Elite XC and Affliction to SAVE MMA

When you take at look at MMA, mixed martial arts, from an average fans point of view, what do you see? UFC or Ultimate Fighting (Championship)? Besides the hardcore fans of this rapidly growing and emerging sport, few casual sports fans can even comprehend the difference. Often times I myself encounter this blind understanding of the sport we all know and love on a weekly, if not daily, basis. A simply trip to the grocery store in a tapout shirt has often sparked UFC conversations, as though Tapout is the UFC's clothing line. It's almost as though the MMA world is truly monopolized and you might as well call Dana White "Mr. Monopoly" himself, just give him that funny old top hat and a cane as he strolls down Boardwalk or Park Place. However, is the MMA landscape in for a drastic shift of power in the near future?

Found this on MMA Rated and thought it was worth letting others see:LINK

honestly about the whole money thing I'm glad that the UFC pays that much, because sports these days have gotten to the point where i think there over paying their employs. and the only way there going to get paid more is by winning, and too win you have to be truly dedicated to the sport, and if some fighters are just fighting for money thats sad because theres other fighters that are turly dedicated that need too be in there.

A couple of thoughts......and maybe I'm just pessimistic:

A company that markets Kimbo Slice as a top level fighter will NOT be the one one to "save" MMA

I was not aware that MMA needed to be saved....yeah Dana White has too much control over his fighters, but how in the hell do people think he was able to keep the company which was pretty much bankrupt before he started as president into the success it is today...and I'm not talking about the UFC, I'm talking about MMA period. The major reason the sport is growing and that it is even televised is because of Dana White and his "frugal" way of running a business.

Affliction has had one event....yeah it was successful for a first show but look at the fighters on the card....they will never be able to put on a card like that again without being repetitive and boring. Not to mention the fact that they ate millions on that show. I think they "blew their wad" a little early and I have had read many people on here voice the same opinion. I dont think Affliction will be a threat to the UFC for many years, and thats if they even make it past year 1.

Like I said, I'm pessimistic but in my opinion MMA doesnt need saving. The fighters deserve the best and cross-promotion fights would be awesome and are likely to happen sometime down the road. The sport is still in its infancy and growing. Give it time and quit whining about the UFC. They are number one for a reason.

I don't think MMA needs saving. I do believe that the UFC exerts a little too much control over their fighters. However, I do understand why.

How did MMA get where it is today? Dana, Frank, Lorenzo... it took them years of hard work to get to this point. More importantly than the hard work was the money. They invested millions of dollars into this. Money from Frank and Lorenzo, their own money. Those running these other promotions would never have risked that much of their own money on MMA, especially given its status at the time.

There were very few fight organizations seeing any sort of success before the MMA boom. You had UFC, Pride, Shooto, Pancrase, with the latter 3 being in Japan where MMA/Vale Tudo was already accepted anyway. Of course now that MMA has grown everyone wants in. There are countless fight organizations now. Now that someone else has laid the groundwork they want to jump into it.

I honestly understand why Dana does things the way he does. I would still like to see him find some common ground with some of the fighters. That way they stay in the UFC and we can see them fight more often and fight who they want to fight.

UFC has saved MMA period. The sport was on the outs until Dana White and the Fertittas came in and bought it. Look what's happened. Never before has a prize fighter (save boxing) been able to collect enough revenue to be able to do nothing else but fight for a living. There would be no Elite XC, Affliction PPVs or clothing, and 90% of the "mma" fans that are so in love with the sport would never know that it existed. Dana White may not conduct himself in a professional manner at times but he's just a normal guy who never thought in his wildest dreams that the UFC would grow to be one of the largest brands in North America. That is alot to deal with and know one could adapt to being in a situation like that easily. People are always hating on the UFC but Randy Couture and others would not be living in million dollar homes, driving $90 000 vehicles or be all over the media if it wasn't for Dana and the UFC. Everyone has to realize UFC has and will continue to save the sport of mma.

one will fall next year just watch!!!!!!!!

Wow three common sense comments made in a row.

This is why I love this site.