The World Extreme Cagefighting is a fight promotion owned by the same company that owns the UFC, Zuffa. Since the promotion was purchased by Zuffa in December 2006, the WEC has been used the same way a major league baseball team uses their minor league counter part. In baseball a minor league team is used to see how younger players are growing, a place for injured players to recover and play without being in a major game, and a place for old players to still be able to play. The goal isn’t to have the minor league team be better than it’s bigger brother. The WEC has been used the same way. It’s a place for young up-and-comers to fight and get TV time that are just not ready yet for the big time. The promotion is also a stopping ground for veteran fighters or guys that Zuffa likes but just are not right for the UFC. It isn’t, nor should it be, nearly as big or as popular as it’s sister promotion, the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Here is the problem. Zuffa wants to make the WEC just as popular and as big as the UFC without the talent to support it. As of before, all of WEC shows were free on TV and why shouldn’t they be? They don’t have the best fighters and half the roster most fans have never heard of before. But there is news that starting next year WEC will be running PPV and building up to the point of having a PPV once a month along with a free show. Now I know I do not speak for everyone but I don’t care for the UFC younger sibling. In fact, I seem to always forget when their shows are on and usually seem to miss them. I had to look up when their show was on this week. Seeing as I’m a hardcore MMA fan, if I don’t care enough to watch the free events, what in the hell makes Zuffa think I’m going to pay to watch a WEC card? More importantly, what makes them think the casual fan is going to pay and watch?
As I stated before, WEC doesn’t have a good roster of fighters. They have maybe five or six well known guys and the rest of their fighters are lost on the casual fan. Urijah Faber is arguably their only fighter that has been a successful main event draw and he can only fight four to six times a year. What does Zuffa do for the other 18 events they plan to have in a year?
Here is what they should be doing if they even want to have a chance. Get rid of all the blue: I don’t know when they first started using blue, but it’s every where. The fighters gloves are blue, and full cage is nothing but blue. It might not seem like such a big deal but, it is really an eye sore after a while. Change the floor mat to grey, throw out blue gloves and bring in the black. They can keep the cage posts blue if they must. Bring in Nick Diaz and Robbie Lawler: There were few people that left EliteXC having more popularity and dignity then when they went in and these are tow of them. Both these guys would add some star power to the lacking roster. Have women’s MMA in WEC: Dana White has said there are no good women fighter out there but EliteXC was able to do one thing right and prove Dana wrong. There is still a huge fight that needs to happen between Gina Carano and Cristiane Santos and many fan want to see.
Maybe the promotion should be left alone and Zuffa is getting a little too greedy. Maybe there are people out there willing to pay for what they already get for free and I have no idea what I’m talking about. I know I will not be paying for minor league quality shows when major league events from the same company is going on.
2 comments:
Could use a little proofreading, but otherwise, another solid entry. You really have a knack for this type of thing, lemme tell ya.
I would proofread but you know, fuck it.
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