes to the WEC which is by far the second best MMA org out there now they want it to fold and join the UFC it makes no sense.

by Raker on Mar 27, 2009 3:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

No believe me I get it. They have great talent in two divisions. They should just move those to the UFC. I don’t see any reason to not. They are both owned by the same company, it makes more sense if you ask me. A PPV headlined by faber might get some buys… but a PPV headlined by GSP and co-headlined by Faber would kill. And those stars could get a PPV revenue cut. Why should the WEC try to become the premier organization for 2 (or 3 with flyweight) weight divisions when there’s already THE premier MMA organization right there under the same Zuffa umbrella?

by drightler on Mar 27, 2009 3:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah...

let it become the premier lighter weight organization by moving the lightweights there…

At USC we're not snobs, we're just better than you.

by TrojanCBB on Mar 27, 2009 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

“Why should the WEC try to become the premier organization for 2 (or 3 with flyweight) weight divisions when there’s already THE premier MMA organization right there under the same Zuffa umbrella?.”

Because that would take the UFC’s weight classes from 5 to 8 which like I said earlier in one of my post would be insane. The UFC already has too many fighters on it’s roster adding 3 more weight classes would be too much work and too little reward for them this isn’t fantasy mma.

by Raker on Mar 27, 2009 10:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs