Brown vs. Faber on WEC PPV in June?
by Bigperm on Mar 3, 2009 12:38 PM EST
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PrintBrown vs. Faber rematch could headline first-ever WEC PPV in June March 2, 2009 by Carmichael Dave Leave a comment A rematch between current World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight champion Mike Thomas Brown and Urijah Faber, the man he took the title from this past November at WEC 36, has appeared inevitable for quite some time. However, according to Dana White, the inevitable could be on the verge of becoming official. During an exclusive interview with the UFC president, he not only expressed his confidence that the fight is going to happen, but hinted that it could headline the WEC’s first-ever pay-per-view. "I’m very confident its going to happen," White said in an exclusive comment to KHTK radio in Sacramento while on location in Germany, where he was working to promote UFC 99. "… I’m very, very confident it’s going to be on pay-per-view… (And) I’m very, very, very confident it will happen in Sacramento." White indicated the potential PPV is likely to be price pointed at $39.95. While Brown vs. Faber II has yet to be finalized, all signs point to a June date at the Arco Arena in Faber’s hometown of Sacramento, Calif., a story that this reporter first broke two months ago. Several hurdles, such as Faber’s impending free agency, must be overcome before the matchup can become official. However, a contract resolution is expected soon, as Faber’s management will be in Columbus, Ohio this week for UFC 96. Faber is managed by the same group that manages UFC light heavyweight Mark Munoz, who is slated to make his Octagon debut this Saturday vs. TUF 3 veteran Matt Hamill. "We are in hopes that an agreement will come shortly," Mike Roberts of MMA Inc. told KHTK. "We are working diligently on both sides to ensure an agreement that is beneficial to both parties." As soon as Faber’s new deal can be finalized, the path will then be clear for both he and Brown to sign bout agreements for the potential June title fight. Faber will join me in studio tonight between 9-12 p.m. PT to address this story. You can listen locally in Sacramento on KHTK or online at KHTK.com.
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This is very interesting to me. Number one, Dana seems to think that this headline fight would warrant a PPV with a pricepoint around 40 bucks. I'm not sold on the WEC being successful with a PPV event. I think their cards play well to an audience looking for quality fights at the lighter weights. However, I think for a successful PPV you would need some higher weight classes to really get the interest levels high enough to purchase an event from an organization like WEC.
On a sidenote, this would be a Sacremento event. Which would make it 3 times Mike Brown has had to fight in a hostile territory. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the guy just defended his belt and is the current champ. Why can't they throw the guy a bone and put this event in Florida or somewhere close to his training camp? The love they have for Faber is just amazing.
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Sounds good to me!
The WEC puts on great cards on Versus. Often I think to myself, “This is better than the last PPV I shelled out $50 for”. For the first PPV, though, I’d like to see Faber AND Torres fight. Although, if Faber beats Brown, one could imagine them fighting each other in the near future. Regardless, though, the WEC has a pretty deep stable of FWs and BWs and with more eastern fighters migrating westward, the possibilities are endless. If Kid Yammamoto comes over, the WEC could have a number of cards that would be PPV-worthy.
There's a WAMMA belt in my Cracker Jacks!
I think they’d have a lot better chance of having a succesful PPV if they could have signed Gina. They are probably gonna have to put Torres and Faber on the same card to have any hope of selling more than 50,000 PPV’s and then their next card is gonna be pretty bare.
Belts
I think one of the only ways to make this marketable is to have fights for championships. Brown v Faber, Torres v Whoever and depending on Varner’s health you could have the Varner v Cerrone rematch as well.
Hope you don't mind...
I added a poll that I’m curious to see the results of.
Contributor Emeritus - BloodyElbow.com
I really can’t answer that poll Chris, there are a ton of factors to consider. That’s like asking would you buy a UFC PPV- UFC 92, sure, UFC 94, no.
That seems a little over the top. I enjoyed both shows.
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
Perhaps. 94 was def more hype than anything. 93 was lackluster to say the least. I thought 95 was better than both of them.
If you say so. I enjoyed every fight on 93 and 94 certainly had its moments.
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
You can’t?
Based on what I have seen from the WEC, I think I have a pretty good idea of their product by now.
I do too, but let’s say they have their first PPV in June with Brown vs. Faber and Torres vs. whoever, would you be willing to shell out $40 again a month or two later knowing neither one would be on the card? And what if their is a UFC PPV a week later, are you willing to shell out for both?
I would think most would infer that the poll would be based on a Faber/Brown headlining spot since that is all of the info we have at this point.
I personally would not pay $40 for a WEC show because watching 5-8 fights of 155lbs and below is not doing it for me. I need to see some welterweights and middleweights as well as LHW and heavy. I don’t think the WEC would sell too many PPV’s even with Faber or Torres headling every show, which is not even possible unless they offer 2 per year.
You’re telling me 70% of you wouldn’t pay to watch Faber vs Brown? It doesn’t even suggest a cost or proposed card. Say it’s Faber vs Brown and Torres vs Bowles, with Aldo, Garcia and several others in promising match-ups. I find that unusual. I’d buck up for sure..
