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Op-ed: The miraculous change of Joe Silva
By Zach Arnold | December 1, 2006
By Tim Leidecker
http://www.groundandpound.de
Eccentric. Narrow-minded. Totally focused on the US market. That is the perception many MMA fans, who don’t happen to come from the “land of the free and the home of the brave”, have of UFC matchmaking. But in the past twelve months, the politics behind the scenes, usually operated by UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, have experienced a miraculous change.
The UFC has practically turned international and open towards foreigners overnight. This welcome trend is backed up by facts: Seven out of this year’s nine UFC pay-per-views have been headlined by fighters who have not been born in one of the USA’s fifty states. And in Georges St. Pierre (from Canada) and Anderson Silva (from Brazil), the UFC does have two foreign World Champions for the first time in it’s 14-year history.
Only three years ago, there was a totally different scenario: In the seven main events between UFC 39 and UFC 45, there hadn’t been a single non-US-citizen. This period of time marked the highlight of nationally-dyed match booking. At the same time the UFC has always been an international league: After all, the outstanding fighters of the early years like Royce Gracie and Marco Ruas (both Brazil) or Oleg Taktarov (Russia) came from all kinds of different countries. Still at the end of the last century, Silva used international stars like Bas Rutten (Holland) or Pedro Rizzo (Brazil) as draws for the shows. That leaves new owners Zuffa, who bought the league at the beginning of 2001, holding the baby.
Obviously Silva has not changed the company’s line of approach out of sheer philanthropy and cosmopolitanism. Since the UFC had to fill a total of eighteen cards in 2006 (PPVs as well as freely broadcasted shows), which is more than Zuffa had to do in the years 2002 to 2004 combined, it is fair to assume that the national talent pool is as good as exhausted. Add the fact that the league has plans to expand to Europe and perhaps even to Asia again in the years to come, it is the obvious thing to go for a more international booking approach. Having a countryman in one of the world’s most important MMA leagues, after all ensures a larger degree of identification and interest in the “product” UFC for every fan in the world.
Topics: All Topics, Media, MMA, UFC | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Now it would be nice to see these foreign fighters get the kind of “push” and endorsement/hype that their “poster boy” fighters like Franklin, Hughes, Liddell and Mir got.
IF they have any ideas of going international that would be a good idea, however you’ve got to realize a lot of ppl want to see US and English speaking champs or fighters.
I don’t think people care … they want to see good, exciting fights. What language they speak outside the ring or what color their skin is doesn’t matter to most people.
I don’t agree about the “push”. The UFC can “push” any fighter they want, but you still have to win the fights.
Ed Herman came off the TUF3, and lost his fight. Frank Mir was getting a big push, and failed miserably. Yves Edwards & Jens Pulver were both being groomed for future title fights. Both lost.
As for International fighters:
Assuerio Silva lost his 2 UFC fights. Dokonjonosuke Mishima lost to Joe Stevenson. Yuki Sasaki lost to Dean Lister. Kuniyoshi Hironaka lost to Jon Fitch.
A “push” in a legit sport can only go so far. Yes, the UFC tries to advance certain fighters quicker then others. However, if you continue to win in the UFC, they have a history of giving you the shots you deserve.
Oh I realize that man…ino its not wrestling or anything where you pick who your *stud* athlete is and the fans like and push them to the moon.
But don’t kid yourself -there’s guys that they will give tonnes of promo, face time and opportunities to over other guys. I never said they need to push Asseuerio Silva, Mishima, Sasaki or anything remotely like that – you don’t “push” guys that cannot win. Regardless, I said that I wanted to see how much ad time and promo’s they give GSP (clearly he speaks English and is very marketable to US fans – good looking, young, exciting fighter) and Anderson Silva now that they are the champs.
However, guys like Leben, Griffin, etc…will get more than their fare share of opportunities.
And its pretty laughable that you say they have a “history of giving you the shots you deserve” – just ask Lindland, Busta etc. how that worked out for them.