There is no doubt that Dana White’s vision for the UFC was key to bringing it to the current position it is at today. Thanks to Dana, the $2 million investment made by Zuffa is now worth over $1 billion. Even Maxim magazine credited Dana with being the best sports visionary of our time. However, when we look at history and even the present, we begin to notice little things that Dana White has done that in hindsight were not good for the UFC at all. In fact, if Dana had had 100% control we may not have the UFC we all now and love today.
We start at the beginning, when Dana first took control of the UFC. At the time there were still competing agents for the MMA world. The most popular one being Pride. Dana had already has his two main poster boys in Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He figured that the best way to stake UFC’s stranglehold in the MMA world was to ride it all on his bread and butter Chuck Liddell. He talked up his fighter, saying that he WOULD win the Pride Grand Prix in 2003. Dana believed that if Chuck could take down Pride’s top stars Rampage Jackson and Wanderlei Silva, that they would get the much needed respect and fan base they were looking for. The result was a disaster. Rampage destroyed Chuck in the Pride Grand Prix. UFC was embarrassed, and had to make do with the fan base it had while Pride continued to remain solid.
By 2004, Zuffa was in trouble. They had lost about $34 million, and the gates and PPV from their events weren’t pulling in the fan base they waned. The Fertitta family was on the brink of selling, however in a last ditch effort to save the UFC they made a deal with Spike TV to launch the reality TV show “The Ultimate Fighter”. When the idea was first pitched, Dana White said himself that he was pissed and that it isn’t what he wanted. In fact, Dana said he hates reality TV shows. The show as we all know was a smash hit, and some argue the Griffin Bonnar fight alone was what was able to push UFC into the mainstream. From there, Zuffa (and Dana White) watched as the cash flowed in and as a result made more seasons of TUF. We have to wonder if Dana has it his way, would the family have sold the business? We’ll never know, one thing we do know is Dana once again had incorrect instincts.
Honestly I think that backslide started not to long after TUF started. WHy I think that is because when Zuffa started TUF, they cemented the fact that they will homegrow 90% of their roster from scrubs rather then bring in the legit best talent... which was the first slide down, talent level decrease.... With the modification of the rules to push fighters to be exciting rather then skilled destroyed the legitimacy of the contests.
Dana's bullshit is just nailing the coffin shut. MMA went from a rising legit sport to a pre-pubescent circus act almost over night
I honestly believe that MMA will be completely gone in 5 years. 2 years ago I loved being an MMA fan, today when people ask me about it I dont even like to say anything because its embarrassing
I hope im wrong but.... Ive said some things here before that got me bashed but years later here they are true as hell
Let's see- MMA has been shown on Network television (When was the last time you saw Boxing on NBC?), new organizations are popping up all over, spreading the awareness that MMA is an actual sport.
ESPN has a show dedicated to MMA, as does HDNet.
The PPV numbers continue to grow for the largest MMA organization, gate numbers continue to grow....
Honestly I think that backslide started not to long after TUF started. WHy I think that is because when Zuffa started TUF, they cemented the fact that they will homegrow 90% of their roster from scrubs rather then bring in the legit best talent... which was the first slide down, talent level decrease.... With the modification of the rules to push fighters to be exciting rather then skilled destroyed the legitimacy of the contests.
Dana's bullshit is just nailing the coffin shut. MMA went from a rising legit sport to a pre-pubescent circus act almost over night
I honestly believe that MMA will be completely gone in 5 years. 2 years ago I loved being an MMA fan, today when people ask me about it I dont even like to say anything because its embarrassing
I hope im wrong but.... Ive said some things here before that got me bashed but years later here they are true as hell
Agree with a lot of what you say, particularly the competition part (much better for keeping salaries down), but disagree on mma being on the downswing.
The sport is growing in spite of Dana White, not because of him. The UFC and the rest of mma are two seperate animals (at least according to UFC hype & Dana himself), and White has played the sport as if it some zero sum game.
Dana = Right place, right time + rich kid buddies he met in private school.
MMA would have been better off without him and his fragile, gigantic ego.
The UFC under professional management would be a much better product and more representative of the sport as a whole. But, it is a private company and White clearly reflects shared traits with the owners and similar ethics. They can run it how they like, it's their toy to play with.
MMA is definately rising nonstop in the popularity and payscale basis.
Yep. When Boxing was a teenager it wasn't paying its fighters millions. MMA is still so young it will only be a matter of time before we see huge paydays for fighters. And for those who are at the end of their roads, that missed the paydays, well atleast they are part of building this sport everyone one of them should be legends.