Comments on: Debating the impact of Chuck Liddell’s injury

By: Ivan Trembow

Ivan Trembow — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:12:23 +0000

You might want to watch HBO’s Emmy-winning “Countdown” and “24/7″ shows for some examples on how it’s possible to hype something to the moon without resorting to cheap, carnival-barker-style hyperbole.

By: IceMuncher

IceMuncher — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:47:38 +0000

“I was already looking forward to Penn vs. Sherk. I didn’t need the commercial to tell me that the fight will determine who is “THE BEST LIGHTWEIGHT EVER!”

Similarly, I was already looking forward to Franklin vs. Lutter, and I didn’t need the Countdown show on Spike TV to tell me that Franklin and Lutter are the #2 and #3 middleweights in the world.”

Um, the commercial and Countdown show are designed to appeal to the casual fans. If these things upset you, I can honestly say I would hate to look at the world through your eyes.

By: Ivan Trembow

Ivan Trembow — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 01:18:58 +0000

People weren’t complaining about Liddell-Jardine because they perceived it to be a mismatch. They were complaining because it was a $40 PPV whose main event consisted of two fighters who had both been knocked out in their most recent fight.

By: 45 Huddle

45 Huddle — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:19:06 +0000

People complained about Liddell/Jardine, and Jardine came out on top.

UFC 85 will be on SpikeTV. I think that was the plan from the beginning anyways.

By: Jeremy (not that Jeremy)

Jeremy (not that Jeremy) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:47:30 +0000

UFC most likely can and might well put 85 on PPV.

It might not sell well, but it already had multiple strikes against it. I mean, come on, Liddell vs Evans? Really? And people were bitching about the Montreal card. Add to that the fact that it’s in the UK again, and you’ve got that awful time zones problem…

But I wonder if it’s really a worse card than UFC 80 was. I like BJ Penn, but he was basically carrying that entire card on his back.

By: Jeremy (not that Jeremy)

Jeremy (not that Jeremy) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:41:34 +0000

Well, aside from Casino de Montreal.

Ohio doesn’t have state blessed gaming yet.

By: Tyrrant

Tyrrant — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:12:37 +0000

Just giving my props to Tim Credeur. He’s my bb instructor. keep it up all the way to the top

By: The Gaijin

The Gaijin — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:00:44 +0000

Dukes,

I thought that Fishman’s idea of tying MMA to the casinos and high rollers was more of his “mode of entry” than a long-term business plan.

I think he was trying to say that in order to have the company get established without bleeding massive amounts of red for the “start-up” years, any new company (i.e. PRIDE at the time) would greatly benefit from entering the scene in that manner.

However, that’s just my interpretation of it…not sure if that’s actually what he meant.

By: PizzaChef

PizzaChef — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:57:40 +0000

To hell with Monte Cox I say.

By: Dukes

Dukes — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:39:48 +0000

I like Ed Fishman, but his idea that MMA needs to be tied to a casino and Japanese high rollers is quickly being disproved. He didn’t directly state this in the interview listed above, but the interviewer made mention of his prior comment on this.

The UFC two biggest shows – UFC 68 in Columbus and UFC 83 in Montreal had a combined attendance of 43,000+ fans, and there were NO casinos nearyby.

Fishman does hit the nail on the head that you need TV to expose the fighters and their stories for an MMA org. to have success. How Pride would have done that, I don’t know.

I wish Fishman would hook up with Monte Cox – they seem a like a really good mix – Monte in charge of talent relations and the fighters and Ed as the back room guy, landing the TV deals and financing.