Ronda Rousey or Conor McGregor: Who's the UFC's Most Important Star?

[La Paix]

Maybe it is just perception but at the moment I feel its quite purposeful on behalf of the UFC. Every event they make a point to mention RR and CM, doesn't matter how arbitrary it is they'll get it in. I hope I'm wrong with all this and the mystery goes away.

The only reason I mention Dana shit talking is I think one can "anti-promote" just as well as promote. If Dana feels he has reason to confront he's all over it and will gradly use negative PR towards them which has to have take an effect with casuals or whoever.

I like the Brooks signing. What I would love is to see Dana just admit he does "Freak shows" cause this signing is one. Not a bad thing at all, just call it what it is.

This vid by our own @lookoutawhale sums up a lot lol

 

[ThatOneDude]

Speaking of that wwe guy, what happened with him?

 

[Darqnezz]

The UFCs pushing Conner & Rousey isn't done to please us. We are MMA fans. We are already on the hook. The ufc needs to draw regular folks that aren't into fighting, who don't train, & can't respect a fighter because they don't understand the level of dedication it takes to get in the cage. The UFC needs personalities, people (not us) need to care about or hate these athletes if the sport is going to grow. Why do you think $$$May is the biggest draw in boxing? It's because people that don't know shit about boxing hate his ads, & will pay outrageous amounts of money to see him lose. In this day & age just being a good fighter isn't good enough.

 

[La Paix]

@Darqnezz

The UFC needs personalities, people (not us) need to care about or hate these athletes if the sport is going to grow

Perfect! But why is it so much more common for them to push the fighter who people want to hate? I love the good guy! This is about the time where I feel the need to remind others I'm a fan of both these and will watch their fights its just the shit surrounding them that gets to me.

 

[Punch]

Fraternizing with your employee that competes against your other employees is a conflict of interest.

 

[Priziesthorse]

@Darqis theezz

Perfect! But why is it so much more common for them to push the fighter who people want to hate? I love the good guy! This is about the time where I feel the need to remind others I'm a fan of both these and will watch their fights its just the shit surrounding them that gets to me.

Because fighters who are hated attract more viewers. Mayweather is the highest paid athlete ever. That should answer your question. Controversial people are more interesting to the casual fan.

 

[Punch]

Because fighters who are hated attract more viewers. Mayweather is the highest paid athlete ever. That should answer your question. Controversial people are more interesting to the casual fan.

I can't figure out why this saddens me exactly.

 

[La Paix]

Because fighters who are hated attract more viewers. Mayweather is the highest paid athlete ever. That should answer your question. Controversial people are more interesting to the casual fan.

Ya that was a bit of a rhetorical question. I've accepted I'm in the minority when it comes to this topic.

 

[Punch]

Ya that was a bit of a rhetorical question. I've accepted I'm in the minority when it comes to this topic.

Solidarity brotha!

 

[Priziesthorse]

Im wasted right now so if im not making sense, I apologize lol.

 

[Wild]

Im wasted right now so if im not making sense, I apologize lol.

You never make any sense, so don't worry about it broham.

 

[Punch]

@Priziesthorse fuck now i want a horse head mask just because

 

[Priziesthorse]

Omg taking the most expensive cab ride right now. My driver is yelling at someone on the phone and driving in multiple lanes at once.

 

[Punch]

Omg taking the most expensive cab ride right now. My driver is yelling at someone on the phone and driving in multiple lanes at once.

i thought you took the train?

 

[Priziesthorse]

i thought you took the train?

I wish. It smells like sweaty asshole in here.

 

[Punch]

I wish. It smells like sweaty asshole in here.

Then stop stinking up the cab? Why are you sweating so much?

 

[ChaosOverkill]

"Brock was a nobody, I've already forgotten Bork. Who the fuck is Bark? The time is Conor, Brake is ancient."

-Bullhorn with teeth

 

[La Paix]

@Zeph its things like this that make or talk about playing favorites too much.

Check out @FrontRowBrian's Tweet:
View: https://twitter.com/FrontRowBrian/status/598230837755252736?s=09


I can't remember another time when I've seen so many fighters congratulating another for a mag cover.

 

[Zeph]

@Zeph its things like this that make or talk about playing favorites too much.

Check out @FrontRowBrian's Tweet:
View: https://twitter.com/FrontRowBrian/status/598230837755252736?s=09


I can't remember another time when I've seen so many fighters congratulating another for a mag cover.

I don't see what is wrong about that. They didn't put her on the cover, but are just taking advantage of it. Not taking advantage of that would just be bad business. Has any other fighter made the cover of SI? If they have, did the UFC take advantage of it to promote them? If they didn't then you might have a point, or it might just be they are getting better at promotion.

 

[ThatOneDude]

I don't see what is wrong about that. They didn't put her on the cover, but are just taking advantage of it. Not taking advantage of that would just be bad business. Has any other fighter made the cover of SI? If they have, did the UFC take advantage of it to promote them? If they didn't then you might have a point, or it might just be they are getting better at promotion.

I bet the Frettitas put the SI execs and writers up in their casinos for a week with unlimited blow, hookers, and booze to get it to happen.

 

[La Paix]

I don't see what is wrong about that. They didn't put her on the cover, but are just taking advantage of it. Not taking advantage of that would just be bad business. Has any other fighter made the cover of SI? If they have, did the UFC take advantage of it to promote them? If they didn't then you might have a point, or it might just be they are getting better at promotion.

