It's Time to Pull TUF's Plug
by SSreporters on Jun 20, 2010 7:13 PM EDT
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PrintReality shows run their course after a while and then slowly die before inevitable cancellation. That's exactly how I feel about The Ultimate Fighter. You could say the creation of TUF saved the UFC because without the show we probably would've never seen Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar happen. Now the organization and MMA in general is big enough (and still growing) that we have to move on.
I enjoyed the finale last night because not only was it entertaining, but Spike TV on several occasions didn't go to a commercial when they could be giving us cornermen talk. Maybe it's small steps towards fewer ads. However, nothing felt "special" about this card. Court McGee winning was a phenomenal story and I wish him the best of luck the rest of his career. Matt Hamill and Keith Jardine put on a great fight and both were very gutsy. Chris Leben solidified himself as a middleweight gatekeeper when just this past January he was a loss in the prelims away from possibly being cut. And yet, it felt like it was "just another show".
There were empty seats scattered throughout the small Palm's showroom, and it sums up how most people felt about this card before it even began. The classic wars from past finales like Griffin/Bonnar, Stevenson/Cummo, Evans/Imes, and even Huerta/Guida to use a non-TUF championship example have become increasingly rare.
The UFC has evolved so much from that famous night back in April 2005. We only had 5 events in all of 2004, all on PPV. The 5th show of 2010 was UFC LIVE: Vera vs. Jones on March 21st. The UFC has the roster depth and the money to make these events happen. Nearly 50 TUF alums are in the UFC, and 7 (Sanchez, Griffin, Evans, Quarry, Stevenson, Koscheck, Florian) have been given at least a title shot. If you want to include season 4 then you can count Matt Serra and Patrick Cote.
In my opinion, The Ultimate Fighter should have its plug pulled after this upcoming season. Today we have Bellator, MFC, Strikeforce, etc. all with North American television contracts to feature these exciting young prospects and rising stars; now we have other outlets for the likes of Tyron Woodley, who did not make TUF during tryouts but is a hot prospect for Strikeforce. We've come to a point in time where the UFC doesn't need TUF to build their roster. Season 1 we had "x number of no-name fighters from regional shows looking to make it to the top organization in the fledgling world of MMA". Now we have "x number of no-name fighters mixed in with former UFC rejects looking to make it to the top organization in the thriving and ever-rising world of MMA". The show has lost its original purpose and is a shell of its former self.
The show had a great run and is responsible for the UFC staying in existence. Alas, it's time to part ways.
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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I just don't think it's going to work
I would however would like a season like Season 4 where the winner of TUF gets a title shot.
"It's fourth and fifteen and you're looking at a full-court press." - Lt. Frank Drebin, Police Squad
your whole point is that the ufc doesnt need tuf to find fighters
when did they ever need tuf to find fighters ?
thats not the reason they do the show
as of right now , fighters who are too good to be on the show just get signed
They make the show because its cheap to make , brings in fans , creates story lines , drama for future fights and makes them money
by Richard Doughty on Jun 21, 2010 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
I'm fine either way
If it gets canceled I won’t cry about it, if it stays on I’ll still watch.
btw UFC could take a cue from Bellator and have less commercials. Usually Bellator only has one commercial in between rounds, it’s very quick and it often catches me off guard.
The UFC has nothing to do w/commercials...
…on SPIKE TV. Just like Bellator has no say regarding commercials on FOX.
Here endeth the lesson.
Spike runs the broadcast part of the show and that is the part where commercial decisions are decided at.
The ads are something I'm pretty used to but reduced ads are even better
But I’m sick of the interviews with other fighters. You can use that valuable time to show a prelim (although the only other one besides McSweeney/Browne they could’ve showed was Noke/Bryant). I remember the very first Ultimate Fight Night we had 3 of the 4 main card bouts go the distance yet they still managed to stick in two prelims which ended very quickly.
"It's fourth and fifteen and you're looking at a full-court press." - Lt. Frank Drebin, Police Squad
I agree but most people wont
I wrote a similar article about this back in November
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/11/16/1159189/is-it-time-to-end-the-ultimate
Most people think since it’s cheap to produce and still gets ratings and produces some decent talent that it is more than worth keeping around. It is also a free way to add hype to the coaches fight.
I think the biggest thing is that if your really talented you dont have to go TUF route. Back in the first 3 seasons or so that wasnt the case but now guys Jon Jones, Phil Davis, John Hathaway, Rory MacDonald know they can go straight to the UFC.Same with a guy like Dan Hornbuckle, Eddie Alvarez, or King Mo. A couple of years ago they might have had to go that route but now they just see better opprutunities with Bellator, Strikeforce, Dream or Sengoku.
