Will WMMA survive in the UFC?
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Ronda is probably pretty inspiring to a lot of would-be female fighters. It might be slim pickings for a while, and maybe she'll even retire undefeated. I predict a decent wave of fighters in the next 3-5 years. The division will survive.
They are gonna have to get some more fighters. Maybe there will be a new wave come through. If not, I don't see how they can keep more than one division.
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I like WMMA but I don't think it will survive in the UFC. When Ronda loses or leaves, the numbers will sadly be non-existent. She's already not drawing like the star they say she is.
The beginning/prototype phase of any undertaking is always rough. Things half-work, and ideas out-populate reality. WMMA is in its crawling stages, but it can work if Zuffa really gets behind it.
I like this. The problem is with Zuffa is that they seem to get behind somebody like Ronda more than the division itself. Same goes for Dana being the biggest star they consistently push every chance and not put that effort into creating more of their own. I wish they'd invest more in the roster they have instead of relying on guys like Brock and Phil Brooks to spike interest. WMMA needs to be more than the Ronda show IMO. You don't have to be a dominant force to get noticed just look at Bisping, Hardy, TKZ, Garcia, Guida......WoodenPupa;n32887 said:
I agree, Stillmatics. I guess this gets into the issue of whether stars are born or created. I'm in the middle about it. Some fighters just need an extra push, a break, and their stardom can come out. The way Zuffa does it, they're not looking to develop stars so much as find them and then start a carny-campaign around them.
What I've always thought is, instead of trying to dominate the world by promoting shows everywhere, they should put that money into infrastructure, into fighter-development abroad. Hire wrestling coaches to raise the level of coaching in places like the UK. Start a chain of MMA schools in Europe. Promote the sport that way, and start tapping into those regions of the world where great fighters can found early in their athletic careers.
Well, I'm sure there are monstrous complications and risks involved with something like that. But one thing is for sure, their methods as-is leave a lot to be desired. MMA is still niche. WMMA is still curiosity, with one girl really on the map, and everybody else in orbit.
What I've always thought is, instead of trying to dominate the world by promoting shows everywhere, they should put that money into infrastructure, into fighter-development abroad. Hire wrestling coaches to raise the level of coaching in places like the UK. Start a chain of MMA schools in Europe. Promote the sport that way, and start tapping into those regions of the world where great fighters can found early in their athletic careers.
Well, I'm sure there are monstrous complications and risks involved with something like that. But one thing is for sure, their methods as-is leave a lot to be desired. MMA is still niche. WMMA is still curiosity, with one girl really on the map, and everybody else in orbit.
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MMA has to survive first. I get that sounds crazy, but the UFC couldn't have spoiled their high times a few years ago more than they currently have. The MMA landscape at large is due for a serious shift. We aren't seeing smaller organizations fall apart in months like seemed to happen 5 years ago. It seems REALLY unclear to me these days if the UFC will be the absolute powerhouse in 3-4 years. That's a lifetime in this sport. I'm not just some UFC hater. I think that there are a lot of really questionable forks in the road coming up.
As for WMMA? The fix is a 125 lbs class, not 135lb, I think.. There are going to be more women at 125 and the class will get deeper faster. It avoids the challenges of Rhonda smoking the the entire 135 division. No one wants to watch that lopsided battle when the ending isn't a KO. 15 second wins only last as an extended attraction if your name is Tyson.
WMMA survives with fast paced competitive fights and women learning to throw proper punches.
As for WMMA? The fix is a 125 lbs class, not 135lb, I think.. There are going to be more women at 125 and the class will get deeper faster. It avoids the challenges of Rhonda smoking the the entire 135 division. No one wants to watch that lopsided battle when the ending isn't a KO. 15 second wins only last as an extended attraction if your name is Tyson.
WMMA survives with fast paced competitive fights and women learning to throw proper punches.
I agree it seems the smaller organizations are becoming more organized for the longer haul and more and more fans are turning to those then the UFC. It is for the love of the fight and match up pitting guy against guy, not face against face like the UFC loves to do. The true mma fan watches to be entertained by the action, not entertained by the staged brawls on stage or the pushing matches or even the fighters the UFC pushes. So i think in general MMA will survive just fine even with the negitivity the UFC puts out. The womens division will probably be around but like it is now it will always be the set up to the male fights. I do not are how many times dirtbag or Tiny swole says ronda this ronda that, she is great in her division but as an overall shes just a set up for the other divisions, like it or not.
In a few years WMMA will fade away.People rather watch men in combat sport.
Good observations all round, not much to add... I just wish the womens divisions were left where the were with Organisations like invicta. It feels like because of Ronda was building momentum off the back of the popularity of Gina/Cyborg and because obviously she is ridiculously talented and ahead of the game the women got dragged into the limelight too soon. More time to develop is needed in an WMMA org where the girls can fight more, feels like there isn't enough room in the UFC for them, especially at 115.
I agree however I don't want to get rid of the women. The lack of room is a result of having over 100 welterweights and well over 50 in other classes. Although less skilled at least they are the top 25 women in the world for the most part. I could not care less about ww#73 vs ww#95.Suicidalforlife;33992 said:
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Suicidalforlife;n33992 said:
There's some debate about whether or not it ever can develop as much as some might expect it to. You're simply never going to have as many women wanting to fight as you will men so the talent pool will be much, much smaller. Young, male wrestlers outnumber young, female wrestlers in the US something like 27 times over.
It's like saying USA vs 1 or 2 of its states in football or whatever. It's just not equal.
They bring it and they definitely deserve a platform. I hope they get the chance to continue developing. Too early to tell IMO. They are almost 20 years behind the men and it shows in A LOT of the fights.
bluesville;n34269 said:
That would only be true if WMMA had been illegal until 2013. The women have been doing it for just as long, there just aren't nearly as many of them.
My humble opinion only, of course.
I agree, I think that when it comes time for Ronda to move on to whatever that may be, then we will see whether the division can transition from having Ronda as the face to someone else or multiple other people picking up the reigns. That is of course if she doesn't lose in the mean time and somewhere else becomes the face, before she retires. Which seems unlikely, but may be the best thing for WMMA.D241;n34421 said:
Someone she can hand the torch over to, while she is still competing, even if it is just because father time catches up. That way she doesn't leave a division without anyone that could seemingly compete with her, because then how do you promote someone as the best or even as good as, if they never beat her? And that could kill any sort of pull WMMA's MMA has or at least put it back to pre-Ronda levels.
I feel like WMMA would survive best if it was placed into a seperate org to thrive on it's own. Cramming women onto the men cards just makes things worse to me.
The UFC should get fully behind Invicta and keep all of the women under that banner and help them grow from there.
One thing they have to do is figure out how to get more of the top women judo specialists to come over to MMA. I'm talking about top international athletes. The UFC got 1 so far and she is blowing all of the other women out.
The UFC should get fully behind Invicta and keep all of the women under that banner and help them grow from there.
One thing they have to do is figure out how to get more of the top women judo specialists to come over to MMA. I'm talking about top international athletes. The UFC got 1 so far and she is blowing all of the other women out.
I think that's a by product of the FOX deal. The UFC has way too many commitments to produce shows now and still keep doing PPVs. Everything is watered down and plus they are sticking women's fights on already watered down cards. It's like they are killing their own product.crowbar;n32376 said:
MMAHAWK;n34247 said:
Good points man, that goes back to a bigger schedule to fill for FOX and the "Global Domination" , someone else posted here that a better idea would be to have some showcase fights in the UFC and keep the fighters signed to Invicta. Would let them fight more and still keep the exposure going.