This doesn't happen in any other org or sport as often. What gives?
Why do so many fighters pull from UFC fights?
- Thread starter Buff Bagginz
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it's baffling IMO. There is no logical explanation for it other than USADA.
I follow MMA, boxing, muay thai, kickboxing; I see early weigh ins, late weigh ins, day-before weigh ins, same day weigh ins; in no other sport this happens so often and in no other org other than the ufc does it happen so often.
if someone misses weight in Bellator they make up a weird catchweight and go on with it. if someone misses weight in the ufc, it's mistery, a full day of controversial news about whether the fight will happen or not and thousands of PPV sales thrown in the trash. so I can only think of USADA.
I follow MMA, boxing, muay thai, kickboxing; I see early weigh ins, late weigh ins, day-before weigh ins, same day weigh ins; in no other sport this happens so often and in no other org other than the ufc does it happen so often.
if someone misses weight in Bellator they make up a weird catchweight and go on with it. if someone misses weight in the ufc, it's mistery, a full day of controversial news about whether the fight will happen or not and thousands of PPV sales thrown in the trash. so I can only think of USADA.
bah edit*
2014 was when the pull-outs started happening & that was before USADA
2014 was a crap year for fights
@regular john- 2014, there were 153 changes to cards because of injury or illness, either directly or indirectly.
- 2014, there were only three events (out of 46) that did not go through any changes, injuries or otherwise, whatsoever: the TUF 19 Finale, UFC Fight Night 57, and the TUF 20 Finale.
Im not sure if you are joking but you are actually more right then you think. USADA has a crazy list of banned substances, some that are OTC and most of these guys if not all take or have taken an OTC that is now banned and for the rest who were using PEDs have most likely with training, fighting, lifting etc ruined their joints and tendons a bit and now that they cant have their aid, they get hurt. PEDs will literally hold you together and without them you can literally slowly slowly fall apart. There are many reasons I never got heavy into PEDs and this was one of them that I realized at a very young age. I was lucky to not be one of those "I wish i was smarter when i was younger" guys. I knew that shit could get you all fucked up and i wasnt intelligent enough about PEDs to use them. Now I totally could but to start in my 30s is dumb.
Because they get anxiety about wearing them faggy Reebok kits on TV.
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You heard anything about Conor vs Khabib being announced this Saturday?
I remember it because that was the year PPV dipped badly & everyone started with "UFC is dying"
- 2014, there were 153 changes to cards because of injury or illness, either directly or indirectly.
- 2014, there were only three events (out of 46) that did not go through any changes, injuries or otherwise, whatsoever: the TUF 19 Finale, UFC Fight Night 57, and the TUF 20 Finale.
This Saturday?
Not that exact date, but there are rumors they are negotiating for October 2018.
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I meant they're gonna make the announcement at Saturday's event.
I know lol
I didn't hear anything that they had a deal ready to be announced is what I meant
but it could be. They need good press.
I heard the man in the mask is gonna show up at the weigh in for Tito vs Chuck, but this time it's gonna be the masked magician, in his mask, under the mask.
Then he will disappear and Stephan bonnar will emerge from some smoke
Then he will disappear and Stephan bonnar will emerge from some smoke
Wrong thread man?
It has absolutely nothing to do with USAda, absolutely zero to with them
If you blow out an acl in trainging, did they used to have a pill that could fix that in a few days?
Is there a pill that can solve max Holloway’s brain being concussed?
Is there a pill that can erase a broken foot or broken leg?
USAda has nothing to do with this, it’s called life
If you blow out an acl in trainging, did they used to have a pill that could fix that in a few days?
Is there a pill that can solve max Holloway’s brain being concussed?
Is there a pill that can erase a broken foot or broken leg?
USAda has nothing to do with this, it’s called life
Fighter insurance is a key factor that started the trend, and USADA has come in to make it worse.
This is on top of the reasons that exist MMA-wide that separate it from boxing, such as a more extreme weigh cutting culture (which itself has multiple reasons for existing) or the extra demands on the body due to such diverse training requirements. And this would be heightened in the UFC due to increased competitive pressure.
