UFC Czar Dana White
BOXING NAILING IT’S OWN COFFIN SHUT?
San Francisco, CA– Everywhere I go these days, I get hammered with MMA questions. Who is the best fighter in the UFC? Is Ronda Rousey the “real deal?” Can Alistair Overeem beat steroid tests and then defeat UFC heavyweight champ Junior Dos Santos? Do I think fighters in the UFC should be able to knee a downed opponent? Do I prefer the ring that the Pride Fighting Championships (a boxing ring) used over the UFC’s Octagon shaped cage of battle? Do you realize where I’m going here? Nobody asks or seems to give a damn about boxing!
HAVE TRIED CHANGE THE SUBJECT TO NO AVAIL!
In the world of MMA, UFC and Strikeforece are the premier entities, with the Bellator Fighting Championships a distant but vibrant third. There are other MMA groups, but they pale in comparison when it comes to talent with the big two, UFC and Strikeforce. Before I go any further
, television and demographics are the driving forces behind the fact that MMA has left boxing in the rear view window. UFC and the Fox Network & FX Cable are joined at the hip for seven years. Strikeforce has Showtime, while Bellator is shown on MTV2 until next January when they will move to Spike TV.
BOXING FANS ARE DYING & THERE IS NO REPLENISHMENT
The average age of a boxing fan that watches boxing on HBO is 40 and older. Not only does this group rarely get out of the house, they don’t buy memorabilia, souvenirs, or got to live events. For the most part, they sit in front of the boob tube with a friend or two, but in all likelihood, by themselves, beer gut in tow, and watch the oft-predictable matches on HBO. I’m not going to mince my words here, the fights on HBO are as predictable as the sun coming up the next morning. Look what they’ve done with Sergio Martinez, the true undisputed World middleweight king, he’s fighting fringe-contenders, and that’s not by choice as “King Sergio” wants to cement his legacy, but people like Jose “Sillyman” Sulaiman and Jr. Julio Cesar Chavez are stifling that attempt.
BOOB ARUM ABOUT TODAY, COULDN’T GIVE A *UCK ABOUT TOMORROW!
Bob Arum, a great promoter to some, an admitted Felon in the minds of his former employer, the US Justice Department, has in my opinion, done more to destroy any future the sport of boxing has or had, all the while lining his pockets now. His refusal to put together to put together Floyd Mayweather –Manny Pacquiaois for a multitude of reasons. The first being couldn’t carry Manny despite what Filipino’s think, couldn’t carry Floyd Mayweather’s gym bag, let alone hit him in the ass if he had a ping pong paddle in his hand. Sorry Pinoys, this has mismatch written all over it.
ARUM SMARTER THAN THAT STRETCHED-OUT MUG ILLUSTRATES
Regardless of the number of face lifts he can get, Bob Arum is smart enough to realize that putting Manny Pacquiao in a ring with Floyd Mayweather, no matter how profitable, would put Floyd in a position of being “untouchable.” Arum realizes that Manny has about as much chance of beating Mayweather as the average Californian has of winning the state lottery. When it boils down to skills and speed, Floyd is so far ahead of Pacquiao, Filipino fans get lonesome.
UFC & STRIKEFORCE SACRIFICE FIGHTERS IF NEED BE
Having watched UFC President Dana White put the “franchise” fighter in fights he would likely lose clearly illustrates the difference between boxing and MMA. There were fights that you knew Chuck Liddell would likely lose, but with a “*uck it” attitude, White put him in fights where the franchise would predictably have his head handed to him. You see, unlike Arum who hasn’t staged a “coin toss” fight since Bill Clinton was President. Dana White throws the dice knowing there is a great possibility that he’s rolling snake eyes with his favorite.
DANA HAS AN ATTITUDE THAT IS GREAT FOR UFC & MMA
While HBO airs predictable fights, Dana White, although people dislike him, puts on fights that have fans wondering who in the muck is going to win this fight? When is the last time you’ve seen a match like that in boxing? Yeah, I know, even though you have a great boxing acumen, you can’t recall the last time this took place.
SHOWTIME IS PUTTING ON BETTER FIGHTS
HBO has the budget, the prestige, the top slot on cable, and yet Showtime is showing the better boxing matches. But not even Showtime is putting forth the coin-toss fights that that the UFC, Strikeforce or the fledgling Bellator Fighting Championships are putting on. Boxing has become predictable, while the world of MMA, i’m talking about the UFC, Strikeforce and Bellator, keep the fan wondering who will win. Is it any wonder why MMA surpassed boxing in 2006?
Pedro Fernandez