Hyden's Take
HYDEN BLOG: Big Underdogs, No More PPV, and The Ultimate Fighter Ratings
Mar 14, 2012 - 9:30:49 AM HYDEN BLOG: Big Underdogs, No More PPV, and The Ultimate Fighter Ratings

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By: Frank Hyden, MMATorch contributor

Frank Mir has opened as a big underdog in his UFC 146 fight against Cain Velasquez. I'm not a big betting guy, but hearing that Velasquez is a -500 favorite is a bit odd. I would imagine that those kinds of odds should be reserved for Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, or Jon Jones fights. I think Velasquez will win, so I suppose this is all moot, but it gives Mir even more ammunition and motivation. A motivated Mir can be dangerous, and he's coming off three straight wins. Velasquez got crushed in his last fight, a knockout loss to Junior dos Santos. I don't think Mir is dos Santos, but he's no bum.

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Dana White recently spoke with MMAWeekly.com about the future of pay-per-view as it pertains to the UFC. Dana said that he can see a future where the UFC isn't on PPV. I agree with that, it's only a matter of time before the antiquated PPV model is thrown out the window. The UFC is forced to use such an archaic model because of the way a lot of close-minded individuals still feel about MMA.

Wyoming recently became the latest state in the U.S. to sanction MMA. The fact that MMA is illegal anywhere in the United States is one reason why the UFC has to use the PPV model. The thinking that MMA is barbaric or that it's nothing but barroom brawls and people risking their lives is what prevents the UFC from being able to sign an even more major deal with a network to show all of their events on network television. Look at all the other sports organizations that are much smaller than the UFC yet have television deals. I won't call any of them by name because it's not their fault, but anyone who watches sports knows what I'm talking about.

These other leagues have television deals yet don't draw jack compared to what the UFC can bring to the table. The only league (in the U.S.) that can legitimately claim that they would outdraw the UFC all the time would be the NFL. The NBA and MLB draw good ratings for their playoff games, but the UFC is essentially the playoffs all year. I'm confident that the UFC could draw just as good of ratings as the NBA or MLB regular season games. The exceptions would be high-profile regular season match-ups, which would outdraw the UFC occasionally.

Back to the point Dana was making, as more and more people wise up to MMA, I think it's only a matter of time before the UFC ditches the PPV system. There's just no need for it where they're going. The UFC is also capable of providing a constant stream of fights, that's very important to keep interest up.

I think it's dumb that there are states that still haven't sanctioned MMA. The fact that MMA isn't allowed in every state is almost mind-blowing considering that it's 2012. How anyone can consider MMA to be as dangerous as the NFL, NHL, or Nascar is just plain odd to me. It's ludicrous that there are still so many closed minds on this topic. It's only a matter of how much longer we have to wait until MMA is sanctioned everywhere. Then it's only a matter of time before the UFC is televised just like the NFL or the NBA. It's nice to know that this will all happen eventually, I just hate waiting.

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It was revealed the other day that "The Ultimate Fighter: Live" on FX drew an average of 1.3 million viewers. That's basically in line with what the show was drawing the final seasons on Spike TV. Dana White had said that the ratings would double with the move to FX. It should be considered a big "Duh" moment that they didn't. There was no way the ratings were going to double. There wasn't anything that was going to draw additional interest in, that has to come from the fighters themselves. You can have any coach you want, they're not fighting, they're not really doing anything other than coaching.

The interest and excitement has to come from the fighters. These guys are all unknowns, unproven commodities. I don't the rating is a surprise at all, and it shouldn't be considered a bad thing. The Ultimate Fighter series shouldn't be looked at as a way to draw big ratings. It's a way to grow the sport and introduce the world to up-and-coming fighters. It's also a way to get to know the coaches a little better. It ups the profiles of those involved. That is the reward for the show, big ratings. Hopefully everyone involved realizes that and doesn't expect juggernaut ratings. The show has its place and serves a purpose, that makes the show worth keeping around.


Comments and suggestions can be e-mailed to me at hydenfrank@gmail.com