Issue 090
July 2012
With unprecedented demand for UFC events all over the world, and more regional seasons of The Ultimate Fighter furthering the planet’s appetite for MMA, we ask the FO universe…
YES
Alex Davis
Manager to UFC fighters such as Edson Barboza and ‘Bigfoot’ Silva
I think that a regionalization of the UFC – with regional and continental champions – makes a lot of sense as the sport and the UFC grows. There are a multitude of young men busting their butts around the world, dreaming of a chance to be in the UFC, but even with the company’s growth, for most of those fighters, this will remain a dream. A regionalization of the UFC would bring more opportunity for this talent to show itself and would also bring new talent out for the UFC. I don’t know what kind of format could be used. Regional events would have lower revenues, so they would have to have a lower production cost, but they could be ladder events into the main UFC. I think this would be a great idea. Were the UFC to pursue it, I think it would tend to open the sport of MMA to new levels and give more fighters opportunity. It’s a great idea, but not a simple one to implement.
NO
Dana White
UFC president and the most powerful man in MMA
Regional champions, to me, it gets too much like boxing. I think if you have rankings in every country, we’ll know how fighters are ranked. But there’s one champion. In boxing, you used to have a champion over in England. You had a guy that was champion in the WBA, a guy in the WBC, a guy in the IBF. In the UFC, there’s one world champion. If there’s a guy that’s ranked number one in China, number one in India or wherever it is, then they come over and fight the guys that are ranked here in the US. I want to know who the best in the world is. I want one champion. I don’t want a champion in every country. If you’re ranked number one in China, for example, then you’re the guy that everyone wants to see fight the number-one contender from somewhere else. You don’t want to confuse people by having multiple champions. Junior Dos Santos is the heavyweight champion of the world. You don’t want people confusing regional champions with the world champion.
What you had to say on the matter ...
YES: “Continental belts are a good idea because it will ultimately increase interest in countries that don’t have champions.”
@GRANTOSFANDANGO
NO: “Nope, they have enough belts and weight classes. They need to add women fighters that would be dope.”
@HUNGARIANFULOP
YES: “Yes. If they did for example Europe or UK champions, they would have to increase the amount of shows they put on in that region.”
@FITCHTHOMAS
NO: “No. Most countries/continents have their own fight organization, the best get picked for UFC. Don’t let it end up like boxing!”
@LUKE WHITWORTH
