I just read this on fightsport.com today.
UFC was pleased with the live gate and walk up ticket sales at UFC 48. PPV number's so far are not as good but they expect them to be solid because of Ken Shamrock.
Ken Shamrock and Tito Ortiz will fight at UFC 50. Ken Shamrock had the rematch clause in his contract and would like the fight to be at Heavyweight but Tito Ortiz wants to fight at Light HeavyWeight 205lbs. He has told Zuffa that's where he will fight Ken Shamrock or else.
Tito Ortiz was telling people all weekend that fighting Ken Shamrock again is a perfect deal for him, Great payday and super PPV exposure. He said Ken was an opponent he thinks he can easily dominate again. Here is the real kicker, if he wins he gets a title shot, thus leaving Chuck Liddell out in the cold yet again!!!!
Any truth to this ? if so, great news, I love rematches !
Word is it's Ken v Mir.
Like it or loathe it.
I'd prefer Arlovski v Mir and maybe Ken v Tito.
"PPV number's so far are not as good"
hmmm... I wonder if it has ever occured to the ufc that the reason for this might be that they don't show all the fights??
If I was Ken I wouldn't be putting my brittle old bones anywhere near Mir !!
As for the PPV numbers, part of the issue for the UFC is probably the fact that Pride had such a great show on PPV in the US a day later. People only have so much $$ to spend, and they split the audience.
It must be tough being faced with choices like that.
We Aussies don't know how lucky we really are.
Tank
Anyone else think that the UFC is fast becoming kind of WWE/WWF???
That is, it's not the best fighters, but the biggest names that continue to get the main event limelight???
Is either Shamrock or Kimo top 5#, even top 10# any more???
Just a thought.
Gerald.
It's fast becoming the WWE because that is honestly the only way to survive in the 'show business' world, which unfortunately is the cold reality of where our sport lies.
I remember a great quote from an old pro wrestler, Terry Funk, that he said in an interview with a 'legit sports' journalist who was bagging pro-wrestling, and it's 'pageantry'. He started going along with her, laughing, and saying something along the lines of "yeah, it's over the top. Imagine if, when I come down, I have people on horseback riding in with me, and dancing girls? And maybe when I pin my opponent, I have a cannon go off? And get the dancing girls to jump around and wave things in the air? Wouldn't that be ridiculous?" She agreed, laughing with him at how stupid that would be. He then said to her, with a dead serious face "I've just described exactly what happen when the Dallas Cowboys score a touchdown". Shut her up nicely... ;-)
That's from memory, not an exact quote, but you get the idea. If sports are going to appeal to the masses, it is an unfortunate truth that 'the masses' are idiots, and 'colour and movement' is required to keep their attention. No legit sport survives in this day and age WITHOUT making itself foolish... ;-(
cadmus,
Great quote and very applicable here.
So do you think were going to be on the UFC - Shamrock/Tank/Tito/Kimo merry go round for some time then?
Regards
Gerald.
ps. I don't think Pride is much better as they stack their cards according to target market (japan) also. Sound business practice of course, just a little frustrated that it is at the cost of the legitimate contenders, sometimes.
the only thing with pride is that the japanese market are more appreciative of the skill of the fighters(except for bob sapp). Which makes for better viewing, but that is my opinion.
Yep, Gerald, I think we are. People need stars to identify with in sport, it's just the way it is. Organisations like the UFC really aren't making 'stars' anymore - not since Tito - so they're banking on those that have been made before. It's like fossil fuels though (or Governments selling off existing National assets to prop up their budget) - eventually, they're/it's going to run out, and you're fucked...
Without 'investing' in the future, rather than leeching off the past, there will be no future. I read a good article the other day (not sure where) about copyright laws. Life of copyright was originally the life of the creator + 10 years. These days the laws keep getting extended, coincidentally usually around the time that copyright is about to expire on the Mickey Mouse franchise. Corporations like Disney have made billions converting old fairy tales and stories - which are not copyrighted, but legally in the public domain - into their own, SLIGHTLY modified 'products', and copyrighting them so no-one else can touch them, and then continuing to have legislation modified to extend their legal rights over these 'products' that apparently THEY created!
Actually, I think I drifted a little off topic. Feeling full of rage and loathing this afternoon. Not a happy camper for some reason - I think I'm getting my period... ;-(
Cadmus,
Take the rest of the afternoon off and watch Pride !!
:-)
Tank
Maybe that's my problem Tank - work has decided to jack me up for a change so I have to actually do something, and can't watch Pride! Bastards!!!
That's no good. You should re-negotiate the terms of your employment.
My boss is away today/tomorrow, so it's kinda like a 4 day weekend for me.
;-)
Tank
Normally a statement like that would illicit at least a cry of 'Bastard!', but Tank mate - you can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned... ;-P
Aww, shucks, you say the nicest things...
T