"I hit [Evensen], and you could just see it in his head. He went, 'Oh, man. We don't have to do this anymore. I'm good. Thanks for having me. I'm going to go home now." -Pat "The Real Techno Viking" Berry
^ this. But that’s what the government cheese I don’t spend on the black market is for.
by Derek Suboticki on Mar 3, 2009 7:04 PM EST up reply actions
No
Look at the poll question. It doesn’t associate with any of the proposed details. It’s broadly stated.
"I hit [Evensen], and you could just see it in his head. He went, 'Oh, man. We don't have to do this anymore. I'm good. Thanks for having me. I'm going to go home now." -Pat "The Real Techno Viking" Berry
I would buy it once or twice a year, if the card is right.
i don’t know that they have the drawing power on their own to do big numbers, but perhaps adding a superfight between UFC guys or something like Gina/Cyborg, could make it more attractive.
Personally, I would much rather see them do a UFC/WEC hybrid card featuring Faber/Brown and some #1 contender fight from the UFC that doesn’t have the drawing power on its own. Then just mix the UC fights up. Even have a UFC LW fight a WEC lightweight or something.
If you're not submitting, you're just rolling around with another guy.
I'm on board with that logic
Once or twice annually and perhaps a quarterly cross promoted card with the UFC. That would be 5-6 of their events and would save them from exhausting Faber and Torres out of the necessity of having them on major cards.
"I hit [Evensen], and you could just see it in his head. He went, 'Oh, man. We don't have to do this anymore. I'm good. Thanks for having me. I'm going to go home now." -Pat "The Real Techno Viking" Berry
Also, the UFC really should incorporate a 145 division so guys like Faber, Torres (He could make 145), Aldo, Brown, Garcia etc could really shine in a bigger show environement.
I would think the UFC could fold the WEC altogether and just create a 145 division and then bring in guys like Varner, Razor, Cerrone into the 155 fold there as well.
Gotta disagree.
The WEC provides a good proving ground and a way to keep more fighters employed, as well as expanding mma in general.
Now I wouldn’t mind seeing someone like Faber on a UFC card, as a special WEC attraction, to simply give him and the WEC more exposure.
Rather than the UFC bringing in more divisions, I would prefer to see their own fighters more often.
I could get on board a UFC2 or UFC Light name change, but not folding it outright.
If you're not submitting, you're just rolling around with another guy.
I’d probably buy it, but it doesn’t seem like that great of an idea at this juncture. They really need to build up some compelling fights. The last few cards on Versus haven’t been as good as they’ve been in the past. Some of it’s matchmaking, some of it is the unpredictability of MMA, and you can blame some of it on the gaudy amount of commercials. Granted, PPV would mostly take care of the need for ad spots, but they’ve already done some damage to the recent shows that could spill over into PPV numbers. I think the decline in viewers indicates a problem(s).
I personally would buy a WEC PPV in a heartbeat. I really have never been disapointed with a wec show. Let me ask you this. Would you buy this card for a PPV. I think they would have to have all the big guns for there first PPV.
Cerrone vs Varner
Brown vs Faber
Torres vs Bowles
Jose Aldo vs Leonard Garcia
Jens Pulver vs Cub Swanson
Manny Tapia vs Damacio Page
Razor Rob vs Ricardo Lamas
Manny Gambuyrian vs Josh grispi
I think that would be an incredible PPV
That’s a wonderful show, to see live. Would you still be willing to fork over $40 knowing you’d only get to see half those fights, especially with 3 title fights? They aren’t gonna have a 5 hour PPV.
Eight WEC fights take five hours?
Have you watched a two hour WEC card w/ commercials on Versus? I believe five fights made Sunday’s televised portion.
"I hit [Evensen], and you could just see it in his head. He went, 'Oh, man. We don't have to do this anymore. I'm good. Thanks for having me. I'm going to go home now." -Pat "The Real Techno Viking" Berry
That’s quite the WEC megacard.
"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 3, 2009 11:13 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t think they necessarily need to have the LW title defended, but they do need both Faber/Brown and Torres/Bowles (assuming Torres successfully retains in April).
Also, $39.95 is about ten dollars too much. I don’t think the WEC is yet popular enough to warrant it. If they are breaking 100k buys a year from now, [i]then[/i] they should up the price.
Also, in addition to Flyweights, I think the WEC ought to strongly consider doing women’s matches now even without Gina Carano. Just start doing exhibition matches at 135 and 125, and hopefully a star will emerge.
On a sidenote, this would be a Sacremento event. Which would make it 3 times Mike Brown has had to fight in a hostile territory. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the guy just defended his belt and is the current champ. Why can’t they throw the guy a bone and put this event in Florida or somewhere close to his training camp? The love they have for Faber is just amazing.
…. didn’t Brown win the belt in Florida? I thought the first Brown/Faber fight was in Brown’s backyard.
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