Are the recent “upsets” in the UFC a result of high level competition or over hype?
UFC 196 became another hugely significant day in the company’s history. Misha Tate became only the third woman’s bantamweight champion, when she choked out Holy Holm late in fifth round. Also, the Conor McGregor train came to a screeching halt as he was submitted by Nate Diaz in the second round.
These relative shock defeats came on the back of Ronda Rousey’s massive knockout defeat to Holy Holm in November, after Rousey looked invincible since her arrival in the UFC in 2013.
Though if you backed all three of these winners, you would have come out the bookmakers significantly richer, were they really massive shocks?
Growth
The UFC’s meteoric rise in recent years, is in no small part to the fact that its owned by one entity in Dana White and the Fertitta brothers.
They control who fights who, so it means more big fights can be made and you don’t have the problem with boxing where there are issues with rival promoters and making big fights.
But compared to boxing, the UFC is still in its infancy, and still catching up. So while they have made fights the public wants to see. It is still a rising force and as they rise, they are acquiring more and more fans new to combat sports, due to its explosive and exciting nature and these fans are constantly thirsty for that unique brand of entertainment.
Using that ever-growing fan base, the UFC have been really smart and shrewd with their promotion of fighters to build fights.
I feel the only exceptions to that rule are Anderson Silva and Jon Jones. Two of the most gifted fighters to ever step foot in the octagon.
Shrewd Promoting
If you look at Ronda Rousey, and to her credit she did look like a beast in her first 12 fights. But the UFC wasted no time marketing that, along with her sex appeal to create a huge overnight superstar.
But she was always a limited beast. Don’t get me wrong, she deserved her credit but this was still after only 12 fights, fighting mostly decent but fairly limited fighters.
To me it was obvious a decent boxer type would give her severe problems. I thought Bethe Correia would be that one. But the build up turned a bit too personal and Correia tried to brawl instead of box and got dispatched, again to Rousey’s credit.
So the defeat to the relatively unknown Holy Holm, came as a massive shock.
But if you looked at Holm’s boxing background, it was obvious if she had an intelligent enough game plan, though she had to execute it, a win was on the cards.
That win in turn built Holm’s profile for her first title defense against Misha Tate. With Tate losing twice to Rousey, it made Holm look the favourite, but styles make fights and though she was winning on points going into the fifth, it was more of a 50/50 to me.
This takes me onto Conor McGregor. There is no doubting that his confidence, predictions and sheer one punch knockout power has made a believer in many new or old MMA fans.
I still have no doubt he could dominate the featherweight division for years to come. And could make a difference in the lightweight division. But for me it was always gonna be a big ask to move up to Welterweight to fight a man such as Nate Diaz.
Don’t get me wrong, with McGregor’s punching power and slick movement, a win was possible.
But to have him move up two weight classes to fight Nate Diaz, an experienced mixed martial artist, who has never been knocked out, has high level boxing, endurance and elite level jiu jitsu. Was always going to be tough.
But again, partly due to McGregor’s recent performances, his outrageous trash talking, the UFC’s shrewd marketing tactics and the naivety of the new UFC fan base. McGregor was an overwhelming favorite.
Some may argue the reason for these shock defeats is more down to the elite level competition in the UFC. To a certain extent, I am inclined to believe that.
The thing is, the UFC is built on short successes. Three round fights or five round championship fights. Numerous, explosive, one punch knockouts. regular first round finishes. Quick turnaround fights and frequent events… Their rise to prominence was fairly quick and MMA is even known as the fastest growing/rising sport of all time.
So it should come as no surprise they have rapid, overnight superstars who seem to get built up in the blink of an eye.
The UFC seem to have a special quality of creating a great fighter out of a good prospect before circumstances prove otherwise.
This is the UFC’s make up. By no means am I saying they do not have some elite fighters or top-level athletes. But I feel the UFC are very smart, knowing the various ways a fighter can lose a fight in the octagon and at any given time. They are not playing the long game with prospects.
A few big wins and if they are lucky enough to have marketable qualities, the UFC are cashing in for all the marbles and riding that wave for as long as possible.
I certainly can’t knock that. It’s good marketing and great tactics. Especially if you have such an entertaining product and you get the public to buy into what you are selling.
If you look at the UFC’s history, it was always about getting to the top by using the shortest distance/journey. This is the reason why there will always be “shock defeats”. It will not take a champion long to get to the top, but at the same time, it’s likely that very few champions will stay there for an extended period….
Not that I am complaining. It’s great entertainment. Just don’t get too attached to their “champions”
