One thing Paige Van Zant was right about was saying the UFC loves giving some fighters a horrible matchup for the last fight on your contract. I have noticed them do this for years. Negotiating with someone coming off a bad loss gives them a big advantage in allowing them to pay the fighter less. Most of the time they match them with an up and coming fighter that the UFC knows is great but that doesn’t have a big name. They kill 2 birds with 1 stone. They get a big win and help grow a new name and they devalue the fighters whose contract is ending. It is such a scumbag move but also smart business at the same time. A few times that come to mind that this has happened was Tito’s last fight. They fed him to an up and coming unknown Machida. Rampage got fed to an up and coming Glover. And I’m convinced the UFC picked Maia for Askren because they knew it wouldn’t go well.
I don't know what people expect of fighters in the top fight league in the known universe. I'm sorry that it hurts your feelings that they have to fight really good opponents. It kind of comes with the territory. If they can't beat them, that's not the UFC's fault.
They definitely do give fighters tough opponents when it’s the last fight on their contract, but the Askren vs Maia fight was good intriguing matchmaking in my opinion.
When Askren got signed by the UFC, that was probably the fight I wanted to see the most for him as it’s two of the best mma grapplers going at it. I’m glad I got to see that fight before he retired.
Gennady Goblin -I don't know what people expect of fighters in the top fight league in the known universe. I'm sorry that it hurts your feelings that they have to fight really good opponents. It kind of comes with the territory. If they can't beat them, that's not the UFC's fault.
Lmao thank you!
S Dubaya -One thing Paige Van Zant was right about was saying the UFC loves giving some fighters a horrible matchup for the last fight on your contract. I have noticed them do this for years. Negotiating with someone coming off a bad loss gives them a big advantage in allowing them to pay the fighter less. Most of the time they match them with an up and coming fighter that the UFC knows is great but that doesn’t have a big name. They kill 2 birds with 1 stone. They get a big win and help grow a new name and they devalue the fighters whose contract is ending. It is such a scumbag move but also smart business at the same time. A few times that come to mind that this has happened was Tito’s last fight. They fed him to an up and coming unknown Machida. Rampage got fed to an up and coming Glover. And I’m convinced the UFC picked Maia for Askren because they knew it wouldn’t go well.
What if Tito finished that triangle? The UFC could look a bit different today.
It’s backfired plenty of times...Shields vs Henderson is one example
Askren and Maia were both ranked when they fought. How is that giving Askren a "horrible" matchup? If anything, it was giving Maia a tough fight, considering his previous two were against Martin and Good, and his 3 fights before those were against ranked opponents and didn't go so well for him. If you're ranked, you should have no problem accepting a fight against another ranked opponent just because you think your strengths don't match up with their weaknesses.
No fighters are forced to take fights offered by the UFC, other than champs who are offered a defense against the #1 ranked contender and risk being stripped if they refuse the fight.
(Side note: Was Askren actually on the last fight of his contract? It was only his 3rd UFC fight.)
I don't think it was completely the UFC's fault. She had the match and plenty of time to prepare. She could have put on a better performance just as much as they could have given her someone else. Has she been calling out a different opponent beforehand? That's the best way for fighters to gain an upper hand in that regard.
This is an odd sentiment.
So when any fighter is on his last contracted fight, the ufc is supposed to bring in a can and set them up for a win ? Doesnt that delegitimize the sport aspect quite a bit ? If you want easy fights then you dont belong in the ufc.
I dont like the ufcs sleazy model, but this is just sour grapes from a girl who thinks she can make 100k working at aeropostale.
If you cant beat your opponents then you prolly dont belong in the top org.
Isn't Ribas actually a weight lower than PVZ?
PVZ went from a super hot looking fighter to an annoying little girl that I root against in life as well as in fights. She needs to grow up and shut up.
Nice theory OP but hard to prove. Btw I though Askren would beat Maia.
All these other hard hitting anti wrestlers at 170 are way tougher match ups for Askren.
