CityBoy's Take On The Mega UFC Deal With Fox

By now I am sure you all have heard something about the blockbuster deal Dana White and the UFC has made with Fox.  I have not read the final numbers but I did read earlier something like 645million dollars for 7 year span.  The deal promises Live Ultimate Fighter fights from the reality show and they promise 24 episodes a year.  This will be aired on FX.  They announce FX and FUEL TV also will broadcast extensive UFC programming, including live fights, pre- and post-event shows, countdown shows, "UFC Unleashed," "UFC Primetime," "UFC Knockouts," "Best of PRIDE" and weigh-in specials, as well as "The Ultimate Fighter reality series," which will now feature live fights and fan-voted matchups during two annual seasons.  Also there will be four live events on Fox.  Dana stated they will most likely not be championship matchups but they will be big matchups.  First one will air on November 12th.  So with all that being said the new season of TUF will be on Spike in September and it will be their last for Spike.




Let me start of by saying, this is great news for MMA fans.  MMA will be going more mainstream and it will be provided to so many more households now!!  As Fox and Dana have stated there is so much more growth left in the sport.  Critics disagree but from my experience in my viewing and reading the viewer numbers it definitely has more growth to be made.  Fox being a major network has the power to propel it to the next level and get in more fans.  Alot of people see the MMA sport as barbaric.  Well yes, there are injuries and it is a violent sport.  It isn't any more violent then football or boxing.  Once more people are exposed to it they will see that it is very entertaining and the jiu jitsu is an amazing art and almost like a chess game on who can stay ahead and out think their opponent.

I was reading on twitter someone mentioned, now that the Ultimate Fighter fights will be live will they count against the fighters record??  I don't know the answer to that but I would hope so because I feel it should.  Otherwise it is just like a smoker.  NOT that the fighters don't take it seriously but it could push them a little further to finish the fight and prepare harder.  There have been many questions about the future of StrikeForce??  Just my opinion but I think it will eventually be phased into the UFC as the way of the WEC. With more of these big primetime events happening, UFC and Zuffa will want to showcase the best of the best and they will need more fighters for the shows.  They most likely will blend them in and you can already see some of it happening.  Alistair Overeem, Fedor, Marloes Coenen were all cut.  Who will they sign with next?? Perhaps UFC??  I suspect yes.

Last point I would like to make is about the growth of MMA.  Massachusetts has local fighters fighting in the Bellator at Mohegan Sun this weekend.  Is there any mention on the local sports stations like Comcast Sports Network or the local news??  None that I have seen so far.  Not even a five minute mention, come on!!  This shows me that there is plenty of growth left.  What are all your thoughts on the deal??  Let us get a good discussion going.

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