So the UFC is doing well, making big dollars and gaining popularity. But could it be better than it currently is? I say yes and here’s the #1 thing I’d like to see the UFC do. Do a Grand Prix style tournament!!! Who wouldn’t like to see once and for all who’s the best at any weight class and prove it by mowing through the competition throughout a year to prove it?!?! Pride FC was able to do this and it was totally compelling the possible match ups as the year went on. Fighters only had to fight twice in one night once during the quarter finals and the rest of the way they fought once every 4 months. So you take 16 of the top fighters in the division, maybe even introducing a new fighter or two and make an entire card of those 8 fights and maybe an alternates fight winner can replace any seriously injured winning fighters at the next PPV and for once show the whole damn event! With the 8 remaining fighters there’s your main card in 4 months along with say a title fight from another division. 4 months later you have the quarter finals in December and the finals on that night as well. Now there’s a few sticking points that need to be fixed.; If letting fighters fight twice in one night is an issue with the Athletic Commissions Do you Start in January and have the one of the rounds only 2 months after the previous one to have 5 rounds? I think the UFC should be able to have the quarter finals and finals on one card. I mean K-1 has their Vegas event and fighters fight more than once. There is a risk if someone wins but his hurt, but screw it the buzz may die down if you wait 3 months between the quarter finals and finals. Do you include the champ in the tourney? If he loses in the first round how bad will that look? Still this is to prove who the best is and the alternative is to basically have the champ not fight for a year or fight guys who don’t deserve a title shot because the best are fighting in the Grand Prix. So throw him in there and make him earn it. Unlike the Pride Grand Prix there has to be a seeding bracket. Pride just kinda picked and chose who was fighting each round, sometimes trying to ensure a Japanese fighter would go as far as possible and possibly giving other fighters easier fights too. Too many people in North America are used to a playoff system in sports and want to know who the #1 seed is etc so doing it randomly will not work for the average fan. With 5 weight divisions there’s no reason not to do this for one division per year! Who doesn’t want to see this? Are there any drawbacks for the UFC? Gawd I salivate at the thought of a LHW Grand Prix Let me know what you think of this idea. Better yet, throw out your ideas for improving the UFC.. or do you love it as it is?
How about combining some of the weight classes to see who is the best fighter between a larger group? Obviously, lightweight wouldn't fight heavy weight but still, i think combining your idea of a grand-prix with combined weight classes could be pretty exciting.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Answer_AI03 @ Jan 23 2008, 02:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>How about combining some of the weight classes to see who is the best fighter between a larger group? Obviously, lightweight wouldn't fight heavy weight but still, i think combining your idea of a grand-prix with combined weight classes could be pretty exciting.</div> I think the original format was like this, but I if they want to sanction the fights in the US their a strict rules about weight class requirements for the UFC to apply for a fighting license. I like the Grand Prix idea, but you always risk a fighter getting injured during a tournament and a fresh alternate has to step in.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Shapecity @ Jan 23 2008, 02:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Answer_AI03 @ Jan 23 2008, 02:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>How about combining some of the weight classes to see who is the best fighter between a larger group? Obviously, lightweight wouldn't fight heavy weight but still, i think combining your idea of a grand-prix with combined weight classes could be pretty exciting.</div> I think the original format was like this, but I if they want to sanction the fights in the US their a strict rules about weight class requirements for the UFC to apply for a fighting license. I like the Grand Prix idea, but you always risk a fighter getting injured during a tournament and a fresh alternate has to step in. </div> Pride did have an Open Weight Grand Prix but the athletic commissions in the states would NEVER allow that to happen. Besides with the skill level of all fighters improving so much compaired to just 5 years ago, little skilled fighters would be running into bigger, nearly as skilled fighters and that would be messy. The risk would only be there for the Quarter Finals/Finals thus having an alternatives match in the first event would help cover that issue. With 4 months in between it would lessen the risk too.
