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What If He Wins?

Tiny by Michael Rome on in News Comment 14 comments

UFC President Dana White desparately hopes Tito Ortiz will lose to Lyoto Machida on May 24th.  Not only does he want to send Tito out with a loss, he also does not want to risk Tito with a live microphone explaining his win and more with Joe Rogan after his fight.  I almost want Tito to win just to see what he says, and to see the look on Dana's face.

I've been thinking more and more about the perfect storm that is gathering in the form of Pro Elite on CBS.  Right now, Pro Elite is a company tens of millions in the hole with a longshot of any real success.  However, it was just a few years ago that The UFC was even further in the hole and on the brink of yet another sale when television success skyrocketed them to the position they are in now.  If the May 31 show is a ratings hit, Tito and Kimbo win their respective fights, and Tito leaves for Pro Elite, we will have the first legitimate MMA war in the United States.  

A lot has to go right for Pro Elite to make a real run, but the pieces are in place for it to happen with a little luck.  In a little over a month we will know a lot more.

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Re: What If He Wins?
It does seem like a particularly dangerous fight for the UFC.  Tito could potentially cause them problems if he wins.
Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard Wade on May 2, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: What If He Wins?
EXC lost 27 million in one year, UFC lost 30 million in five years. By December, you're gonna be writing a post about Gary Shaw's comments that MMA was just a fad that he regrets burning money on.

By the way: I'm George Zimmerman, owner and founder of The Men's Warehouse. EXC on CBS won't break a 1.0 rating, I guarantee it.

by godzillad on May 2, 2008 12:06 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: What If He Wins?
The owner of The Men's Warehouse is named George Zimmer.

by Yasnian on May 2, 2008 12:54 AM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: What If He Wins?
Tito absolutely will not win, and even if he did, they would skip over the post-fight interview just like they did for Arlovski. You can always cite "time constraints" if you feel like it when you're running a busy PPV.

As for EliteXC, they might make a run, but as I've said all along, Strikeforce is the show than can offer him the most stable, and possibly most lucrative deal. Frank vs. Tito is a no-brainer that has already been hinted at by both sides, and with arguably the three biggest Cali names in MMA, they would have the potential to do UFC-level ticket sales and better up and down the west coast.

by smoogy on May 2, 2008 12:16 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: What If He Wins?
Just to be clear, Frank's Strikeforce contract expires before Elite XC, and he will be with Elite after he is done with Strikeforce.  That fight can happen at Po Elite.

Your confidence that Tito can't win is misplaced.  Machida is surely the favorite, but Tito has a hardcore training camp going, and we do not know how Machida will respond to a wrestler like Tito.  I definitely don't think Tito can finish Lyoto, but I'm positive he has a chance to hold him down and win on points.

by Michael Rome on May 2, 2008 12:52 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: What If He Wins?
The UFC seems pretty confident he won't win.  Or else they wouldn't have made the matchup.
Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard Wade on May 2, 2008 1:21 AM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: What If He Wins?
the ufc seems pretty confident about a lot of it's match-ups.....but things don't always pan out that way.... for example  randy couture's entire career.... that guy was never booked to win a fight in his whole career.... he was booked to lose that first fight with vitor,  the same with the second fight with rizzo, and the first fight with chuck.....  real life usually gets in the way of the best laid plans.....

by robnashville on May 2, 2008 6:15 AM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: What If He Wins?
I got into MMA from Pride. Now I feel uneasy at the thought of the UFC having serious competition. For some reason I don't want Pro Elite to succeed. I love mma and wish the best for the sport but for some reason the thought of Pro Elite succeeding irks me. I'm gonna have to consult a shrink.

by Yasnian on May 2, 2008 12:57 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: What If He Wins?
I know there is a lot of negative UFC vibes, and perhaps justifiably so, but in the end, fans are better off with one premiere MMA league.  Having all the best fighters under one roof is the best and easiest way to ensure the the best fights are scheduled.

by bloodyelbowReader on May 2, 2008 4:15 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: What If He Wins?
If he wins, a lot of "experts" who wrote the guy off will have some stupid looks on their faces.  Lyoto has never fought anyone with Tito's style.  

Don't let hatred of "TUF Noobs" (and Ortiz by extension) and Machida's perfect record blind you to the fact that styles make fights.  I think this one is about 50/50.

by Popetastic on May 2, 2008 9:19 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Re: What If He Wins?
I don't think it's 50/50, but Tito has a pretty good chance to win this.  Here's hoping he doesn't pull it off.
Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard Wade on May 3, 2008 12:15 AM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

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