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MMA Link Club: Attitude adjustments for UFC 136

By Zach Arnold | October 7, 2011

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Member sites of the MMA Link Club

This week’s MMA Link Club featured stories

Five Ounces of Pain: Breaking down Kenny Florian vs. Jose Aldo — can Florian win a title?

During his tenure under Mark Dellagrotte, Florian was heavily reliant on his muay Thai, and the foundation of his striking was based on his kicks. The move to the Tristar gym in Montreal saw a transformation in Florian’s striking, as he became more confident with his hands and started using his jab to dictate fights. For this bout, he needs to mix the two approaches together.

MMA Fighting: Jon JOnes explains why he is fighting Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 in Toronto

To [Rashad’s] surprise, I took the fight, and after I took the fight, he decides that his hand isn’t ready, and he’s going to need more time. So, with me already agreeing with Dana that I would take a fight at UFC 140, Dana called me back and said, ‘Hey, listen, Rashad decided that he can’t compete at UFC 140, what would think about fighting Lyoto Machida?’ And I said ‘absolutely’.

NBC Sports (Mike Chiappetta): UFC 136 event primer

Cage Potato: The seven most insanely dangerous combat sports ever invented

MMA Mania: Two part interview with Brian Stann (part one & part two)

Nobody can mess with my mind. I’m stronger than any fighter in the UFC mentally. I think that having spoken with Chael, literally two weeks before we were matched up to face each other, I think his feelings are genuine and I think when he does dislike a guy, he’s genuine about it. He’s simply the kind of guy who says things that are on his mind. he doesn’t hold back.

I don’t think there’s anything deeper to these words than exactly what he’s saying and I don’t think that’s gonna stop him from trying to take me down and pound me out for three straight rounds come October 8th. I don’t think any of that will and I don’t think it’s any kind of mind game. He knows what he has to go do and I know what I have to go do. We’re professional fighters, it’s what we do for a living. You don’t have to hate the guy to go out there and do these things.

5th Round: Rashad Evans issues statement on getting replaced by Lyoto Machida

Our friend Jonathan Snowden was not happy about the way Rashad played this out yesterday, especially the comments about not caring about giving up a title shot.

Bleacher Report: In Canada, MFC scores big with TSN television deal

Middle Easy: Sexyama has a new music video out and you should probably watch it

Now this will sell tickets for that 9 AM show at Saitama Super Arena next year.

Low Kick: Stipe Miocic video highlight ahead of his UFC 136 debut

Our friend Luca Fury was hoping that the ‘books would have Miocic as an underdog against Joey Beltran so he could make some coin. Instead, the oddsmakers listed Miocic as a -230 favorite. A buzzkill when the ‘books are as smart as you.

The Fight Nerd: Culinary worker’s union creates anti-UFC web site

Maintained by the Culinary Workers Union, Local 226, the website uses the acronym of UFC to stand for “Unfit For Children” instead of the “Ultimate Fighting Championship.” Dana White’s many rants are listed in detail on this page across a series of sub-categories, including “Obscenities”, “Slurs” which features many of the comments DFW directed at Loretta Hunt among others, “Cheap Shots” which focuses on remarks about random people involved in entertainment and sports, and “Other $#@%!!!” which documents rude comments that UFC fighters have said about others, including Chael Sonnen’s negative thoughts on Brazil.

MMA Convert: Ultimate Fighter 14 recap — lame insult exchange(s)

Back at the TUF House, the Swede does his best “Jackass” imitation by donning a cup and letting people nail him in the man-berries with a pool ball. Okay, that’s kind of weird. But he takes it a little further with an onslaught of pranks that include filling his housemates’ gear with seeds and , in the case of Dustin Nice, making reference to Nice’s third testicle (um…) with a pool ball and a note in his glove. Can you smell what’s brewing here?

Yeah, I smell the ratings tanking on a show that’s ‘reality concept’ is deader than dead. That and you notice the trash talking on the show always features fighters rebutting as quickly as possible rather than actually winning the verbal debates?

MMA Payout: UFC.com traffic on the decline?

So here we have three different independent analytic services that are all in one way or another indicating a decline in visitor traffic for the UFC.com website. It’s really no surprise though as these results are indicative of the kind of 2011 the UFC has had with PPV buyrate averages falling and television ratings on a bit of a decline. We can now see some decrease in the promotions Internet based audience.

It’s not just the UFC web site, either. It’s the MMA web sites that rely heavily on drawing traffic for live show coverage that are finding their numbers hit-or-miss. On the nights that ‘miss’ (like last Saturday with Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson), the level of activity is at the same rate as if no show was taking place. When you set your calendar to have 34 events in a single year, that kind of occurrence happens frequently.

Topics: Canada, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 4 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

4 Responses to “MMA Link Club: Attitude adjustments for UFC 136”

  1. 45 Huddle says:

    1) Not shocking that the UFC’s website traffic has gone down slightly. The sport has leveled off in popularity. It can still get around 1.5 Million viewers for a prelim or a Fight Night show, which is strong enough to sustain is moving forward. It will be interesting to see what kind of effect Fox/FX/FuelTV will have on the UFC.

    I actually think that Dos Santos vs. Velasquez has the potential to get 10 Million viewers…. Not sure if it will, but with the promotion FOX is doing during football, the potential is there.

    2) I think Kenny Florian will win. I also think he will submit him in either the first or second round.

    3) Culinary Workers Union is just pure slime at this point.

    4) 34 Events in 2012 does not shock me. Not even counting Strikeforce, the UFC is doing 3 events per month in October, November, & December. I think that’s about the maximum they can do per month. It also makes sense why they are going to start booking two shows on the same day. It allows for international expansion without forcing their main market (America) to expand beyond 3 times per month for the UFC.

    Zuffa can really cultivate the local talent using this method (along with international TUF’s)…. And basically have a world wide feeder system for their organization. I really think that is phase two of Zuffa’s business plan. Which is to secure every major international market and have a promotion in place in order to get the best talent to come stateside.

  2. edub says:

    Wanna say I’m pleased the UFC didn’t succumb to the hype train giving Dan the shot against Jon Jones. He’s deserving from a champion vs. champion promotional stand point, but Machida is the more deserving fighter (not to mention a much better style match up). Still don’t see him having much of a shot though.

    Really looking forward to seeing Miocic in the cage.

    Hopefully the amount of shows on Fox will grow, while the PPVs amount goes down to 4 or 5 per year.

  3. cutch says:

    They will do a few International TUF’s and probably stick the finales on Fuel for the hardcore fans that watch everything UFC.

    I have been on the UFC website only a few times this year and one was Saturday to watch the BW title card. I get all the news from the likes of Junkie or from facebook status updates.

  4. fd2 says:

    “Yeah, I smell the ratings tanking”

    Uh, you realize this isn’t actually happening, right?

    Ed. — Look at the ratings for the season so far. Declined each time.

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