UFC Behind and Closed Minded?

[matt.m]

Really,

In all seriousness. It seems that every MMA promotion offers female fighting, so why is Dana White so closed minded as to not do the same for the UFC? Any thoughts are welcome.

 

[Andy Moynihan]

There is no Dana, only Zuul.

 

[Omar B]

Personally, when the women fight I don't' watch. Call it a flaw in me, but I can't watch women wail on each other unless there's mud or pudding involved.

 

[jarrod]

you're missing some great fights.

jf

 

[Ronin74]

Personally, when the women fight I don't' watch. Call it a flaw in me, but I can't watch women wail on each other unless there's mud or pudding involved.

LOL... too funny.

To be honest, I've only seen Gina Carano's fights on Elite XC because it was on CBS. I don't have anything against females fighting, but because I never had whatever channel showed Elite XC's events, I never cared to go out of my way to watch their events. In truth, I also had no interest in ordering PPV events headlined by Kimbo... lol.

In regards to Dana White, I believe he said in an old interview that from a business perspective, women's matches weren't a big draw. Now we could argue whether or not the matches are exciting or not. Personally, I think a good fight is a good fight, whether it's a men's fight or a women's fight; whether it's a title match or someone's debut. However, for MMA promters, the question they have to ask is always based on the numbers: is something enough of a draw that they should invest in it?

Now this isn't to say it won't ever be in the UFC. We can actually liken this to the first days of the UFC. Prior to Zuffa purchasing the UFC, Dana White and the Fertitta brothers had to consider whether UFC, and MMA in general was something worth investing in. For those familiar with the general history, UFC had already been banned in the US, and finding buyers for the promotion were not easy. Now it's more or less considered the grand stage of MMA.

With regards to women's MMA, I think it has to have a larger fanbase for them to consider it a worthwhile investment. I'm only speculating here, but I think they're after something with staying power and not something that will be perceived as a passing "fad".

 

[Thesemindz]

I don't have anything against female martial artists, or female fighters, but personally, I can't stomach watching female full contact.

It isn't anything against the fighters. They're pros. They're tough. They deserve the chance to fight, and their genitalia shouldn't get in the way. As a fan though, I just can't watch it.

So I don't. I don't know what percentage of fans feel like I do, and I'd still watch UFC if they included female fights, but I couldn't watch those fights. I can watch guys pound their faces into pudding, I can't watch women do the same.


-Rob

 

[Omar B]

you're missing some great fights.

jf

Maybe I am, but I'm not gonna watch women hit each other, that's not cool to me.

 

[Tez3]

Thnaks for all the patronising guys. There's no difference in watching female MMA than there is female bouts in TKD, Judo or Karate because thats exactly what MMA is.
Lets not bother then applauding any skills the women have, lets just be faux gentlemanly and say we don't like watching women hit each other shall we? what you are saying guys is that you think women can't fight and all they will do is punch each other in the face. Oh how dare these women actually think they could get into the ring/cage and fight, hence the demeaning comments about mud etc. No, it's not funny, it's down right insulting. Get a life.
You all claim to be martial artists and on the TMA threads claim that women are treated equally by you, are they hell, when it comes down to it you are as chavinistic as men as any Afghan.
Do you know, your attitudes make me feel sick? It's all talk isn't on the other forums when someone asks about special treatment for women and you all pipe up gosh no, 'they must be treated the same as any other student', 'all my students are treated the same', 'my females are good fighters' you all go..... yet when a chance to prove themselves as fighters comes up you laugh, make jokes and generally insult us.
Get a grip guys, open your eyes and think seriously about this. You are also missing some of the best fights around, the womens fights tend to better technically, is that what you're afraid of? Being shown up by a female fighter? You haven't the bottle so therefore women mustn't fight?

UFC is only considered by the Americans as 'the grand stage of MMA', There's bigger out there and most are better, the UFC is not the showcase of MMA in the world. Female MMA is accepted, watched and has more fans around the world than probably the UFC has, as I said only in America is it considered to be 'the thing'.

Belittling women fighters doesn't become you gentlemen, it lowers you.

 

[Tez3]

Oh and if you are watching male MMA fights where all they do is pummel each other in the face? Then you aren't watching the right MMA fights, thats boxing.

The UFC isn't the biggest or the best nor does it have the best fighters, it just has the best publicity.

