MMA General Discussion and Fight Announcements 7.0

[tmurfin]

It's not about "lining other fighters pockets", I meant future earnings, by them gaining exposure. It's about bringing attention to them, and building them up. Something the UFC has struggled to do, using someone like McGregor as a vehicle is one of their only avenues to do so. And ok, you guys point to two cards as examples as to why it makes sense, yes, Conor sells any card, I know this, and as for 205, the Woodley/Wonderboy didn't pan out, and I think JJ took a huge boost by being on that card.

If every top earner demanded this you don't have a UFC 217, arguably one of the best cards of all time, and you wind up with a boxing situation, where no casual gives a shit about the undercard, no matter how much the hardcore fans care. And the top earner become richer, while the undercarders get less, it's funny with all this talk of fighter pay the past year or two.

If the UFC gives in, Conor retires, and there's next to no one to pass the torch to. Unless someone comes organically.

Having other PPV earners on the card shouldn't mean anything. He should get his guaranteed points no matter what everyone else gets, that's what he should be negotiating for, not hogging the spotlight and refusing to bring his fellow fighters up.

 

[Peter Griffin]

It's not about "lining other fighters pockets", I meant future earnings, by them gaining exposure. It's about bringing attention to them, and building them up. Something the UFC has struggled to do, using someone like McGregor as a vehicle is one of their only avenues to do so.

Again, why should Conor care about this? Unless the UFC actually does give him an ownership stake, it shouldn't matter to him at all whether or not other champs are big draws in the future. People are ordering the PPV to watch him. If it's cutting into his earning power by having other low-drawing PPV earners on the same card, I don't blame him for taking this stance.

 

[m9]

It's not about "lining other fighters pockets", I meant future earnings, by them gaining exposure. It's about bringing attention to them, and building them up. Something the UFC has struggled to do, using someone like McGregor as a vehicle is one of their only avenues to do so. And ok, you guys point to two cards as examples as to why it makes sense, yes, Conor sells any card, I know this, and as for 205, the Woodley/Wonderboy didn't pan out, and I think JJ took a huge boost by being on that card.

If every top earner demanded this you don't have a UFC 217, arguably one of the best cards of all time, and you wind up with a boxing situation, where no casual gives a **** about the undercard, no matter how much the hardcore fans care. And the top earner become richer, while the undercarders get less, it's funny with all this talk of fighter pay the past year or two.

If the UFC gives in, Conor retires, and there's next to no one to pass the torch to. Unless someone comes organically.

Having other PPV earners on the card shouldn't mean anything. He should get his guaranteed points no matter what everyone else gets, that's what he should be negotiating for, not hogging the spotlight and refusing to bring his fellow fighters up.

Yes, and dialing it back a bit I do think it's just negotiations so at the end of the day so it's nothing to get worked up about until things are finalized. And dialing it back even further, it's coming from Woodley so maybe it's just something that he was told.

Not all champions even get PPV points anyway, so it shouldn't matter to McGregor if there's a champion lower on the card under most circumstances. I think this is more a part of his "co-promoter" thing he wants for PPV's so in that scenario having a dirt-cheap undercard would be put more money in his pocket.

 

[tmurfin]

Again, why should Conor care about this? Unless the UFC actually does give him an ownership stake, it shouldn't matter to him at all whether or not other champs are big draws in the future. People are ordering the PPV to watch him. If it's cutting into his earning power by having other low-drawing PPV earners on the same card, I don't blame him for taking this stance.

He should care about the sport and fans that made him rich, and once again, like I said he should fight for his own money, and not be worried about what other fighters are making.

 

[m9]

He should care about the sport and fans that made him rich, and once again, like I said he should fight for his own money, and not be worried about what other fighters are making.

Which makes me think this claim by Woodley is all a continuation of McGregor's previous statement he's only fighting as a co-promoter. In that case, I guess it does all involve McGregor's money since he's involved in the bottom line of the card.

 

[Peter Griffin]

He should care about the sport and fans that made him rich, and once again, like I said he should fight for his own money, and not be worried about what other fighters are making.

Morally, sure. But since when are we holding Conor to high moral standards. As for caring about his own money, that's likely what he's doing by taking a "no other PPV earners on the same card as me" stance.

 

[BGDDYKWL]

Guy's getting more unlikable by the second. Tough to remember a star rising to this level this fast. And it's even more amazing when you rewind back to what was IMO the pivotal point of that ascension. If he faces Mendes in a 3-round fight when Mendes has a full camp, IMO he loses soundly. Who knows what would've happened from there.

 

[LSCII]

Guy's getting more unlikable by the second. Tough to remember a star rising to this level this fast. And it's even more amazing when you rewind back to what was IMO the pivotal point of that ascension. If he faces Mendes in a 3-round fight when Mendes has a full camp, IMO he loses soundly. Who knows what would've happened from there.

Literally not something you can prove. And on the flip side, you can also say the same about Conor having a full camp to prepare for Mendes. His camp prep was for Aldo, and that's a vastly different fighter and style than what Chad brings. So rather than try to rewrite history with your opinions, let's just go with what actually happened instead.

 

[BGDDYKWL]

Literally not something you can prove. And on the flip side, you can also say the same about Conor having a full camp to prepare for Mendes. His camp prep was for Aldo, and that's a vastly different fighter and style than what Chad brings. So rather than try to rewrite history with your opinions, let's just go with what actually happened instead.