The combination of increased overall fighter pay but large inequalities between bottom and top guys is another factor. When guys don't have to fight just to survive, they can pull out of fights, and they also have a further incentive not to fight injured if a loss severely hurts their earning potential.
So unfortunately there is a perfect storm in the UFC. A few more weight classes, proper weight cut regulation and relaxing USADA would help a lot. But the other factors would mean the problem wouldn't go away.
This is on top of the reasons that exist MMA-wide that separate it from boxing, such as a more extreme weigh cutting culture (which itself has multiple reasons for existing) or the extra demands on the body due to such diverse training requirements. And this would be heightened in the UFC due to increased competitive pressure.
The combination of increased overall fighter pay but large inequalities between bottom and top guys is another factor. When guys don't have to fight just to survive, they can pull out of fights, and they also have a further incentive not to fight injured if a loss severely hurts their earning potential.
So unfortunately there is a perfect storm in the UFC. A few more weight classes, proper weight cut regulation and relaxing USADA would help a lot. But the other factors would mean the problem wouldn't go away.
Thanks for the info, that's interesting. I would like to see detailed data about cancelled fights, etc. throughout the last years. I remember 2014, it seemed more like sheer bad luck. in my impression, since USADA showed up, last minute shenanigans are more common though. not pulling from a fight a month/a week out, but big shenanigans the day before the fight and mystery whether the fight will go down or not for a whole day.
I remember it because that was the year PPV dipped badly & everyone started with "UFC is dying"
- 2014, there were 153 changes to cards because of injury or illness, either directly or indirectly.
- 2014, there were only three events (out of 46) that did not go through any changes, injuries or otherwise, whatsoever: the TUF 19 Finale, UFC Fight Night 57, and the TUF 20 Finale.
Anyway I just can't understand why this kind of thing happens so often in the ufc. Maybe it's guys training like retards; maybe it's bad luck; maybe MMA training is more injury prone than any other sport in the world... But for instance Dutch kickboxing training is 1-on-1 drills with guys hitting each other, only striking 100% of the time and the dutch are known for going balls out in sparring. But they don't pull out of fights nearly as often as MMA fighters.
One big factor IMO is the whole culture of epic weight cutting and training camps. You enter into a do-or-die enterprise, kill yourself in training for a couple months then get in the cage prepared to die. After that you wanna take a time off, balloon up in weight, lose reflexes, bask in the glory of your last fight...then you have to enter a "training camp" again, kill yourself again - which leads to more injuries.
if these guys fought more often and stayed in shape they wouldn't cut so much weight and would be less likely to pull off from a fight. if you count on paydays from 5-6 fights an year and you miss one of them, you can't get it back; But if you fight once or twice an year, then you have all incentive to pull out from a fight at the slightest injury and fight a month later.
I have always contended that since the UFC brutally uses a fighters losses against him as a bulgeon and have NEVER rewarded guys who come in on short notice or fought injured, guys just figured it wasn't worth the danger of fighting hurt because a single loss is a disaster in the UFC that can wreck your career for years or permanently and no one in management takes your heart into consideration (beyond the occasional positive post-fight comment by Dana that he has forgotten by the time he finished breakfast the next morning).
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I think the last paragraph was excellent, but I don't see anybody fighting 5-6x. 3 should be reality & that would mean about 1/2 the year they would be training for a fight & thus being in better shape since they would only have 2 months off between training camps
certainly nobody is fighting MMA 5-6 times an year at a high level. in other combat sports it's not crazy to see someone fighting 10 times an year in their prime. I don't think it should be crazy for an MMA fighter to fight 5 times an year during his prime. Some of the best runs recently in MMA (Conor, Cerrone, RDA) happened when guys were fighting every 3-4 months which still doesn't ammount to 5x/year but it would already be a world of difference from the current trend of averaging ~1.5 fight an year.
If everything goes right: Fight, win, fight two months later, win, fight three months later; take a month off; get in shape for two months, fight again, win, fight again two months later - that's ten months (with a month off), getting 5 paydays and leaving two months for a good vacation.
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I think this does have a lot to do with it. The UFC business and promotional practices have caused fighters to be a lot of more cautious and calculated.