Your thoughts on UFC being the #1 org indefinitely

Can Bellator rival the UFC if they keep the pace they're on now?

  • Yes

    Votes: 25 50.0%

  • No

    Votes: 25 50.0%
  • Total voters
    50
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FadeToBlack

Rear Naked Poke
I see a lot of posts on MMA forums like this one with some hope of Bellator eventually rivaling or overtaking UFC, or ONE FC or some other small promotion. In times like these, I think it's important to have a voice of reason on this MMA forum: Just no.

There isn't a viable rival #2 org right now, anywhere. Losing Mitrione, Overeem and whoever else is meaningless. Even GSP probably couldn't swing the pendulum the other way now.

Unless you're Rousey or McGregor, you can't move the mainstream MMA needle enough. Weidman, Rockhold, Lawler, RDA, Mighty Mouse, JJ, Cruz, etc. don't draw for shit among ordinary American sports fans. This sport needs stars.

Scott Coker, I love the cut of your jib. You have 10 more years of work ahead of you to gain ground though. Spike TV and beta fighters just ain't gonna cut it. You need to take another step.
 
I'm sure people said the same about the UFC overtaking Pride when all the UFC had was BJ Penn, Matt Hughes, Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell.

Things change.
 
Viacom is stealing money from sponsorship deals that is contracted to go to Bellator. Bellator's minority investors actually sued Viacom last year. At the same time Viacom decided to decrease the number of events and thus take even more money away from Bellator.

With that kind of leadership I'd say they don't have chance at competing with the UFC.
 
Cerberus said:
Viacom is stealing money from sponsorship deals that is contracted to go to Bellator. Bellator's minority investors actually sued Viacom last year. At the same time Viacom decided to decrease the number of events and thus take even more money away from Bellator.

With that kind of leadership I'd say they don't have chance at competing with the UFC.
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They've increased the # of events from 2015 to 2016, including adding some International shows.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_MsTzK6LJw
 
Coker definitely has his work cut out for him but he's doing well so far since he took over and if anyone can build up Bellator it's him.
 
im not sure MMA as a sport will continue to rise. The way zuffa is doing things people are slowly moving on to other sports. I thin zuffa is a follower that just had the right luck, watch them follow Bellator with the 145 lb division, they have basically mirrored the WWE on things now so they will continue to take credit for things already done by others. I think if an organization comes close the zuffa corruption train will purchase the other org and fold it.
 
I can't see bellator taking the number 1 spot, but I can see them becoming a viable and realistic # 2. An org that will keep the UFC on their toes when they try to lowball people. It'll take some more years but under Coker, numbers for bellator are the best they have been!
 
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It's possible, but I don't think it's likely. The UFC have that ingrained, established name value now. Mainstream media actually acknowledges the UFC and they like having Dana on because he's a good interview. Coker doesn't have the same appeal.

But this is Bellator's chance right now. The UFC has a roster full of disgruntled talent due to the Reebok deal. If they can start luring this free agents away like Bendo, Mitrione, Sterling, that's a great step forward. That gets the the guys in the UFC talking and rumbling about possible greener pastures. Then maybe down the road, best case scenario is you are able to outbid the UFC on big money fighters, maybe even a guy like McGregor. But that's obviously best case scenario. The Reebok deal has given Bellator an opportunity to steal talent.

But most likely the UFC will remain the #1 org, keep the biggest stars, Bellator will snatch a solid free agent here and there and be competitive, but will always be the #2.
 
I chose no, despite what I'd like to see...I just think Bellator is the kind of name that loses appeal on the mainstream..but they are also at a point where they shouldn't change it.
 
As much as I want it to be, bellator won't be competitive. There show last night was empty and the show still looks second rate. Whatever they are doing in terms of production it's not working. When you see a UFC show it looks like a big league and bellator looks like back yard wrestling.
 
Clappin'Daddys said:
It'll take some more years but under Coker, numbers for bellator haven't looked any better.
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They set a ratings record with Kimbo vs Shamrock, breaking the previous record set with Tito vs Bonnar.

They set an attendance and live gate record for Bellator with Dynamite! and still managed nearly a million viewers despite going head to head with a college football game on ESPN that drew 7.4 million.

