WWE Promoting UFC 81 This Week

by Nick Thomas on Jan 28, 2008 10:27 AM EST

Looks like the UFC has made deals with both TNA and the WWE:

At the Royal Rumble last night, there were signs all over the concourse at Madison Square Garden as well as on the big marquee for the Garden outside on 7th Avenue with video playing of Lesnar.

There will be nothing on WWE television, although UFC commercials will be appearing in most markets during both Raw and Smackdown.

However, WWE.com will have a promotion building up the fight later this week.

The more crossover, the more people will question the validity of the fight.

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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Re: WWE Promoting UFC 81 This Week

God, I hate professional wrestling. I really, really do.

by Luke Thomas on Jan 28, 2008 11:00 AM EST reply actions

Re: WWE Promoting UFC 81 This Week

I really don't think people will question the validity of the sport based off of advertisements being run. Look, people are smart enough to know a real punch from a fake punch. No one is going to see a fist smash into a face and say "yep, that looks like Hulk Hogan."

Unless there is a bizarre end to the fight I really don't think it is going to give anyone a negative impression of the sport. I figure the only people in the aftermath who will write negative articles are people who already have their own beef with the sport.

by Brent Brookhouse on Jan 28, 2008 11:14 AM EST reply actions

Re: WWE Promoting UFC 81 This Week

Yes, because there's never been any cross promotion between pro wrestling and MMA. Well, aside from the dozens of times they've done it in PRIDE and K-1 Heroes.
And thank heavens the MMA boom has nothing to do with disgruntled pro wrestling fans looking for another entertainment avenue. Never mind that the Survivor Series does the lowest domestic buyrate in its history, while the November UFC show, with possibly the worst main event they could promote, did 400,000 buys.
Anybody see a pattern here? Doesn't this make Dana White a smart businessman? Wouldn't he be foolish not to cater to the pro wrestling crowd?

by hamlin27 on Jan 28, 2008 12:34 PM EST reply actions

Re: WWE Promoting UFC 81 This Week

No one is suggesting that from a business standpoint the wrestling/MMA crossover doesn't have a great deal of appeal. I'm saying from a personal level professional wrestling turns my stomach and I wish it were the case that MMA were able to carry itself on its own two legs.

by Luke Thomas on Jan 28, 2008 12:38 PM EST up reply actions

Re: WWE Promoting UFC 81 This Week

To suggest the fight may not be legitimate simply because a pro wrestler is involved is also foolish. Why didn't anyone say this before the K-1 Dynamite show?
UFC would never take a chance to put on a worked fight after all the hype they've done. MMA fans aren't dumb, and neither are the casual fans. They would know a worked fight if they saw one, and quite frankly, under the SEG management of UFC, there were a few. But there's too much to lose on this stage.

by hamlin27 on Jan 28, 2008 12:46 PM EST up reply actions

Re: WWE Promoting UFC 81 This Week

Again, I'm not saying it now and never have. That's not my point. My point is that is I find - personally - pro wrestling to be foolish.

As for the fight, the only problem isn't that it's a wrestler per se, it's that Lesnar is still very much an unknown that is being given a pass early on because he could potentially bring in the wrestling audience for MMA. If you seriously think Lesnar is getting main event treatment based solely on his ability as a fighter, you're mistaken.

And the reason you didn't hear a lot about all of this prior to this fight with Mir was because Lesnar was fighting for the eminently forgettable K-1. Now that he's not under the radar the issues have surfaced.

by Luke Thomas on Jan 28, 2008 1:34 PM EST up reply actions