WEC: UFC's Farm system.

by davidhamilton83 on Feb 25, 2010 5:46 PM EST

Over the last few month I have been thinking about what Zuffa should do with WEC. I think I have come up with a solution that I don't think anyone has really suggested (I hope). I would suggest that Zuffa switch the focus of the WEC from being a lower weight class organization to being a farm system for the UFC. They would bring back all the weight classes they had before and also introduce the lower classes to the UFC. It would be similar to the farm systems that most major sports currently have.

This would allow for three major things:

It would allow the younger talent to get experience in a Zuffa owned company to see if they can make it in the UFC without having to rely on other companies to build them up and keep companies like Strikeforce from snatching up the future stars,
It would allow for older talent that isn't quite on the UFC level to stay in the company and out of the hands of the competitors, allowing Zuffa to still cash in on their investments.
It would make it easier to fill in holes on injury filled cards in much the same way that MLB will call a player up if needed.

There are always going to be issues that haven't been thought up, things like how contracts work in this model, but I feel that it would be the best option for the WEC. It would be a great way to keep some quality fights on Vs. for free without underpaying the fighters.

NOTE: I am just suggesting this as a plan for WEC as a view from Zuffa's best interest. I am not a 100% UFC only guy.

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Bloody Elbow readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bloody Elbow editors or staff.

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Comments

Yeah

This is stuff that has been suggested many times. Nothing really new here.

Blackout612- "Wuts teh UFC?"
Ubernoober- "It like two guy who just stand and swing for fence and try to knock each other shit out it awesome"

by Blackout612 on Feb 25, 2010 5:48 PM EST reply actions

I should just forward you my ideas for the WEC so you can incorporate them with your ideas and then we can forward that to Zuffa so they could ignore it.

by John Nash on Feb 25, 2010 5:59 PM EST up reply actions

That sounds about right. Let’s do this.

Blackout612- "Wuts teh UFC?"
Ubernoober- "It like two guy who just stand and swing for fence and try to knock each other shit out it awesome"

by Blackout612 on Feb 25, 2010 8:38 PM EST up reply actions

I think that ship has sailed...

There is some decent 155 talent that has been alot of the draw for WEC over the years. I think that’s why they didn’t dissolve the LW division – that and there isn’t much room for 155ers in the UFC.

WEC is FW and BW, until they are absorbed by UFC.

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" - Ben Franklin

by donkeypunch on Feb 25, 2010 6:09 PM EST reply actions

I think they should turn the WEC into a real farm system

by who me on Feb 25, 2010 6:12 PM EST reply actions

How’d they get Jake Shields to pull that wagon??

by George Lucas on Feb 25, 2010 8:04 PM EST up reply actions

Incorrect, because Jake shields is hot

It’s good to see that Edith found some work though.

Walking the line between intelligence and ignorance since 1985
@deowade

by Damon O. on Feb 26, 2010 12:04 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs

always thought she was a horse, all my buddys thought i was mangled though

by PBreezeToTheDome on Feb 27, 2010 12:26 AM EST up reply actions

Gotta bring you the green for that one…

by Kwisatz Haderach on Feb 27, 2010 8:19 PM EST up reply actions

Nah, i like the way the WEC is. Top 135,145 fighters with exicting 155 strikers.

by KimboSliceGoHard! on Feb 25, 2010 7:21 PM EST reply actions

What network wants to pay Zuffa a lot of money to show something that’s expressly marketed as their minor league? The reason why the WEC hasn’t just been converted is answered with that simple question.

by VirtualBalboa on Feb 25, 2010 10:42 PM EST reply actions

But there is no network currently paying them alot of money now...

and it can’t stand forever on two weight classes. It’ll have to go that route soon enough, either that or if it becomes viable at all, Zuffa might think about shifting the UFC 155 divison over to the WEC. If they hit a stretch like the UFC has the past few months, they’ll go tits up from lack of “name” depth.

by B Money on Feb 26, 2010 12:58 AM EST up reply actions

What money Versus is paying now, and its not a terrible amount, would be off the table if they turned into a minor league. That’s why it doesn’t happen. It doesn’t have to go that route.

by VirtualBalboa on Feb 26, 2010 12:28 PM EST up reply actions

They're moving themselves to PPV

that’s a fairly terrible amount,

by B Money on Feb 26, 2010 5:38 PM EST up reply actions

If they sell 40,000 PPVs, its a whole lot more money than they’ll get from any station for being an official minor league. I mean, look; Zuffa has skin in this. They’re obviously not stupid. If this was an option for them, they’d have done it already.

by VirtualBalboa on Feb 26, 2010 10:29 PM EST up reply actions

all riiiight

I’ll farm your system all night

by Patrick John McGreevy on Feb 26, 2010 4:25 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

This idea has been posted many times, on numerous MMA sites. I agree with it 100%, and think it should happen. Make 135/145 part of UFC. Put all weight classes back in WEC, and start maketing prospects and giving them a chance to prove themselves, and weed out the over hyped regional stars who built a record against no-bodies. Unless Faber is on a card, WEC doesn’t do great numbers now, and in this format, the pay scale would stay pretty low. Between $3K/$3K and $10k/$10k for a prospect with some hype. I think the hardcore fans would still watch, and certain prospects could draw slightly bigger numbers .

by dpk875 on Feb 26, 2010 4:43 AM EST reply actions

The thing that i always wondered...

If this idea hypothetically happened, will there be WEC champions still? Because then you have to figure out whether or not they continue to defend their title, or move up to the UFC since they’ve proven their worth. Once a fighter is beginning to gain a fanbase, and become more profitable and marketable, Zuffa will want to move that fighter to the UFC to bring in the dollars. Just as that fighter wants to be a part of the UFC anyways since the payscale is so much better. But the network that is broadcasting WEC gets kicked in the nads basically in this process. Just seems like too much of a headache to ever happen. But i also wonder if they can keep being relevant with only two weight classes. As of now, the divisions are stacked, but will it continue to be that way?

by zakkree on Feb 26, 2010 12:38 PM EST reply actions

3 weight classes rather...

but it doesn’t seem like there’s near as many lightweight bouts.

by zakkree on Feb 26, 2010 12:39 PM EST up reply actions

You had it right

the first time. Two weight classes.

"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe

by pdl on Mar 1, 2010 4:38 PM EST up reply actions

Zuffa’s big money would still come from UFC, I think they could feed Versus or somebody enough UFC cards to keep them happy. They could also promote “The future stars of UFC” every UFC broadcast. Guys who were on TUF but didn’t win could go there for a couple of fights. I just like the idea, and think they should do it.

by dpk875 on Feb 27, 2010 3:19 AM EST reply actions

Versus doesn’t want that though. Nor does anyone else. Plus, there’s probably a whole host of problems trying to use the UFC as part of the marketing for another promotion’s TV shows. Its one thing to have the UFC presenting WEC on PPV because Versus isn’t involved in that.

by VirtualBalboa on Feb 27, 2010 12:56 PM EST up reply actions