This largest weekend in fight sports activities is right here.
This Saturday, Noche UFC goes down in San Antonio, headlined by a featherweight struggle between Diego Lopes and Jean Silva. It’s a great struggle, however a far cry from 2024’s Noche UFC at The Sphere, and with the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford boxing superfight additionally happening this Saturday, this weekend is missing buzz. Because of this, we acquired a wide range of questions on this week’s Feed, so let’s speak about all types of stuff.
“Can Jean Silva bounce Lerone Murphy within the title queue (since Movsar Evloev is seemingly by no means preventing for the belt)?”
Completely. To steal my very own golf analogy, Lerone Murphy is the chief within the clubhouse proper now, however Jean Silva is just one stroke again, and he’s on the Par-5 18th gap. One large efficiency can transfer him to the highest of the standings.
The factor it’s a must to keep in mind about Murphy is that he beat Aaron Pico. Sure, it was an extremely spectacular win, nevertheless it additionally came visiting a man who’s unranked within the UFC, making his debut. That’s not prohibitive for Murphy to get a title shot — you’ve seen the momentum he garnered off it — however it’s a little missing in comparison with a highly-touted man from a extremely popular camp, beating the latest title challenger. If Jean Silva does one thing magical towards Diego Lopes on Saturday, folks will shortly overlook about Murphy.
And that’s actually the crux of the matter. Murphy is the frontrunner proper now, however the UFC hasn’t introduced Alexander Volkanovski vs. Murphy but for a motive. They’re ready to see how this shakes out. If Silva wins emphatically, he can bounce in entrance, or no less than make it a type of conditions the place the man who will get the title struggle is the one who could make the date work.
However, after all, Silva has to win impressively this weekend first. And whereas “Lord” is a wholesome betting favourite, Lopes is a tough out for him. Silva is giving up an enormous quantity of dimension, and Lopes is extraordinarily sturdy. We’ll see the way it all shakes out, however I’m pumped for Saturday’s major occasion.
“2026, Jed. Who comes again to the UFC, Conor McGregor or Ronda Rousey?”
Chalk this up as a query I didn’t suppose we’d be speaking about in 2025, however right here we’re. A battle of the immovable object and the unstoppable drive.
Earlier this week, Ronda Rousey categorically denied any curiosity in preventing on the proposed UFC White Home card, although she didn’t fully rule out a doable comeback in some unspecified time in the future. In the meantime, Conor McGregor has been saying he’s returning to MMA for years at this level, however has but to really accomplish that. So who comes again first?
I suppose the sensible cash is on McGregor. Whereas Rousey might return for a very large payday in some unspecified time in the future, I feel her future in preventing is over. If Rousey ever comes again to something, I believe it will be the WWE.
On the opposite aspect of issues, trusting Conor McGregor to return is rarely a protected wager, however when the UFC White Home card was first proposed, I did instantly suppose that it was the kind of factor that may make it occur. McGregor is not only in preventing for the cash at this level; he’s in it for the spectacle. And whereas I don’t imagine Jon Jones in any respect when he says the attract of the White Home has him , I feel a singular, once-in-a-lifetime occasion like that is precisely what McGregor needs to be related to. Moreover, an occasion of that magnitude wants a equally spectacular major occasion, and at this level, the one factor the UFC has to supply that feels large enough for the White Home garden is McGregor.
“The Sphere, UFC White Home … the place else would you wish to see UFC occasions? UFC NASA? White sands missile vary? Carnival Cruise?”
I imply, completely signal me up for UFC: The Moon. That will be superior. Even UFC: Worldwide House Station could be fairly dope.
However on a semi-serious word, the UFC White Home card is certainly a little bit gauche, however nonetheless type of a enjoyable, distinctive thought, and I’d love for the UFC to do extra of that. I used to be deeply, deeply disillusioned with Struggle Island simply being Yas Area as an alternative of some kumite-inspired occasion location. And if the UFC would convey me on as a marketing consultant, I’d pitch all types of those enjoyable one-off occasions.
The most important one, although, and the plain missed alternative already, is UFC Africa. Finally that may occur, I’m positive, nevertheless it already ought to have, and yearly they skip it looks like a missed alternative. Let’s go forward and get UFC Africa executed someplace, so then we are able to begin specializing in UFC: Antarctica.
Additionally, for the file, a UFC Cruise feels just like the kind of factor the corporate may find yourself doing sooner or later. Kinda like when Hooters had an airline.
“Will eliminating PPVs be no less than partially answerable for progress of UFC recognition amongst US viewers?
“(Associated query: Is there any proof that viewership within the US for non-PPV struggle playing cards is bigger now than, say, 10 years in the past?)”
It’s doable, however I’d say it’s unlikely.
Don’t get me mistaken, eradicating PPVs is a internet win for MMA followers. If you’re a hardcore MMA fan, you’re now going to spend virtually $1000 much less a yr to look at fights. That’s large. However because the outdated saying goes, there’s no such factor as a free lunch.
The draw back to eradicating PPVs is that there’s now virtually no incentive for the UFC to attempt to promote anymore. We already noticed this occur with the ESPN deal and the assured cash from it, and now they’ve eliminated the one incentive they needed to placed on large occasions. In truth, the incentives are actually working the opposite approach. With the UFC having a assured yearly income for the following seven years, the one option to improve revenue can be to decrease overhead, and the simplest approach to do this is by eradicating the center class of UFC fighters and changing them with extra low cost labor from Contender Sequence. And whereas the three letters, U-F-C, are the model and are what matter most, it’s arduous to attract informal curiosity with a essentially weak product. Simply ask the XFL.
As for the second half, I don’t know of any proof, however I’d strongly guess the reply is sure, simply because entry is a little bit simpler. That being stated, I doubt it’s an enormous distinction. The MMA fanbase has, for my part, functionally maxed out in America. It should ebb and circulate some, however we’ve reached the higher restrict on MMA followers on this nation, as a result of, merely put, struggle sports activities should not for everybody.
Thanks for studying and due to everybody who despatched in tweets (Xs?)! Do you could have any burning questions on issues no less than considerably associated to fight sports activities? Then you definately’re in luck as a result of you’ll be able to ship your tweets to me, @JedKMeshew, and I’ll reply all the great ones! It doesn’t matter in the event that they’re topical or insane, simply as long as they’re good. Thanks once more, and see y’all subsequent week.
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