The Balance Between Sport and Spectacle

Since the buyout of the UFC in the summer of 2016 by WME and IMG (now called Endeavor), the UFC has failed to find stable footing.  The company has seen its PPV numbers decline sharply and has failed to deliver the same kind of fights that generated much buzz while still under Zuffa’s banner. 

The numbers speak for themselves, in 2017 only a few events broke the 200,000 PPV mark. These estimates may be seen here.  Although 2017 has not yet ended and the UFC is hoping that it will be able to close the year on top with its upcoming UFC 219, it does not appear that Endeavor’s first year at the reigns of the world’s largest MMA promotion has gone well.  Much of this malaise in turns of buys has been attributed to a lack of star power. In 2016, the UFC benefitted from a number of large events that created a lot of buzz.  Conor McGregor fought three times, the UFC also put on an event for the first time at the famed Madison Square Garden, it celebrated its 200^th event with the return of superstars like former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, and it ended the year with a show headlined with the return of Ronda Rousey. 

However, 2017 has been devoid of these athletes.  Brock Lesnar returned to the professional wrestling and doesn’t appear to be returning to the sport.  Ronda ended 2016 being brutally stopped Amanda Nunes and appears to also not be returning with rumors circulating that she may be signing with World Wrestling Entertainment.  In addition, Conor McGregor has not stepped into the octagon in 2016, having traded the cage for a lucrative foray into the squared circle against Floyd Mayweather.  Although many believe that the UFC took a cut from the revenues generated, it probably only made a dent in the debt accrued when Endeavor bought the company.

The new owners have failed to create and find superstars to bolster its numbers, and it has also struggled to promote its stable of athletes into superstardom.  Demetrious Johnson one of its most successful athletes who broke the record of consecutive title defenses in UFC history generated under 200,000 buys.  In fact, the UFC brass via its President Dana White has verbally attacked its own athletes, denigrating its champion Amanda Nunes who fell ill and had to pull out of a fight. 

Another problem the UFC is facing is just out right saturation of the market.  The UFC has an enormous roster of over 500 fighters in 12 weight classes when including both the women and men’s divisions.  As a result, the UFC has along with its TV partner Fox and its own Fight Pass Network, put on an event almost every consecutive week.  As a result of so many events, the UFC has become less a rare event than a weekly routine.  Fighters are lost in the shuffle of the UFC’s machine.  When one event ends, the next must be promoted and more often than not this time frame is not long enough to make people excited to buy PPVs.  Especially when another free event is right around the corner. 

As a result, the UFC has taken an interesting strategy of creating superfights and making the majority of its main event’s title fights.  The problem that arises is that the UFC starts looking more like a circus and spectacle rather than a legitimate sport where the best athletes in the world will compete for the organization’s belt. This is not a problem of just the UFC, Bellator and Japanese promoters of the past have put on what many fans of the sport have deemed sideshows. At some point this year, I made the comment to a friend and fellow MMA fan that the UFC was giving out belts like candy.  And its own actions and decisions have clogged several divisions, mainly the lightweight division which has been put on hold awaiting Conor’s return.

This problem has become apparent even to legislators.  In a House Congressional Hearing regarding the expansion of the Ali Act to MMA.  Congressman Mullin, a former professional MMA fighter himself, has criticized the UFC’s business practices in that the belt does not denominate the best athlete of that weight class, but the best athlete on that night.  His criticisms have merit both UFC 217 and the upcoming 219 have many questions as to the legitimacy of these fights.  Georges Saint Pierre, at legend at 170 pounds had never competed at 185 pounds, but yet he was gifted a chance to fight Michael Bisping the current champion at that weight class.  That decision put the breaks on the 185 pound division and snubbed a worthy competitor in Robert Whitaker.  His victory was unexpected and left many questions as to what the future of that division would be.  Would Georges defend the belt at 185 or would he return to 170 leaving the division in limbo?  Continuing, 219’s main event features Holly Holm taking on the champion Chris Cyborg. Holm’s only bout in the weight class was a loss to Germaine de Randamie, and she has not competed again in the weight class until now.  So what gives her the right to challenge for the title when her resume does not merit this? The UFC as promoter has the ability to make the matchups it wants, without needing the approval of a sanctioning body as another sport like boxing requires.

Talking heads like myself have said that this injures the legitimacy of the sport. The UFC depends on PPV revenue to stay afloat as a result it needs to get “butts in seats” and eyeballs on its content.  The issue here is how to balance the spectacle and the sport.  The UFC created in 1993 has become the flag bearer of the sport and legitimized it since it was called “human cockfighting.”  But as financial concerns on the company continue to mount it appears that UFC is reverting back to creating the fights that it believes can be the most lucrative and leaving the top contenders waiting for their opportunities.