Connor vs Khabib

[Stumplicker]

That stuff reminded me of the shit wrestlers would do for ratings. Just what the fuck are you doing? You're a champion, dude.

They definitely take a lot of their marketing cues from the WWE. The whole scripted bit with Brock and Cormier after his fight in 226 was cringeworthy. I think they're still looking for a balance between "sells more tickets" and "turns the whole thing into a joke". They'll get it eventually.

I've been watching through the back catalog now that I have fight pass (got it to stream this PPV). I'm up to fights in about UFC 150 and they weren't doing anything like the kind of WWE showmanship stuff they do now at that point, and that wasn't that long ago. And I will say that the whole deal is a little less exciting as a result. But like I said, they've gotta find that balance of entertainment and reality still.

Edit to add: and hey, the shit wrestlers do for ratings is just theater mimicking the things boxers do for ratings, so it really does all kind of belong together.

[Methais]

That stuff reminded me of the shit wrestlers would do for ratings. Just what the fuck are you doing? You're a champion, dude.

[Methais]

I miss old UFC when they had no weight classes and hardly any rules and all that bullshit with Tank Abbot flooring some 600 lb samoan fucker in about 20 seconds and then getting wrecked by Gracie in the final match.

I think that was UFC 2 maybe.

[RichardCranium]

I miss old UFC when they had no weight classes and hardly any rules and all that bullshit with Tank Abbot flooring some 600 lb samoan fucker in about 20 seconds and then getting wrecked by Gracie in the final match.

I think that was UFC 2 maybe.

Is that the one where he hit him so hard he fell backwards through the gate and completely out of the octagon, breaking the entrance?

[Astray]

I miss old UFC when they had no weight classes and hardly any rules and all that bullshit with Tank Abbot flooring some 600 lb samoan fucker in about 20 seconds and then getting wrecked by Gracie in the final match.

I think that was UFC 2 maybe.

I remember a bunch of the old pre(?) UFC stuff and just seeing people drive their elbows into someones face until they were convulsing. Slams on the head and neck. Crazy stuff.

[Stumplicker]

You guys should consider getting Fight pass. It's $10 a month and it has all of Pride and whatever other organizations UFC bought over the years, plus all of the old UFCs. Edit to add: Plus you can break it down by fighter. They have all the full events streamed, but also all of the individual fights. I'm working my way through Anderson Silva currently, from Pride all the way through his UFC stuff.

[Methais]

Is that the one where he hit him so hard he fell backwards through the gate and completely out of the octagon, breaking the entrance?

I don't think so. I remember him being flat on his back and having convulsions though. It was either UFC 1 or 2.

[Stunseed]

After the performance Ferguson put in the other night I can definitely see that, but I think the dollars and cents of it will put Conor/Khabib 2 ahead of it. Khabib/Ferguson won't draw as many buys, so what happens if Khabib loses? That lowers the marketability of Conor/Khabib 2 if it's not for a belt.

Where the money goes, so do the decisions. But yeah, I'd love to see either one of them.

The belt is no longer needed for Khabib vs. Connor 2. Just like it isn't needed for Connor vs. Diaz 3.

No one outside of Lesnar vs. Jones/Cormier is going to draw what Connor can. I don't think GSP/Spider pulls as much as either at this point.

Rumblings have begun for Cormier vs. Lewis in November. If that fight happens, Cormier will get stripped of the LHW belt to go to Jones/Gus in December. Then Lesnar vs. Cormier in March-ish.

You will need a July headliner as the UFC is doing these days. If both Connor and Khabib win their next fights, you can consider the rematch for International Fight Week. Otherwise, pray Cormier puts off retirement for DC vs. Jones 3.

[RichardCranium]

Doesn't DC want Jones like, right now?

Although at this point DC needs Jones* more than the other way around.

[Stunseed]

I believe his original plan was to fight twice before he turns 40 this spring. He wanted Lesnar first, then Jones. Lesnar won't clear USADA until Jan 2019 I think, which means he would potentially miss the second fight. By fighting now, he ensures he clears any medical suspensions ( I do not see Lewis as much of a threat outside of a knockout ) for Lesnar.

Jones does not want to fight DC, allegedly. I think that's bullshit in its finest form, as much as DC can't shake Jones, Jones will always have the specter of DC unless it gets done.