Hence why I said IMO. My point is simply that Conor has had one of the most meteoric rises in stardom of any athlete in history, but I think if he gets either Mendes or Frankie in a 3-round fight before that took place his story could've unfolded VERY differently.

 

[LSCII]

Hence why I said IMO. My point is simply that Conor has had one of the most meteoric rises in stardom of any athlete in history, but I think if he gets either Mendes or Frankie in a 3-round fight before that took place his story could've unfolded VERY differently.

Fair enough. It's a fight, so literally anything could happen. I personally don't think any amount of camp would condition Mendes' chin enough to take those shots, but that's just me. Edgar, I'd like to see. That would be an interesting fight. I think that would be a far bigger challenge than Chad for McGregor.

 

[tmurfin]

Morally, sure. But since when are we holding Conor to high moral standards. As for caring about his own money, that's likely what he's doing by taking a "no other PPV earners on the same card as me" stance.

Which is why I said he should be fighting for his own guarenteed points. He should be saying "I want a guaranteed %, no matter who else is on the card". Not "I don't want anyone else making money on this card".

 

[m9]

Which is why I said he should be fighting for his own guarenteed points. He should be saying "I want a guaranteed %, no matter who else is on the card". Not "I don't want anyone else making money on this card".

I'm pretty sure that's how the system already works.

This is why I believe the issues relates to Conor' "co-promotion" thing where he wants tied to the bottom-line of the event and not just a PPV buy.

 

[Peter Griffin]

Which is why I said he should be fighting for his own guarenteed points. He should be saying "I want a guaranteed %, no matter who else is on the card". Not "I don't want anyone else making money on this card".

Conor already gets that. Most champs and high level fighters already get a certain % or "points" of PPV revenue. If McGregor is taking a stance where he doesn't want any other high earners on the same card as him it's probably because he's looking at a scenario where he'll be splitting total revenues with the UFC on his cards and in that situation someone else getting points eats into his profit. Either that or he's just being a complete dick. We'll find out either way soon enough when/if he signs a new contract. All I know is that the UFC can't afford to play hardball with their biggest star ever. He could easily go and start his own promotion and people would tune in.

 

[tmurfin]

I'm pretty sure that's how the system already works.

This is why I believe the issues relates to Conor' "co-promotion" thing where he wants tied to the bottom-line of the event and not just a PPV buy.

That's what I thought as well, and the co-promotion would be the only way it makes sense.. Either way, I'm over it lol. Conor gonna Conor, it'll be interesting to see what kind of deal they'll be able to strike, if any, at this rate.

Can't wait for the UFC to completely fold to him than have Dana say "Conor's the easiest guy to deal with!!"

 

[tmurfin]

Conor already gets that. Most champs and high level fighters already get a certain % or "points" of PPV revenue. If McGregor is taking a stance where he doesn't want any other high earners on the same card as him it's probably because he's looking at a scenario where he'll be splitting total revenues with the UFC on his cards and in that situation someone else getting points eats into his profit. Either that or he's just being a complete dick. We'll find out either way soon enough when/if he signs a new contract. All I know is that the UFC can't afford to play hardball with their biggest star ever. He could easily go and start his own promotion and people would tune in.

I'd have to imagine there's a non-compete clause in his current contract. Even if he wasn't fighting himself, the UFC would bury him in court until he was broke.

 

[1specter]

So GSP has colitis. I have no idea how he still fought with that, but it explains those stories of him having a rough bulk to MW and why he was vomiting and feeling sick frequently. Shitty, hope he's not out too long.

 

[1specter]

Dana in the UFC 218 post fight conference says he's operating as if McGregor won't fight again. f***ing strip him then you twat

 

[dss97]

Whittaker vs Rockhold is in the works. Whittaker KOs him is my best guess.

 

[kurt]

Whittaker vs Rockhold is in the works. Whittaker KOs him is my best guess.

That would be great to see, that's for sure. Should be for the undisputed title IMHO.

 

[Avs_19]

Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou
Daniel Cormier vs. Volkan Oezdemir

Looks good to me.

 

[canucksfan]

Dana in the UFC 218 post fight conference says he's operating as if McGregor won't fight again. ****ing strip him then you ****

Agreed. He hasn't defended his belt in over a year.

 

[Rocko604]

Agreed. He hasn't defended his belt in over a year.

UFC will probably retire the Lightweight belt in his honour.

 

[Avs_19]

The rumour was Conor's going to return around March so they can give him until then before stripping him. He hasn't defended his title since winning it but he did compete in August and the UFC was all in on the boxing match.

 

[Peter Griffin]

That would be great to see, that's for sure. Should be for the undisputed title IMHO.

My guess is that it will be after GSP relinqushes the belt. I don’t think he has any plans at staying at MW regardless of what his contract calls for or what Dana wants. At the end of the day the UFC needs GSP more than he needs them and Dana will let him fight wherever he wants.

 

[m9]

There isn't really a rush to strip Conor of the belt, they haven't even announced Ferguson's next fight yet. Once that fight is booked and it gets a bit closer on the schedule you can strip him.

And yeah, sounds like GSP is done at 185 lbs.