Is White America Ready For Rampage? |
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The Dancer
Career record: 353-258
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: Maryland
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Take this for what it's worth but this, on several levels, is the exact opposite of the result that the Zuffa's and Dana White wanted
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Post #1 5/28/07 8:32:56AM
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MODular Approach
Career record: 1012-567
Season: 19-5 (#178)
Location:
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I completely disagree with this article for two reasons.
1. Rampage is just as marketable as Chuck Liddell...he is just a different personality, so will be marketed differently.
2. I think Dana thought that Chuck would win, but you can't honestly believe that he didn't consider the possibility of Rampage winning. If he so badly didn't want Rampage to be champion, he wouldn't of put him in the position to do so in the first place. He's bringing over all of the solid Pride fighters to fight in the LHW division...he knows these will be some of the best fights...and ones that everyone is wanting to see. I don't think Dana ever thought that there wasn't a possibility that Chuck could lose to Rampage...and if not him, one of the Chute Boxe guys.
Also, although the LHW division champs have seen the most glory thus far, let's not forget that there are several other weight classes with exciting and favorable champs as well. The reason for the LHW division popularity is mostly due to who has held the belt over the years...and I think the popularity will continue with Rampage. Rampage has the one thing that Chuck lacked...public speaking ability. Chuck was a man of few words, while Rampage always shares his opinion on every subject....I think Rampage has the potential to become an even bigger star than Chuck. I'm not knocking Chuck, but Rampage could literally write a book of one-liners.
Oh, and Rampage won't be fighting a white guy next...did you watch the event or just the HL reel. Yes, Henderson does have some white blood, but his Native American traits are what shine through...and color is what us white folks look for anyway, right? And that ranks him right up there between Asians and Penguins.
People said the same thing when Anderson Silva won the belt, yet Dana White keeps bringing in these non-white title contenders. Maybe, just maybe, he actually means it when he says he wants the best fighters in the world to fight in the UFC. This sport has a ton of talent coming from non-white countries like Brazil and Japan...I can't fathom the thought of anyone viewing MMA or the UFC as a white sport (yes, I know that UFC isn't a sport). I always thought that MMA had a better mix of races than any other of the major sports out there...and each day, the UFC is attacting more and more International talent.
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Post #2 5/28/07 10:25:04AM
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MODular Approach
Career record: 1012-567
Season: 19-5 (#178)
Location:
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A couple more thoughts.
Rampage has some tough fights coming up. First there is Henderson, then probably Shogun....so this debate may not even need to be had.
There are plenty of black athletes that are the face of other sports, so why not this one. The only people I have seen make this argument so far are the boxing nuthuggers. They seem to think that middle America likes MMA better than boxing because it's a white sport (that statement still doesn't make sense to me). In reality, it's a better sport...no other reason. People want to see exciting fights...who cares what color the fighters are. Tito Ortiz had a long reign as champ...and considering the limited popularity/visibility the UFC had at that time, he had a huge following. People immediately embraced Royce Gracie back in the mid 90's. I really don't think people give a rat's ass if the fighter wearing the best is white or not.
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Post #3 5/28/07 10:43:24AM
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AchillesHeel
Heavyweight Champ
Career record: 594-345
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: In the cheap seats.
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Ugh. I'm usually one of the people that other people roll their eyes at for pointing out racism, sexism, and other "-isms" all the time, and I'm rolling my eyes at this guy.
"Here's how the marketing works in the United States, and if you don't believe me, then you've either not lived in the States (like I have), not paid attention (like I have) or are just blind to fact...
Top tier - white athletes.
Second tier - a good freak show
Third tier - black or hispanic athletes depending on the sport and/or region"
So he would naturally write off Derek Jeter, Tiger Woods, and Michael Jordan as exceptions to the rule, as Black men always do of other Black men who have "sold out" (or who are only half-Black, or who are Black Hispanic, or any other reason they can find to exclude them). Heck, professional sports is one of the few areas that Black people actually get some of the recognition they deserve.
"This is about the almighty American dollar. What fight will sell and which fighters will sell it. And for the general public in America, the UFC has been providing something that boxing hasn't over the past several years: The Great White Hope."
So no Black people are fans of Chuck Liddell? No White people were rooting for Rampage? *raises hand* (I would get a sunburn from a strong greenhouse lamp.)
I also know Dana White has SPECIFICALLY spoken of targeting a Spanish-speaking audience. I don't have the link handy, but he was gushing about Roger Huerta, because he's (a) darn good and (b) speaks Spanish. I think there's also been talk of arranging a UFC event in Mexico.
As was mentioned, Dan Henderson isn't strictly White. Neither are Tito Ortiz, Rashad Evans, Renato Sobral, or Ryoto Machida.
And, as was mentioned, Dana White was the one who put Rampage in a title fight in the first place. It clearly wasn't "the exact opposite of the result Dana White wanted." And he's done it before, too. Anderson Silva came into the UFC with a decent pedigree and then demolished Chris Leben. So what did Dana do after a BLACK MAN obliterated a White man? He gave him a title shot, naturally.