Yeah if you win TUF it can affect your life greatly but if you dont a lot of the times these guys wind up on the prelims of an UFN with not great pay and 2 loses and your cut where a guy like Hornbuckle or King Mo get more money, more exposure, and even more job security,because your less likely to get cut, by signing with a Strikeforce or Bellator.
If some of these other organizations were not around I think we would have seen more talented TUF seasons but now with the UFC is losing some of these guys to Strikeforce or Bellator and now they have to offer Jon Jones or Phil Davis or Rory MacDonald a main roster spot instead of TUF spot in fear of losing out on some really talented fighters.
Sorry for ranting.
TUF 10: Highest ratings in the history of the series
TUF 11: Highest non-Kimbo ratings since TUF 3
Why in the hell would Spike cancel a show which is putting up some of the best ratings in the history of the series?
by Steve4192 on Jun 20, 2010 9:26 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
This
I see absolutely no reason for the show to end.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Jun 21, 2010 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions
We need TUF WEC edition.
"My hair does not need style,it keeps the world in balance and smells like the rainforest 'cause I'm so savage."-Miguel Torres via twitter
Pain don't hurt...
maybe on VS
"My hair does not need style,it keeps the world in balance and smells like the rainforest 'cause I'm so savage."-Miguel Torres via twitter
Pain don't hurt...
by RolloTomasi on Jun 20, 2010 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think the plug needs to be pulled, in fact, if they keep tweaking like they have been, they’re gonna get a nice long run of seasons that will continue pulling decent numbers. TUF could easily morph into an expanded version of itself, and help with the UFC’s plans to put on weekly/bi-weekly live events on tv. There’s a lot of ways they can keep TUF alive, and profitable, not to mention they’re wanting to go international.
Now, would I be against ending the TUF series, and creating something new? Not in the least. I’d like to see a new show not involving previously aired fights, or something based in “The House”. Guess we’ll see where it ends up.
"The true science of martial arts means practicing them in such a way that they will be useful at any time, and to teach them in such a way that they will be useful in all things." - Miyamoto Musashi
by Kaleb Kelchner on Jun 20, 2010 10:31 PM EDT reply actions
You're onto something there.
I think the entire concept of “The House” is really outdated and it needs to be done away with. I’m not sure what they could do otherwise but I think that’s one thing that should go by the wayside.
I’d like to see them up the budget a little bit (mainly the fighter pay) so they could get some better fighters. Something like the Bellator tournament. There is obviously a lot of talent outside the UFC (Askren, Hornbuckle, Jared Hess, Hector Lombard, Toby Imada, Lyle Beerbohm, Tyron Woodley) that they could get in the house for a tournament with some more money involved.
What reason is there to pull the plug, here?
You gave none.
Their reasons for keeping the show running are vast: additional advertisement, hype for select PPV fights that extend the fight’s narrative, continued prospect hunting, additional card space (the Finale cards are very rarely busts), solidifying their brand, etc.
Beyond the original TUF contestants, like Griffin/Evans/Sanchez/Koscheck who have developed into upper echelon fighters though Diego appears to have plateaued in the worst way, but he’s still good enough to beat Nick Diaz they’re getting solid gatekeepers out of it: Bisping, Lauzon, Gamburyan (fighting for the FW title), Grove, Hammill, Jardine, Stevenson, Pearson, Winner, Bader, Escudero. There’s a place for fighters like Saunders, Danzig, Dollaway, and Sadollah. Just like there will be a place for guys like McGee, McCray.
I don’t care for the show that much. But it needs remodeling more than a “plug pull” (even with the great ratings they’ve been getting, as Steve4192 pointed out). They’ve already done a great job of the new format where fighters actually fight to get into the house. Those episodes are great, and rarely lacking in a bit of the ole’ ultra violence. Even so, this ignores the potential of seeing some truly great prospects on future TUF episodes. Couldn’t we just as easily be talking about Tyron Woodley as an Ultimate Fighter, if he tries out at a different time, and makes the cut? I’m sure managers and agents who overlook rising young fighters have a spotlight shining on the dates of various TUF tryouts.
