Issue 089

June 2012

With around 34 UFC fight cards planned for this year, is Zuffa saturating the market with too many marquee events? We ask the MMA universe... 

YES

Mike Straka

Co-host of MMA Uncensored Live and host of TapouT Radio

The increased number of events, coupled with the disparate platforms with which to watch these events – Fox, Fuel, FX, Facebook, Showtime, pay-per-view – not only over saturates the MMA market, they confuse fans who find it hard to keep up with the latest cards. The volume also clouds title implications of deep weight classes – like lightweight, where a rematch will send a number-one contender two years back in his career because he loses while filling a card he didn’t need to fight on, despite the promotion needing his services (see Pettis, Anthony).

NO

Stephen Thompson

Big-hitting Canadian UFC welterweight prospect

I think it’s a good thing. The UFC is global now and events are being put on worldwide, so you need to have more events to fit all the countries in. The more events you have, means the more people involved, which also means the sport grows even further and this is already the fastest growing sport in the world. If it wasn’t for all the fights that the UFC put on, I wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity I have now to fight with the UFC. More events provides more fighters with the chance to compete and make money. It can only be seen as a good thing.

What you had to say on the matter ...

NO: “Not at all. Not a single event in March had people up in arms about the lack of. Think the balance is just about right.”

@39JMW

YES: “I think so, I used to get really excited about an event coming up, now they are every weekend the excitement has gone.”

@STAFFIEBJJS

NO: “There AREN’T too many events but with shift work I struggle to watch them live. Spoilers is therefore a big problem.”

@CAPTAINTAU

NO: “Too many? There should be more especially in other countries. Wherever there’s a fan base there should be events. Simple.”

@BENNYKD