And if the author hadn't lost all credibility yet, he also wrote, "The UFC is just as fixed as pro wrestling."
Say what? Okay, he's making a valid point about the matchups, imo, but he completely submarines himself. He's not a bad writer in terms of stringing words together properly, but it's obvious he's no journalist.
I can't fault the author for being an Angry Black Man, there are plenty of things to be angry about, but I can fault him for being a moron. He should stop wasting everyone's time, and turn his eye toward something that's genuinely racist. There's plenty out there that needs someone's attention.
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Post #4 5/28/07 11:07:00AM
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www-WeLoan-us
Standup Guy
Career record: 207-135
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: Florida
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I totally agree...Well said..Also if the UFC was fixed there wouldnt be as many upsets.
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Post #5 5/28/07 2:04:36PM
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Primo
MMA Regular
Career record: 20-17
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: Toronto
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The only reason Chuck became famous was through k.o.'s over golden boys such as randy and tito, his personality is lacking to say the least, and he paints his toenails pink. not too many "white" boys can relate to that.
rampage has personality for days, while at the same time being articulate and well thought out. you can't help but like somebody like that.
what about all the brazilian fighters and japanese fighters that will explode on to the scene from PRIDE?? fans want to see good fights, mohawks went out 10 years ago, and only bam bam bigelow (r.i.p) and silva have tats on their head.
as long as you're exciting, knocking people out, the rest is history. being a good looking guy counts, i.e. shogun, no homo, and the easiest way to puncture a hole in that weak article?? Oscar De La Hoya. last time i checked hes the biggest star in boxing history PPV-wise, and he's the son of mexican immigrants and sang latino r and b songs.
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Post #6 5/28/07 2:35:31PM
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Mastodon2
MMA Sensei
Career record: 188-114
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: Newcastle England
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That article is Bullshit!
I know Blacks that support Liddell, and Im white as you can get and I was behind rampage 100%!
Race just aint a factor like it used to be, that writer is living a few decades behind the rest of us tbh!
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Post #7 5/28/07 2:52:12PM
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Junior24
MMA Regular
Career record: 157-131
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: Oak Harbor, WA
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This is probably the most absurd thing I have ever read. Being that he is from Canada explains a lot. How he can even make slight references to WWE is beyone me. I cant even believe people were agreeing w/him. "America" doesnt care what color the fighters are. They want someone they can relate too, be "entertained" by, have something in common with (i.e. be from the same country, state, county, city, same like in music, military service, etc) Fans, regardless of race, will cheer for Rampage because he is black, or from Memphis, or he is funny, or charismatic, or handsome, or whatever. This dude needs to live in America a little bit longer before make an absurd statement like this. I hope he is not a member of this sight.
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Post #8 5/28/07 2:56:19PM
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randyleprechaun
MMA Regular
Career record: 68-36
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: Ireland
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Posted by Mastodon2
That article is Bullshit!
I know Blacks that support Liddell, and Im white as you can get and I was behind rampage 100%!
Race just aint a factor like it used to be, that writer is living a few decades behind the rest of us tbh!
I completly agree. Im a white, irish guy, with ginger hair and freckles and im the biggest Rampage nuthugger about.
Jackson for President
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Post #9 5/28/07 5:30:51PM
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argile
MMA Regular
Career record: 103-59
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location:
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Propaganda. its articles like this, that spawn hate for young kids and people that can't think for themselves. I could write a whole article on how any races are mistreated including white,brown,yellow and black people.
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Post #10 5/28/07 5:47:20PM
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DepDawg
Learning to Sprawl
Career record: 60-31
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: North Carolina
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He needs to get over it.
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Post #11 5/28/07 8:17:13PM
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kcaulkins
Learning to Sprawl
Career record: 361-244
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: coffeyville,ks
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i never even thought about race ever being a factor in the ufc or anywhere else in the mma world. i just always thought that the best man out there on that night would win no matter what color or what country they were from.
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Post #12 5/28/07 9:04:10PM
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Vietnamese_Guy
Standup Guy
Career record: 198-109
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location:
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what the fucks up with wrestling douches critizing MMA?HELLO? your sport is fake!
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Post #13 5/28/07 9:09:14PM
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Hammer of the Gods
Career record: 986-621
Season: 16-8 (#880)
Location: Hudson, NH
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Posted by kcaulkins
i never even thought about race ever being a factor in the ufc or anywhere else in the mma world. i just always thought that the best man out there on that night would win no matter what color or what country they were from.
I would be inclined to agree with you......if I didn't mod this site. I've deleted or edited a number of comments since Rampages win that I didn't think I'd see on here. It apparently does matter to some people, although you have to question someones dedication to the sport when they're mad a black guy won a title.
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Post #14 5/28/07 10:03:10PM
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Rollins
Standup Guy
Career record: 322-185
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: red stick
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Man I'm from south Louisiana and there is racisim here but this guy is trying too hard to find something that is just not "really" there.
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Post #15 5/28/07 11:28:33PM
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