This year- more events, adding two titles, hopefully adding great new free agents and going international.
 
Pitbull3744 said:
When you see a UFC show it looks like a big league and bellator looks like back yard wrestling.
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That's a pretty nice backyard
 
TheEmperorRises said:
They set a ratings record with Kimbo vs Shamrock, breaking the previous record set with Tito vs Bonnar.

They set an attendance and live gate record for Bellator with Dynamite! and still managed nearly a million viewers despite going head to head with a college football game on ESPN that drew 7.4 million.

This year- more events, adding two titles, hopefully adding great new free agents and going international.
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My bad, I had a complete brain fart in my original post. I wanted to say numbers were better than ever under Coker.


That's what I get for posting so early in the morning.
 
TheEmperorRises said:
I'm sure people said the same about the UFC overtaking Pride when all the UFC had was BJ Penn, Matt Hughes, Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell.

Things change.
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Things do change. The problem is MMA is way bigger now than it was then. Back then, the possibilities were endless of who could be the dominant org. Now, it's pretty much all Zuffa, all day, all the time and the bus isn't slowing down, it's picking up speed. They have all the brand awareness and they are spraying their jizz all over the world in new markets everywhere, creating hundreds of new fans who know only 3 letters to follow. This fight (with Bellator) is very much like the one Rockhold recently had against Weidman, and it should've been stopped a long time ago. It's over and I'm wondering what a hardcore forum like this would do if they just accepted that this is the way MMA is and probably will remain in our lifetimes.
 
Clappin'Daddys said:
I can't see bellator taking the number 1 spot, but I can see them becoming a viable and realistic # 2. An org that will keep the UFC on their toes when they try to lowball people. It'll take some more years but under Coker, numbers for bellator are the best they have been!
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See, that's fine. If Bellator wants to bring checks and balances to MMA negotiations for free agents, great. But that's pretty much where they fit. They are the Arena League or the CFL is my point and while those leagues aren't going away, they aren't exactly threatening the NFL either.
 
Cerberus said:
Viacom is stealing money from sponsorship deals that is contracted to go to Bellator. Bellator's minority investors actually sued Viacom last year. At the same time Viacom decided to decrease the number of events and thus take even more money away from Bellator.

With that kind of leadership I'd say they don't have chance at competing with the UFC.
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That sounds like a Fertitta move
 
FadeToBlack said:
Things do change. The problem is MMA is way bigger now than it was then. Back then, the possibilities were endless of who could be the dominant org. Now, it's pretty much all Zuffa, all day, all the time and the bus isn't slowing down, it's picking up speed. They have all the brand awareness and they are spraying their jizz all over the world in new markets everywhere, creating hundreds of new fans who know only 3 letters to follow. This fight (with Bellator) is very much like the one Rockhold recently had against Weidman, and it should've been stopped a long time ago. It's over and I'm wondering what a hardcore forum like this would do if they just accepted that this is the way MMA is and probably will remain in our lifetimes.
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Agree to disagree. I think MMA was fairly large overseas when Pride was doing events in front of 90,000 fans. MMA has just never been as large over here.

The UFC has no imagination- we see that with their cookie cutter Reebok look, template looking fight posters, rematch after rematch, and beating the Ultimate Fighter into the ground because it worked one time. That'll eventually cost them.
 
I think they might be able to do it. If they sign enough good free agents and do some more one night tournaments (it's unique now and brings back the old feel of MMA), I think they can be a really competitor.

The one thing that I question is the brand name. I get the etymology (and like it, but I'm an English major), but I'm not sure the general populace does.

Maybe they could do a promo that educated new fans about what the name actually means?
 
Dana will find a way to alienate more of the fanbase. The Fertitas seem to have as much charisma as I do money....which ain't a whole fuck of a lot.
New talent is showing up everywhere and Bellator will attract more and more of it because Scott Coker knows what he's doing.
 
Cerberus said:
Viacom is stealing money from sponsorship deals that is contracted to go to Bellator. Bellator's minority investors actually sued Viacom last year. At the same time Viacom decided to decrease the number of events and thus take even more money away from Bellator.

With that kind of leadership I'd say they don't have chance at competing with the UFC.
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Link to lawsuit please.
 
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