Some Important New!!!!!

[Hitchahard]

I received some news that, in my mind, is quite upsetting! I cannot reveal my source. As most of you know, I have several key contacts in the MMA profession that I could have received this from - so please do not draw any conclusions.

I have been told that Seg has sold its interest in the UFC to one of the Professional Wrestling Associations. I am not sure if it is the WWF or whatever. Personally, I've never watched that crap, nor will I ever. Furthermore, I think Ken Shamrock set a very unfortunate precedence in alligning with two entirely different worlds (one is a sport the other is a play!).

I am not sure when Seg will make the announcement, but it sounds like a done deal.

The price was somewhere in the neighborhood of (well maybe its better that I don't mention it!). Anyway, I've been told that the fighting formats will remain the same, but it opens the door for NHB fighters to make an easier jump to the carnival.

This may not be significant news to some, but I think most of you MMA purists would agree this is a bad thing.

Regards,

Hitch....

[Tony10]

That would not be that far out. WWF is LOADED with $$$--and in the realm of things UFC probably didn't cost them that much.

[EJ]

If WWF or ECW bought UFC, then the event must be headed back to cable PPV... Good news IMO.

[yusul]

it sucks if its tru, but hardly surprising. The UFC will probably look more like pro-wrestling, using works and and a running plotline to cater to the typical inbred, beergut, ignorant pro-wrestling crowd. If this happens, i definitely will pass on the UFC. besides, i think pride is top NHB show right now, and i live near a video store that rents them, so the UFC's finances really dont bother me.

despite the downward spiral with the increase in rules, weight divisions and time limits, i got the impression that the UFC was still one of the big NHB shows that was basically work free. (i've only seen UFC 1-19, brazil and i think UFC 25, it was about several months ago. the rest of the results i've read on ADCC news). The only 2 fight i saw that looked like they might be works were in UFC brazil(Kohsaka vs. Pete Williams, i think) and there was one b/t a famouse UFC vetran (Taktarov ?) and someone who was his student. this is all of the top of my head. Some people on other forums (UG, etc) say that Pride has some works and a someone i train with, whose opinion i trust, thinks that there are some works in Rings. I've never seen anything that looks like a work in the shooto matches i've seen.

[Ryu (non-working password]

I agree, if the UFC starts promoting fixed fights, character plots, and decadent soap operas with trailor park girls, and the evil (insert any nation that isn't USA) I'm passing it up for good.

Money is fun, yadda yadda, but some things are best left "pure" in my opinion.

Ryu

[Ronin]

You guys aren't looking at the big picture...

Pride puts on the best shows in MMA anywhere...they do works, have plot-lines, and rake in major dough.

If SEG starts shelling out money, the fighters will come back. It's worth putting up with losers like Takada and "Giant" Ochiai to see shows like the GP and Pride 10. Why wouldn't it be the same here?

Actually, I think this is good news in disguise. And if MMA picks up some of the wrestling fan-base, the money will keep rolling in and the sport will become big-time. If you're a purist, watch the IVC.

[yusul]

I'd say that Pride has the best show around in spite of the works, not because of them. IMO Pride is the best show because they are will to dish out the money and recruit the top fighters (Gracies, Sak, Igor, Kerr, Newton, Belfort etc), most of whom probably do not do works (without being on the inside there is no way to totally know). therefore, the best fights, which attract the Japanese fans, r not likely to be works. The production quality of pride is high also, and helps the shows popularity.

Ronin: plotline? i haven't seen any, but i might have missed some, maybe you can give some examples. I don't mean plots like, " can Rickson avenge...etc" or " will Takeda retire...etc", i mean more like "is fighter A sleeping with fighter B's wife, and is fighter B's daughter sleeping with fighter A's dog" type grudge match.

[Oberleutnant]

Thanks for the insight. It's too early in my opinion however to say whether or not this is a good or bad thing; it could easily be either depending on how the parent company decides to run the thing.

