Since UFC260 all of the talk has been Jones vs Ngannou, namely the conflict of getting Jon to take the fight. Dana White at the press conference served as the catalyst for all of this controversy. Fighter vs promoter, in less than one week there have been so many headlines made on the situation, I canät even keep track. In the same week where Nate Diaz’ return is announced, Anderson Silva is scheduled in a huge boxing fight, the UFC is changing their main apparel sponsor, and Kevin Holland after losing 5 rounds (2 weeks ago) is taking a main event fight on a weeks notice. Yet the Jon jones conflict stands supreme to them all, sucking the wind out of all the other sails.
Now, a monkey could sell Jon vs Francis but I am thinking about the general question of can a fighter vs promoter storyline work and be repeatable . My mind goes to someone like Amanda Nunes who stomps everybody and there is no real clear path of opponents for her which would generate interest. The simple question is: Would a fighter vs promoter storyline create more interest in the future of someone’s (like Amanda’s) career. I say yes, but last week I would’ve said no way in the UFC. If you have any, list reasons why it wouldn’t work or why not to.
It’s been said by a lot of fighters that the contracts are only one side of the story and that Dana does quite a bit behind the scenes that doesn’t always make the public eye. I could easily see fighters and promotors doing “angles” to stoke fan interest. It’s been the MO of pro wrestling since its inception, and that type of animosity, real or imagined, definitely sells tickets.
Dana is in a precarious position with contracts that’s becoming increasingly scrutinized, so he’s probably had miscellaneous, quiet bonuses in his life toolbox for quite some time. It’s a great, off the books way to incentivize people to hype fights and still maintain the standalone value of the binding contracts.
Not sure if any of this answers the question, or what the actual question even is, but yes, it wouldn’t be, and hasn’t been, a bad business decision at all for Dana to play the evil villain promoter to create a dramatic dynamic. When he first came on the scene, he came off as a slimy putz manager to Tito, but in 2005 when TUF came to exist, he began his transition into the character he is today and his public exposure is through the roof, so yeah, there’s definitely room for theatrics.
Another piece of the WWE playbook Dana has adopted is the fact that the “brand” and Dana himself, need to always be put before the talent, because the talent in a sport like MMA is transient and always subject to change. So long as you can maintain your status as the “A” show, or the big league, it’s always gonna be easier to create new stars.
Dana is frontman for mobsters. He not only took over this forum. He as front man for the mob. Took the UFC from Bob M. and Rorion G. for a fraction of what it was worth. They did this with the help of corrupt politicians who drove UFC underground thereby greatly suppressing its value.
Drama sells tickets. Humans love storylines involving powerful characters. Is Fighter vs Promoter a storyline involving powerful characters? Yes indeed. It is.
And we eat it up.
