The Ultimate Fighter 9 And The Big Picture
by Kelvin Hunt on Mar 31, 2009 1:15 PM EDT
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We'll get to enjoy 2 hours of FREE MMA on tomorrow night, then those that still watch will tune into the premier of The Ultimate Fighter 9.
I want to talk about the big picture.
Many people point back to last season as the last straw so to speak in terms of the show hitting rock bottom. Indeed, there were actions and things that took place that should be rightfully condemned. However, the very same thing could be said for the very first season. I mean airing someone pissing on someone else's bed is pretty low is it not? That's not a good depiction of the sport, or the majority of the fighters that participate in MMA on a professional level. Yet it happened, and just so happened to be one of the first impressions upon an audience that had no idea what MMA was. Yet, the douchebaggery didn't seem to do any damage to our beloved sport.
In my honest opinion, if the crazy antics that happened on the first season of TUF didn't hurt the image of MMA/UFC. I don't see where it's going to happen now. Every season of TUF has its moments of idiotic episodes, yet the sport of MMA continues to get sanctioned in more and more states. The yearly UFC PPV record has been shattered as well as the records for attendance. The UFC continues to get TV deals abroad, and garned blue chip sponsorships last year. The very fighter most everyone dislikes from last season will be fighting tomorrow night, and I bet you'll be tuning in to see if he'll get his ass whipped.
The big picture is this. This season of TUF is much like the first season in that it will be exposed to a new audience. Which is a byproduct of the UK fighters featured and the theme of the show. Of course, there are going to be moments on this season where you are going to say "what in the !uck is this", just as you've done for the past 8 seasons. However, the purpose of this years show is to aid in the expansion of the UFC into the UK and abroad. Just as the purpose of TUF 1 was to gain traction here in America. As my grandfather would say..."nothing's changed...it's just the same shit...different toilet."
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Oh for sure@ the show being too stale and uniform. I just speaking on the perspective of the antics on the show killing the sport or something.
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‘Moral panic’ I believe it’s called.
I was just saying when people worry about this year’s “Chris Leben” ruining the reputation of Mixed Martial Arts I worry about the show getting flat. Everyone knows (or should know) that the people in the house are pretty much encouraged to wreck the house and jizz on each other’s foodstuffs – it’s pretty much the equivalent of an experiment with a bunch of monkeys on LSD locked into a house.
Bloody hell.
I think that overall there is NO way that they’ll be able to eliminate the hyjinks and shenanigans from the show, and the fact that it builds intrigue in the product means that there’s NO way that it will go away. My problem with the show is when they make it a point of focus. Last season was essentially The Junie Browning show, and the punk is still getting pushed by the organization because of it. I don’t like the idea that not only was this guy a major point of interest the show, and is subsequently put on cards for ratings, because he was a retard who liked to get smashed and cause trouble. I don’t think that the UFC, or even Spike TV are at fault because the guy is F’d up, but when you take such and individual and enable (and to a certain extent encourage) him to continue doing what he’s doing, THAT’S how it damages the sport.
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i agree Neil. no contraversy, no ratings. and the ratings have maintained steady all through out all 8 seasons. i don’t like junie, but i’m not as disgusted with him as you and many others. i’m going to go by what he does now, after the show is over. i think he got on that show thinking he was the man, and quickly found out that he wasnt and that’s when his insecurities arose. honestly, i think they should ban alcohol from the show. someone IS going to get seriuosly hurt on that show b/c of the drinking that goes on due to the pressures of the show. i like and respect dana white alot, but i totally disagree with his view that “they don’t have to drink, just b/c it’s there”. i also believe that spike has alot more to do with pulling the strings on how that show operates and how it is edited than alot of people think. i believe that if white did try and take out the booze and spike said no, spike would win. i can’t say that makes it right or wrong though.
Kelvin. great write up. no matter how disgusted i get with some of the shows hijinks, i still find myself missing the show as soon as it’s over. i feel if they just had better fights and better fighters over the last 2 seasons, it would make a big difference on how the show is viewed by hardcore fans. i agree that last season was not that much worse than the 1rst as far as hijhinks go, it’s just like i mentioned, the fighters and fights themselves have really waned. that’s what will bring hardcore fans back imo. the casual fans(who make up the majority of the overall fans) don’t care and are probably drawn to the real world antics. i myself am not going to pass judgement on this season mainly b/c it hasn’t aired yet. i hate when fans pass judgement on events , before they even transpire, and i think people should reserve judgement until after the season has started.
i believe that if white did try and take out the booze and spike said no, spike would win.
Oh I have no doubt that Spike would win. Those guys have a ton of say in regards to what kind of product goes on the air. Hell, for a little while the Tyson Griffin fight was bumped off the main card because they HAD to have Browning on TV. You’ve got a good point though; if someone actually DOES get hurt on the show because of somebody like that.. well, it won’t be a very good situation for anyone.
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I feel you…BUT they enabled him on the show…after the show is over…it’s over. Now when you see the guy he’s sober…usually articulates pretty well what he wants to get across. I think most casual fans realize that. Now if the UFC were to encourage this type of behavior ALL the time(off the show) then yea it would be a problem for the sport.
My thing is…the first 8 seasons of TUF didn’t really do any damage to the sport..
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You are correct here good sir.
i also believe that spike has alot more to do with pulling the strings on how that show operates and how it is edited than alot of people think.
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I am pretty excited!
I’m also nervous about what shenanigans they’ll be getting into this season. Like a lot of people here I absolutely hate the focus on that crap. They really should be focusing on the training (I would say more but at this point there is no focus on it at all). I realize that a lot of that stuff is for ratings but seriously? Drinking someone else’s pee? So not cool… I think that’s how they trick me into watching MANswers afterwards. My mind is already turned into mush by the frat boy antics on the show why not find out how big my boobs would have to be to crush a can of beer?
I'm the kind of girl who loves to watch a GOOD fight!
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