 

[Omar B]

Thnaks for all the patronising guys. There's no difference in watching female MMA than there is female bouts in TKD, Judo or Karate because thats exactly what MMA is.
Lets not bother then applauding any skills the women have, lets just be faux gentlemanly and say we don't like watching women hit each other shall we? what you are saying guys is that you think women can't fight and all they will do is punch each other in the face. Oh how dare these women actually think they could get into the ring/cage and fight, hence the demeaning comments about mud etc. No, it's not funny, it's down right insulting. Get a life.
You all claim to be martial artists and on the TMA threads claim that women are treated equally by you, are they hell, when it comes down to it you are as chavinistic as men as any Afghan.
Do you know, your attitudes make me feel sick? It's all talk isn't on the other forums when someone asks about special treatment for women and you all pipe up gosh no, 'they must be treated the same as any other student', 'all my students are treated the same', 'my females are good fighters' you all go..... yet when a chance to prove themselves as fighters comes up you laugh, make jokes and generally insult us.
Get a grip guys, open your eyes and think seriously about this. You are also missing some of the best fights around, the womens fights tend to better technically, is that what you're afraid of? Being shown up by a female fighter? You haven't the bottle so therefore women mustn't fight?

UFC is only considered by the Americans as 'the grand stage of MMA', There's bigger out there and most are better, the UFC is not the showcase of MMA in the world. Female MMA is accepted, watched and has more fans around the world than probably the UFC has, as I said only in America is it considered to be 'the thing'.

Belittling women fighters doesn't become you gentlemen, it lowers you.

Let me just state that I'm not a fan of fighting period so it's not being faux anything. If I watch a fight it's never at my place and I never go out of my way to watch one. Not the purpose of MA in my eyes. I don't like watching women fight, nor do I particularly enjoy watching men fight. And yes, I do applaud the skills of female martial artists, one of my best teachers was a woman.

Don't go painting me into this chauvinistic corner because you assume I don't want to watch women fight. I don't like fighting period. Heck, the only martial arts movies I own on DVD are a Bruce Lee box set and that's it.

 

[Ironcrane]

Personally, I really enjoy watching women fighters. As sexist, as it may, or may not sound, I find it refreshing to find a lady with martial arts talent, who isn't afraid to dish it out.
I remember trying to get into watching Boxing on t.v. but I could never do it. Every match I ever watched, the two Boxers would just dance around, and throw a jab every so often. Then they move into a clinch, and get separated. Repeat for the entire match. It wasn't until I watch one, where all the Boxers were women that I enjoyed it. The woman went in there and mixed it up.
It was the first time I ever saw Boxers that boxed, as apposed to just dancing around, and throwing a few jabs.

 

[CoryKS]

His business, his rules. Don't like it, raise some capital and book a venue. Does everybody really have to be in lock-step agreement on every issue?

Personally, I enjoy watching females fight as much as the males. I've seen a lot of good technique and there tends to be less wrestling, which I find boring. But it ain't my call if the guy who invested his time and money into the enterprise doesn't want to sponsor it.

 

[JadecloudAlchemist]

I personally like female fights very technical IMO. Also Women fights have great stand up action.

As for Dana its his organization and he runs it how he wants to. But I think he is missing out on a great market of woman fighters who seem to be carving their own niche in MMA.

 

[Nomad]

Thnaks for all the patronising guys. There's no difference in watching female MMA than there is female bouts in TKD, Judo or Karate because thats exactly what MMA is.
Lets not bother then applauding any skills the women have, lets just be faux gentlemanly and say we don't like watching women hit each other shall we? what you are saying guys is that you think women can't fight and all they will do is punch each other in the face. Oh how dare these women actually think they could get into the ring/cage and fight, hence the demeaning comments about mud etc. No, it's not funny, it's down right insulting. Get a life.
You all claim to be martial artists and on the TMA threads claim that women are treated equally by you, are they hell, when it comes down to it you are as chavinistic as men as any Afghan.
Do you know, your attitudes make me feel sick? It's all talk isn't on the other forums when someone asks about special treatment for women and you all pipe up gosh no, 'they must be treated the same as any other student', 'all my students are treated the same', 'my females are good fighters' you all go..... yet when a chance to prove themselves as fighters comes up you laugh, make jokes and generally insult us.
Get a grip guys, open your eyes and think seriously about this. You are also missing some of the best fights around, the womens fights tend to better technically, is that what you're afraid of? Being shown up by a female fighter? You haven't the bottle so therefore women mustn't fight?

UFC is only considered by the Americans as 'the grand stage of MMA', There's bigger out there and most are better, the UFC is not the showcase of MMA in the world. Female MMA is accepted, watched and has more fans around the world than probably the UFC has, as I said only in America is it considered to be 'the thing'.