Her making the cover is great all around. Having UFC reps DM other fighters on twitter to ask for a congrats is just awkward IMO.

There's a new fighter on the cover of a different mag or website weekly it seems and I haven't seen as much congrats as this, FRB tweet answers why. Maybe I'm looking too hard again but if she's truly the UFCs biggest star then she should be able to keep getting success without the bosses telling her coworkers to pump her tires. If there was this level of back patting between the fighters like this all the time then not an issue, just be nice to see some other fighters get similar favours handed down to help their careers as well.

 

[Priziesthorse]

Her making the cover is great all around. Having UFC reps DM other fighters on twitter to ask for a congrats is just awkward IMO.

There's a new fighter on the cover of a different mag or website weekly it seems and I haven't seen as much congrats as this, FRB tweet answers why. Maybe I'm looking too hard again but if she's truly the UFCs biggest star then she should be able to keep getting success without the bosses telling her coworkers to pump her tires. If there was this level of back patting between the fighters like this all the time then not an issue, just be nice to see some other fighters get similar favours handed down to help their careers as well.

They should be telling all the fighters to congratulate her. A woman mma fighter getting on the cover of SI is a huge deal. Look how far the sport of mma has come in such a short time. A little acknowledgment from your peers would be nice. The culture of mma is terrible. The fans are the worst ive seen in any other sport. Look at the other thread on here or any other mma forum on this topic. People want to dismiss her skills and shake their head at her being on the cover. People are more worried about arguing who is more dominant than who. Everyone is so god damn negative. It's disgusting. We should be celebrating the fact that theres an mma fighter on the cover. This is cool for the sport and the UFC would be stupid to not be promoting this. We, as fans, should want the sport to grow and be more recognized. Whether we like it or not, Ronda has mainstream appeal and we should be unified as a community in celebrating her accomplishment instead of trying to bad mouth her.

 

[Zeph]

Her making the cover is great all around. Having UFC reps DM other fighters on twitter to ask for a congrats is just awkward IMO.

There's a new fighter on the cover of a different mag or website weekly it seems and I haven't seen as much congrats as this, FRB tweet answers why. Maybe I'm looking too hard again but if she's truly the UFCs biggest star then she should be able to keep getting success without the bosses telling her coworkers to pump her tires. If there was this level of back patting between the fighters like this all the time then not an issue, just be nice to see some other fighters get similar favours handed down to help their careers as well.

Was twitter around then? It may be that it was a poor form of promotion, it may be that it was clunky, it may not even have worked. I just don't see how trying to promote someone who was on the cover of an influential magazine is favouritism. I'd like to think that if Jose Aldo had been the one on the cover that they would have done the same. Perhaps you don't, but I'll need to see something a bit more solid.

 

[La Paix]

They should be telling all the fighters to congratulate her. A woman mma fighter getting on the cover of SI is a huge deal. Look how far the sport of mma has come in such a short time. A little acknowledgment from your peers would be nice. The culture of mma is terrible. The fans are the worst ive seen in any other sport. Look at the other thread on here or any other mma forum on this topic. People want to dismiss her skills and shake their head at her being on the cover. People are more worried about arguing who is more dominant than who. Everyone is so god damn negative. It's disgusting. We should be celebrating the fact that theres an mma fighter on the cover. This is cool for the sport and the UFC would be stupid to not be promoting this. We, as fans, should want the sport to grow and be more recognized. Whether we like it or not, Ronda has mainstream appeal and we should be unified as a community in celebrating her accomplishment instead of trying to bad mouth her.

Love your stance here and to be clear I'm in no way shitting on her, I wrote its good she's on the cover and I'm not being sarcastic. Maybe I'm not wording my posts right or something but the issue I have is out of 550+ fighters only 2-4 of them get the big support from those who can offer it. I'm not suggesting a commie approach and gave 100% equal treatment across the board but its crazy how much attention a very small select group get when others can't even get a fight. Again Ronda is awesome at what she does and deserves a lot but so many more could probably get to this level of popularity if the bosses dropped their name every chance possible and got others to help drop these names when they achieved something notable. Do you really feel there is no favoritism towards Ronda at all? I'll say it again so this doesn't turn into an issue where my opinion is chalked up to discrediting her or anybody else who's successful and get the predictable "hater" argument, Ronda and Conor are great fighters and are great for the sport. I'm confident there's many more who could help promote this awesome sport but just aren't getting a chance to do so, look at a guy like @Dominique Robinson

 

[ChaosOverkill]

Conor. The UFC cannot survive without at least ONE LEGIT mma based male crossover star turning heads. It can certainly survive just fine if it shed WMMA, in no small part to the fact that Ronda's division can't provide her with more to grow the overall sport with. She's growing her brand. Conor is helping more than just his own brand right now.

This is the grand irony of Ronda, she is great for one real reason and one debatable reason, when she leaves, the cupboards go bare at 135 and the whiplash effect of it might actually kill off 135 in the same way HW is sitting still, Dana will lose interest. The higher one star in sport of two soars, the harder the rest fall if the sport that person is in doesn't have backup.

Conor does not suffer from this irony or duality. Ronda is currently miles above everyone else in attention in WMMA crossover appeal. Unless something comes up to take the torch eventually, it's not going leave a foundation.

The UFC is not so silently begging Paige to be the real deal so they can start a different dialogue at 115. The difference there, is that the division has a competitive balance to it, and arguably, if Paige becomes a crossover star, she will become more important to the UFC long term but she can really only help 115, some competitive legitimacy has to accompany a star or their exodus exposes the hole.