Winning by outpointing your opponent is never going to be popular. It's of course within the rules and most guys would rather fight to win than lose, but with that said fighting this way is never going to be popular. GSP is arguably the most popular fighter in MMA and this is his biggest criticism. <br /><br />It doesn't matter who the fighter is but if you fight safe and to win off by points you're going to have a lot of hate and critics. The reason guys like Diaz, Fedor, Lytle, Nog, Wandy, Cerrone, Lauzon, Penn, etc. have loyal fans is because these guys will always fight to finish their opponent. These guys fight as if it's a fight first and a sport second.
That's fine but none of those guys have titles. You can make the argument that those fighters you mentioned are much more entertaining and come to fight, but you shouldn't try to force other fighters to fight that game. That's ridiculous 
HOLLYWOOD-MO - That's fine but none of those guys have titles. You can make the argument that those fighters you mentioned are much more entertaining and come to fight, but you shouldn't try to force other fighters to fight that game. That's ridiculous <img src="/images/phone/apple.png" alt="Phone Post" border="0" style="vertical-align:middle;"/>
Good point. I should've added JDS and Anderson.
I hear you. It's perfectly within the rules to play it safer and win off points. I'm just saying that no one should be surprised when a guy wins by playing safe to not get a ton of hatred either.
" GSP is arguably the most popular fighter in MMA and this is his biggest criticism."
So what you're saying is that winning by points will never be popular, as evidenced by the fact that the guy whose biggest criticism is that he always wins on points is the most popular fighter in the sport.
I think what he's trying to say is that at the end of the day, this is sports ENTERTAINMENT, and no one's trying to watch an entire card of Condits running or GSPs laying on top of people... And he's right.
Much less pay for it.
Condit might've won the fight game, but never won the fight.
orcus - " <span style="line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: small; ">GSP is arguably the most popular fighter in MMA and this is his biggest criticism."
So what you're saying is that winning by points will never be popular, as evidenced by the fact that the guy whose biggest criticism is that he always wins on points is the most popular fighter in the sport.<br type="_moz" /></span>
he became the most popular fighter by finishing guys and smashing them. he became the face of the ufc. even though he hasn't finished a guy in 2? years he still is the most popular fighter because he's the face of the ufc. with that said he still lost a lot of fans because people believe he's not fighting to finish. i'm not even saying i believe all this, but that is the perception that's out there.
also, i forgot another champ that finishes fights and doesn't go to out point guys in Jon Jones. do you think jon jones would be one of the biggest stars in mma if he was trying to out point guys?
" he became the most popular fighter by finishing guys and smashing them."
Not sure about that, most of that was before the sport was very big.
Anyway, I'm just needling you.