Belittling women fighters doesn't become you gentlemen, it lowers you.

I can see where you're coming from on this, but I think it's an oversimplification to claim that men who don't want to see women fight are chauvinistic. To me, that's the easy way out.

I think there are a lot of complex things at work here. From a very young age, our society teaches most guys that it's not ok to hit a girl, and in general, places men in a "protective" role... whether you want to argue that this is an evolutionary role from the hunter/gatherer days or a remnant of the male-dominated societies in which women were treated as chattel depends on your viewpoint... both have validity in my mind.

While I have enjoyed watching the few female fights I've seen as there has been great technique involved, there is something inherently more cringe-worthy for most guys seeing a girl get pummelled than a guy. I can completely understand why many guys don't want to see it, and don't think it's particularly a chauvinist attitude.

 

[jarrod]

Don't go painting me into this chauvinistic corner because you assume I don't want to watch women fight. I don't like fighting period. Heck, the only martial arts movies I own on DVD are a Bruce Lee box set and that's it.

i can see where you're coming from, but i think you might have painted yourself in that corner with the mud & pudding wrestling reference.

jf

 

[Omar B]

i can see where you're coming from, but i think you might have painted yourself in that corner with the mud & pudding wrestling reference.

jf

I don't think so. One's sexy, the other's just a beating.

 

[LuckyKBoxer]

Simply put Women MMA fights are not a draw. The biggest names in Womens MMA would have huge trouble filling a stadium. I mean seriously whats the biggest Superfight out there for women at the moment?
Carano v Cyborg maybe? Regardless of whether its politically correct, or anything else, the fact is women mma is not a draw, Dana is about making money, not about making an even playing field, Dana does not care about the fighters in any way shape or form, he cares about the business. He might be friendly with some fighters, and give some fighters preferential treatment, but thats due to the money they bring in. When the fighters are no longer a draw, he gets rid of them. Period.

BTW the UFC is in fact the biggest MMA Organization, it has collectively the best talent on the planet, and saying anything else is just being bitter. Sure arguably the best fighter on the planet is elsewhere, and there are also great fighters not in the UFC, but saying the promotion is not the biggest, and best out there is just denying the truth.

I also think that Tez is a bit out of line, just because someone doeos not like watching women fight for any way shape or form does not mean they are belittling women. I do not particularly like watching any weight class under the 205 class fight unless its a title fight, and even then I get bored with them most of the time. Thats not belittling, its just my personal preference. I want to watch athletes that are bigger then life, that impress me, possibly scare me a little, and I want to watch them do big things. Sure some men might be chauvenistic, but I don't think anyone is saying they can't fight, or shouldn't fight, I think they are just not interested in watching them fight.. /shrug

It's like I keep saying... you can not force people to do things they do not want to do, people are not paying money to watch women fight, if you think a market is there then go forward with it, and keep pushing, but calling people chauvenistic for not wanting to watch women fight is wrong, its similar to the people out there that called anyone who did not vote for Obama a racist. Its a broad stroke of a brush that is completely wrong, and not helping your case at all.

 

[jarrod]

I don't think so. One's sexy, the other's just a beating.

which one's the beating; mud or pudding?

seriously though, MMA & pudding wrestling aren't even in the same category, so i can see where some women might not appreciate the comment. it sort of makes it sound like women have no place in the ring unless it's for your arousal. not that i have a problem with pudding wrestling, but i wouldn't draw comparisons between it & women's MMA. also, when i stated that you were missing some good fights, you didn't point out at that time that you don't like fighting of any sort.

this discussion reminds me of a few years ago when i participated in a co-ed oil wrestling event. who won? EVERYBODY.

jf

 

[Omar B]

I could not tell you who's the champion of UFC, boxing, whatever you have out there. I don't watch TUF or any of that WWF. I get why people are fans because I am a martial artist, I just don't see it as entertainment.

 

[Thems Fighting Words]

Simply put Women MMA fights are not a draw. The biggest names in Womens MMA would have huge trouble filling a stadium. I mean seriously whats the biggest Superfight out there for women at the moment?
Carano v Cyborg maybe? Regardless of whether its politically correct, or anything else, the fact is women mma is not a draw, Dana is about making money, not about making an even playing field, Dana does not care about the fighters in any way shape or form, he cares about the business. He might be friendly with some fighters, and give some fighters preferential treatment, but thats due to the money they bring in. When the fighters are no longer a draw, he gets rid of them. Period.

And that's the cruncher. When UFC bought out their rival, they only contracted male fighters because Dana realized where the money was.