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RavishingRickRudo

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  24. UFC 51: SUPER SATURDAY~!

    in General Wrestling

    Posted

    I think I'm in the majority when I say that Ortiz's matches against Belfort and Liddell were both better than Couture's matches with those respective fighters.

    Belfort/Ortiz was better than Couture/Belfort I? ARE YOU HIGH?!

     

    Liddell vs. Ortiz was one boring-ass round and then a quick knockout. A great knockout, but that was the entire match. Couture/Liddell had some neat stand up and some awesome takedowns, and the story of Coutures comeback and Liddells inability to adapt was fantastic. That one fight made the division for the next 2 years.

  25. UFC 51: SUPER SATURDAY~!

    in General Wrestling

    Posted

    The second Belfort vs. Couture didn't even sell out, and that was with the matchup of Matt Hughes vs. Penn on the card. The reason the gate was so great for the rubber match was because of the controversy involved in the second fight.

     

    I think the gate for Unfinished Business was due to Couture and Liddell being on the same card. Las Vegas loves them. Hughes vs. Penn was not a draw, and Matt Hughes isn't a draw. Zuffas White Boy Challenge against Hughes doesn't exactly build interest for the guy because there is nothing interesting about him, and there was nothing interesting about his opponents because Zuffa didn't promote them. Now, a Penn/Hughes rematch might do some respectable money if they do it right. "Didn't even sell out" gives the wrong impression, it did excellent business nevertheless. You are downplaying the success. I won't downplay Tito's _past_ success, he is the biggest draw in the past 10 years for the UFC, my point is about _the future_. You talk about RVD but Ortiz is much closer to a Hulk Hogan, and Hogan was both beneficial and damaging to WCW and the WWF.

     

    Ortiz has sold out the last 5 shows that he has ME'd. Plus his buy rates are always better than everyone not named Shamrock. I do agree with you that the UFC should put more into promoting other fighters. But to use another wrestling term if the WWE wants to really stasrt to push the Lightheavyweight division on Smackdown that would be great, but they would be crazy to not put a money match like JBL vs. Cena to do it.

     

    The UFC does, what, 5, 6 shows a year? Couture and Liddell would be on 2 shows, Tito 1 if they're lucky. Personally, I don't think the investment is worth it. He's damaged goods, he's not an exciting fighter when he's up against top talent, and he's a hassel to deal with. They can get good numbers out of Couture and Liddell, the _sport_ is on the rise, now is the time to focus on new blood.

     

    And if the Lightheavyweights never get pushed I wouldn't complain that JBL and Cena should be let go come contract time just to make the WWE create new stars. I would just suggest that they get their heads out of their asses and promote all aspects for the good of the show. I won't even get into the fact that the only divisions that have ever been able to draw good ppv numbers as the main event for the UFC have been the Lightheavyweights and the Heavyweights.

     

    It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. "No one else draws but Lightheavyweights and Heavyweights, so let's put all out time in marketing them." That ensures no one from the lower weight classes gets popular. Yves Edwards has gotten some great responses and what do they do? They cut the division. BJ Penn would have made for a much better champion than Hughes, and what do they do? They don't resign him and put the title back on Hughes. The Middleweight division was non-existent. How can these other divisions do something if they aren't given the chance? Getting rid of Tito would open some doors, plus for his paycheck you could get 3 good fighters.

     

    As far as Pride goes one of the main reasons they haven't come to the U.S. is the lack of a big name star who could draw outside of the hardcore demographic. Ortiz is one of the few guys in all of North American MMA that can consistently be a big draw so I definately could see that as a reason to keep him.

     

    PRIDE had Shamrock and Frye at one point and they still didn't come to America. It won't happen; they are doing well in Japan so why would they change now?

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