[bobby_steeles]

yusul wrote: "it sucks if its tru, but hardly surprising. The UFC will probably look more like pro-wrestling, using works and and a running plotline to cater to the typical inbred, beergut, ignorant pro-wrestling crowd."
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yusul, have you ever seen a ufc crowd? or in particular, tank fans?

[yusul]

good point, bobby i guess the only thing i can say in defence of the UFC is that least there are a few purists in the crowd who prefer to watch technique over blood(but still enjoy the blood).

[Edited by yusul on 10-23-2000 at 05:19 PM]

[bobby_steeles]

if this deal was true, the ufc would not become the nightmare you guys are panicking about. the xfl will not be worked, and neither would the ufc.

why would they develop a product so similar to it's own, when the wwf already does so well on ppv?

the bottom line is, worked martial arts and worked football would simply not get ratings. everybody knows wrestling is "fake", and that's why people watch it. how many people watch "real" wrestling on tv?

plus it's a better value than a two round boxing match.

[Hookah Smokin Caterpillar]

Wow, thats some awesome news. Now the UFC can have more then one exciting match per show. Imagine this, a decent main event and a card full of no names and guys that can't make it in Pride, or a show that can compete with Pride? I'm sure we all agree that the last UFC was better then Pride 10 huh? I can't believe you guys are complaining that the UFC will have money so we don't have to go out of our way to watch stuff from Japan and Brazil. Think about this, no one in America is going to turn to the UFC and want to see Steve Austin fight Mark Kerr and expect Austin to win and have the match be worked. The reason it works for Takada is because he's a shoot style pro-wrestler, like Tamura and Sakuraba so the fans expect him to do well. Maybe if Ken Shamrock suddenly became one of the most popular pro-wrestlers of all time and couldn't compete with the top names in the world, then I can imagine the UFC doing works to keep his rep. Other then that, it won't happen.

Plus, think of it this way; would Vince McMahon advertise the UFC to his WWF fanbase? Imagine when they see these atheletes? Will the WWF look inferior? Vince won't risk it, so stop thinking it.

Also, pro-wrestling is not trash. If you've seen classic regional American wrestling like the NWA or seen some Japanese pro-wrestling, you wouldn't say that. I think a lot of people here are very ignorant about pro-wrestling and put it down like you guys can actually beat up any of these guys... Silly

[yusul]

Hookah Smokin Catepillar: i should have made myself more clear, I was referring to American pro-wrestling and more specifically the WWF and WCW. I never claimed I could beat a pro-wrestler (especially not Mr. Sak), i was just saying that i wouldnt waste my time watching obvious works and stupid D grade plot-lines. I have watched japanese pro-wrestling and they are hard core unlike the wrestlers in the US. I have seen blood flowing and full powered kicks, some times its hard to believe that they are works! Pancrase and Rings are splinter groups of the UWF, and they all practice hard, so I agree that the Japanese pros are tough. i think that the Japanese pro-wrestlers are both credible fighters and entertainers, unlike WWF and WCW wrestlers. and i admit, i don't think i've seen the NWA. when it comes to wrestling, i prefer to watch shoot, or olympic amateur wrestling.

[Hookah Smokin Caterpillar]

Good point man, good point. There are still good American prowrestlers, its just the fans don't care about them and thats how it will always be in America. If it was up to the UFC fans, Tank Abbot would beat everybody up and no one practicing Jiu Jitsu would be allowed to do anything but block his punches with their face. I'm into skill, while most American fans [MMA or ProWrestling] are into crap. Tank still rules it though =)

[yusul]

Hookah, i see your (and bobby steeles') point, the buyout could be a good thing if the UFC gets more $ and it would be dumb for McMahon to make UFC compete against the WWF. still, he can screw up and is a power-freak, how much would he meddle with the rules and fighters? I hope you guys are right.

btw, i enjoy watching tank, he is the butterbean of MMA (or is butterbean the Tank of boxing?!?)