Besides…I’m sure SpikeTV will reach a point where they’ve gotta do anything to keep the UFC under contract. Without them, what are they anyway? A channel where you watch midgets staple each other’s balls, and get to learn whether the Apache warrior could take out the Giant Squid in a fist fight…(?)…that sounds enlightening and all, but without the UFC they become less than nothing: a time capsule for a frat culture that no longer exists. It’s like the Spike brass aren’t aware Limp Bizcuit no longer takes a giant shit on good music for MTV, Steve-O hasn’t been a household name for a decade, and teenage boys just aren’t wasting their time impregnating a bowl of apple pie anymore..
by David Castillo on Jun 21, 2010 2:00 AM EDT reply actions 4 recs
you actually had me with an Apache Warrior taking out a Giant Squid in a fist fight. Color me interesting in that scenario.
uuuh yeah I write for the Cincinnati Enquirer. Thanks?
by "Mr. NC-17" on Jun 21, 2010 10:22 AM EDT up reply actions
On one hand, the show is kind of a win/win for the UFC, stale or not. They get a rights fee from Spike TV so they make money directly off the show itself. Then beyond that they use it as a platform to hype upcoming PPVs and coaches who are headliners. They also manage to get a few midcarders out of it, and create a bit of fan interest in these guys. So even if it’s stale, it still makes them money, both directly and indirectly.
However, unless they add a new weight class or two (or three) to the UFC, I think it’s really time to switch things up. Either come up with a radical change in the format or replace it with some other platform to hype both headliners and prospects. Yes, in-house shenanigans sell, but maybe do a camp vs. camp show or something, like American Kickboxing Academy vs. American Top Team. Have the UFC follow fighters around in their real lives, both at home and in their interaction with their training partners. How does a fighter deal with sponsors? What is their exercise, dieting, and training regimen? How do they balance their professional and personal lives? What about the ones who have to have a job on the side? What about when fighters have to do their share of running a gym to support their camp?
At the same time, give private reality-tv style interviews to fighters and also give them a platform to hype their fights.
Make it a team-style competition where the winning camp gets a UFC (or WEC) title shot for one of its competitors.
At the same time, they can wedge in info on MMA history, like the rise and fall of Pride, as well as give an introduction to what World Extreme Cagefighting is. It might be a bit of a mishmash but it’d be a breath of fresh air imo.
I'll watch it.
I watch it for the fights. That’s it. I don’t really care to much about the drama. People always want it off the air because they don’t like it. I don’t like 2 and a Half Men but I deal with it by turning the channel as quickly as possible if I come across it.
Keep in mind Real World is still around. I watched the first season as a teenager and haven’t seen it since. It stays around because its hitting a demographic that will always be intrigued by the show. Most men who aren’t familiar with MMA will stop turning the channel if they came across TUF and two dudes are fighting. That will always be there. Why was this season rated so high???
TUF connects casuals to fighters they would know nothing about if they saw them on a fight card. I’ll be honest, I sometimes don’t want to watch a fight if I have absolutely no clue who the fighter is. WEC reminded me that unknowns can put on some exciting fights. Casuals probably aren’t watching WEC religiously as some of us do. TUF helps MMA grow. I hope it stays around forever.
Makes no sense to stop it while it's working
It generates new stars, and that has always been UFCs advantage…it takes a few years, but TUF generates headlining fighters which is the key to putting on as many PPVs as they do
TUF no longer produces headliners, stop kidding yourself. Afaik, no TUF alumnae past season 5 has ever headlined a UFC event, and no TUF alumnae past season 4 has ever headlined a UFC PPV. Feel free to point out any I missed, though.
You're right
but I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody breaks the streak relatively soon.
Bader, Sotiropoulos, Escudero, or Roy Nelson.
You never know, GSP or Kos might be coaching some monster prospect right now.
by Electro Boy on Jun 21, 2010 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions
exactly
That’s my whole point, there are no headliners past season 4 because they haven’t had time to develop yet. They’re thinking years in to the future – when the stars from the first seasons begin to fade some of the fighters from the later seasons will have matured in to contenders ready to fill their place. This is why UFC never becomes dependent on one or even a few fighters – unlike Affliction, EliteXC and Strikeforce.
I think they should get rid of the whole house thing as stated above…Numerous if not all of the major TUF guys said that the house “does things to you/messes with your mind”. Nobody secludes themselves in a house without any contact to the outside world when theyre training to fight so why should these guys do it?
One suggestion I would have to remodel the show is to give something else to the winner..Ok a six figure contract is fine but when you think about it, a guy who doesnt win on the show but comes back for the finale and puts on a good show still gets a contract. Better yet the guy with the lesser contract has less expectations, faces lesser competition so they can build their record up to getting that big contract.
spike tv is a company based on money
tuf gets high ratings thus spike makes money on it , it wont get cancelled
the main real issue with the show is the fact that the ufc has pigeoned holed it into not being able to get great fighters , but in the end it still tends to give up some solid fighters
ie – nelson , sadollah and bader in recent seasons
by Richard Doughty on Jun 21, 2010 5:18 PM EDT reply actions
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