Is UFC Dying? No, it’s dead.

You read it here first. The UFC is dead, done like dinner. Okay, maybe not, but it’s quickly becoming a fad that’s followed by a core group of people, very similar to poker. How can this be you may ask? Dana White’s promotional machine pumps out so much free publicity, and jam packs arenas all over the world for Pay Per View after Pay Per View. Fans of the sport, and diehard followers of the organization would point to such great personalities as Couture, GSP, the Iceman, Rampage, and Rashad becoming household names. People point to how Dana White took not just the UFC, but the sport of MMA to heights that no one saw coming. All of that, I agree with. Now, let me explain why it’s all going to shit, at least as a mainstream sport. Three reasons. Heavyweights, Pimpage, and Personalities.

One of the biggest things that’s pushed boxing into the realm of a perimeter sport, followed and loved by a select few, is the lack of charismatic, fluent English speaking heavyweights. Call it what you want, but the simple fact is that the heavyweights are what sold that sport, and the last 10 years have been much more memorable in the lower weight classes, while the heavyweight division is pretty dried up. I can’t remember the last time I saw a quality heavyweight boxing match. The most memorable boxing match or any combat sport match I can recall is the classic bout between Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana. There’s no more Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Tyson or even Lewis. There’s the two brothers from Russia, and then, everyone else.
Sound familiar?

The UFC banks on Brock Lesnar, Frank Mir, and Shane Carwin. The rest are runner ups, not one single fighter seems to stand out or generate any publicity. The biggest start of the UFC at the moment, GSP, is probably followed by Lesnar, who is sidelined by injury, that can’t help this promotion machine can it?

Pimpage is what Dana White is doing to your wallet, the sheer number of PPV’s that are customers are expected to pay $40+ for is staggering. It seems like the machine has two events every month, usually with watered down cards, and sub-par fights. Every six months, one PPV may stand out, the rest fade away. The UFC have seemingly milked this cow for all it’s worth, and continue to try do so. It’s no wonder why official PPV buy numbers are never released, rather rough estimates are sometimes given.

Personalities ties in directly with pimpage. The most recent PPV’s stand out fight featured Tito Ortiz, a guy that was apparently done fighting two years ago. How often can you cart out the same old dudes? It’s just evidence that there is a real hole for solid personalities and fighters coming down the road. There’s also a lack of up and comers, who are freaks of athleticism among a group of highly skilled athletes. The current class is what made this sport mainstream, taking the torch from guys like Severn and Shamrock and Gracie, it’s just a shame there’s no there to receive it.

You can take it to the bank, six or seven months from now, the UFC won’t be making many major sport headlines, and will be well on its way to becoming a niche sport. You’ve got an organization that’s flooding the market with sub par product, filled with a lack of personalities, and no real heavyweight division. If you dig the UFC, and love the sport, that’s great, just get used to being one of a dying breed.