Maybe she's just not that great of a fighter. She's 8-5
I'm about as anti-Zuffa, anti-"The Man" as they come, but complaining about match ups just comes off weak. The only exception to that would be complaining about "not a big enough name", which sort of makes sense. But complaining about being matched up with someone who is "too hard" who is also way down in the rankings or unranked? It's very revealing about character.
The UFC should be reserved for killers. People who are all in, 100% fighters, people who honestly believe they can take out any man at any time. Enough with the casual "fighters" who are constantly considering their other career options.
Askren was a betting favorite over Maia. Easy to assess now but at the time people thought Askren would neutralize and win the grappling by superior positioning.
Not directly related to the thread title, but just posting it here because there's probably a lot who haven't seen it.
I might be sketch on the details so correct me if I'm wrong, 13-14 yrs ago...
Keith Jardine is the clear #1 contender for Chuck's title coming off a win over Forrest Griffin. UFC brings in Rampage, gives Rampage the Chuck fight, and "force" Jardine to take a fight against a newcomer, Houston Alexander. Jardine is pissed. Then... (watch the video).
S Dubaya -One thing Paige Van Zant was right about was saying the UFC loves giving some fighters a horrible matchup for the last fight on your contract. I have noticed them do this for years. Negotiating with someone coming off a bad loss gives them a big advantage in allowing them to pay the fighter less. Most of the time they match them with an up and coming fighter that the UFC knows is great but that doesn’t have a big name. They kill 2 birds with 1 stone. They get a big win and help grow a new name and they devalue the fighters whose contract is ending. It is such a scumbag move but also smart business at the same time. A few times that come to mind that this has happened was Tito’s last fight. They fed him to an up and coming unknown Machida. Rampage got fed to an up and coming Glover. And I’m convinced the UFC picked Maia for Askren because they knew it wouldn’t go well.
The UFC is in the end of the day a for-profit business. Why would you expect them to do anything other than attempt to spend the least amount of money possible to make the most money possible? As long as there’s an abundance of fighters willing to fight for less, this will happen.
There are only a handful of UFC fighters who truly aren’t expendable, and they also happen to be the biggest draws, and/or key to market demographics.
It's basically corroborated in this article referencing Joe Silva saying how he'd give Diaz a tough last fight if he didn't re-sign.
It's one of those things that fighters notice but is hard to prove, and fighters don't tend to like to complain about tough match ups, all that shit happens behind the scenes where guys turn down fights etc.
For sure Dana gave Machida to Tito as a fuck you out the door and rewarded Machida for taking him out.
UFC follows WWE more than pro sports, and this is definitely a pro wrestling thing. Guys putting other guys over in the territory before leaving. Paige essentially put Ribas over on the main card of a huge PPV as she was leaving. Obviously it isn't scripted but it's put in place as much as they can by the matchmaker. Paige was the biggest underdog on that card by a long shot, if you think that's a coincidence I don't know what to tell you. I'm not saying I disagree with it either btw, I'd of made that matchup as well if I was in their shoes.
Whambo -It's basically corroborated in this article referencing Joe Silva saying how he'd give Diaz a tough last fight if he didn't re-sign.
It's one of those things that fighters notice but is hard to prove, and fighters don't tend to like to complain about tough match ups, all that shit happens behind the scenes where guys turn down fights etc.
For sure Dana gave Machida to Tito as a fuck you out the door and rewarded Machida for taking him out.
UFC follows WWE more than pro sports, and this is definitely a pro wrestling thing. Guys putting other guys over in the territory before leaving. Paige essentially put Ribas over on the main card of a huge PPV as she was leaving. Obviously it isn't scripted but it's put in place as much as they can by the matchmaker. Paige was the biggest underdog on that card by a long shot, if you think that's a coincidence I don't know what to tell you. I'm not saying I disagree with it either btw, I'd of made that matchup as well if I was in their shoes.
I doubt it’s because of WWE. I know nothing about that world, and it just appears to be a pretty simple, common sense move to me.
The UFC rankings are completely made up and arent even followed when they make them up.