Dana White recently announced the contenders for TUF 7, and two things of note stood out immediately. One, the season will focus on Light Heavyweights, not the Middleweight division which is in such dire straits. However, this is another discussion for another article. The more important aspect of the new season to discuss is the fact that the roster features generally new fighters. Most of them have only been in 4 or 5 sanctioned MMA bouts compared to the well-traveled contestants of season's past.This is a huge mistake on White's part as he will be taking away two elements that make the series what it is. First, since past contestants such as Michael Bisping (pictured) have held title belts in other organizations (like Cage Rage), they know their way around the Octagon, are able to put on professional and entertaining matches, and have some credentials to back up all the talking. Even so, you occasionally get a fighter like Danny Abbadi who, at least during the season, looked like he had never fought in an MMA bout in his life. Now, imagine if the entire season was composed of fighter's with similar skill levels. It would be a disaster, reminiscent of a Kimbo Slice YouTube video. The fact of the matter is that fighters who know what they are doing is really what the show was created for. It was meant to give quality fighters who may have otherwise been overlooked another shot at rising to the top. See: Bisping, Evans, Sanchez. It was not meant for a bunch of brand-new fighters (some of which hold 1-0 records...no joke) to figure out if they are any good.
The second reason fighters should be a little more experienced is that it allows for more story lines to be created. I defy any other expert in the field to find me a story line for fantastically tangled than Joe Lauzon, fighting on Penn's team (who lost to Pulver), AGAINST Pulver (who Lauzon knocked out as an 11-1 underdog a year earlier). The fighter was able to do something that his coach wasn't WHILE holding a KO over the opposing coach. I'm a creative guy, but I couldn't write that if I tried. If you take away the element of history, you delete the story line that kept me watching all season long.
The UFC should receive suffered ratings as a result of this move and rebound with a season for experienced Middleweights. As long as we don't have to see Chris Leben, it'll be better than this.
5 comments:
I'm looking forward to the new season either way. These guys wouldn't make the show if Dana White didn't see any potential, regardless if they have an MMA background or not.
Even the fighters that had experience in seasons past have performed nominally, except a few (Bisping, Sanchez). Rarely do we see seasoned pros that are comfortable in the ring on the show anyway.
I'd like to see how Kimbo would do in the UFC anyway. A little chaos and unpredictability may bring the excitement the show needs.
The way I see it Dana White is an intelligent business man and he is not going to televise the ufc in a poor light. If they have no experience there is other shows out there like american idol completely different and of a different genre I know but still they regularly turn out one or two stars and im sure this will be no different. I would however love to see the ufc do an audition type stage like in american idol I know there would be some complete clowns turning up to get smashed in and I for one would be highly amused and an avid viewer. Dont suppose anyone knows when the series starts? Besides the show aside Im looking forward to this just to see how forest fairs against jackson in the finale.
my favorite season was "the Comeback"...really enjoyed the clips & fighter profiles they showed throughout the show....but ever since that season; even my tune-in times on a weekly basis has declined quite considerably....i haven't found too many of these other fighters that interesting....B.J. Penn & Jens Pulver were the only ones that kept me somewhat interested for I am a fan of both.....I think the "training aspect" should be televised much more.....TUF has become way too much like other lame reality shows such as: rock of love; tila tequila; i love ny; etc.....don't get me wrong; it's interesting & entertaining to see the fighters' interaction in the house to which they are confined too, but what about the blood, sweat, tears??? bring that back...
1 more thing too: i have purchased seasons 1 - 4....and the 1st season box set is by far the best of them all....mainly due to the final match between rich franklin & ken shamrock....what about putting the final fights between the coaches on the dvds...they're not the cheapest box sets out there....i think the customer should get a lil' more for their money.....(ortiz vs. shamrock)/(penn vs. pulver)/even (gsp vs. serra)
I'm looking forward to this season... after all there is a reason why Dana White is where he is and you are just writing about him.
Its a thread necro, but they ended up "fighting in" the contenders and that helped alot to defer the skill level criticism. Most of the fighters showed they could win one fight at a certain level.
So they out clevered you.
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