Why the UFC should use the Grand Prix tournament format:

I know for myself and most MMA fans one of the best aspect of watching Pride Fighting Championships was the Grand Prix tournaments. You had the best fighters in their organization in one weight class fighting each other in a tournament format that would decide who was the best fighter. It went over several events throughout the year. It built such great anticipation for fans as the Grand Prix lasted the whole year.
I think the UFC is deep enough in all of their weight classes save for maybe Heavyweight that they could hold such a tournament and it’d be one of the most exciting events for all MMA fans. <o></o>
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Here’s how it would work;<o></o>
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1. Identify the weight class that will be used for the tournament for the following year at the UFC’s New Years PPV. <o></o>
2. Announce the #1 contender in that weight class as he and the champ will NOT be in the tournament. They’ll face each other later in the year after coaching TUF.<o></o>
3. Name the 16 participants and introduce them at the NYE PPV. It always gives me chills when the fighters came out and were introduced at Pride and DREAM events<o></o>
4. Either have them pre-ranked or do a draw to see who is facing who in the opening round. Then reveal the brackets. OR have the fighters draw names for each following round.<o></o>
5. 1^st round of 8 fights is in February. 2^nd round of 4 fights is in May. 3^rd Round of the semi-finals is in August and the Finals is in November. <o></o>
6. The champ and the winner face each other in Feb or March of the following year.<o></o>
7. with 4 other champions fighting, it’s not a great loss to not have the champ of one weight category that active as the rest of the top fighters are busy earning their title shot.<o></o>
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Here’s the issues;<o></o>
1. Injuries could prevent the most deserving fighters from advancing<o></o>
2. The Champ is idle for a long time and most fighters depend on fights to get paid. You could put the champ in, but what if he loses in the 1^st round to a flash KO or surprise Sub?? How bad would that look? This is the toughest thing about a long Grand Prix tournament IMO. Anyone have ideas/suggestions around it?
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So with my overwhelmingly convincing argument, I’m going to go ahead and write up a Grand Prix for each weight class in the UFC and how I think they would go.<o></o>
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If anyone wants to tackle a weight class let me know and you can do the write up instead.<o></o>
I’ll start with the Lightweight division and post it soon.</o></o>

 

I do like the idea of using the "Grand Prix" format, EXCEPT...

I think the champ should automatically be in the Finals, and the winner of the Grand Prix should have to fight the No. 1 contender in the semi-final match. Then advance to face the champion that night.

Sure, it's a huge advantage for both the No. 1 contender and especially the champion, but hadn't they earned it?

Also, if you look at it this way, how many guys would kill for a shot at the championship, worn out or not? This format would make the title belt mean something to every fighter, again.

Those are the only two changes I'd make, otherwise I like your idea.

On a side note, you know that I'm a pro wrestling fan, and I was eager to see Bobby Lashley in an MMA ring. Now, I've read reports that say Lashley has shown interest in returning to wrestling, and possibly never taking part in an MMA fight at all.

I think it's a crying shame, to hype a man so much, just for him to let every hardcore MMA fan down like that. Sure, Ken Shamrock is old, and he'll probably lose every fight from here on, but at least he shows up if he can possibly go at all.

Lashley is very entertaining as a wrestler, but I wanted to see him face his other former WWE counterpart, Brock Lesnar, at some point in time. It now appears that won't happen, as Lashley has seen how much harder on the body MMA is compared to pro wrestling, and he wants no part of it.

 

The only drawback to having the champ and #1 contender wait is they would hypothetically fight on the NYE show then have to wait until the fall to fight again. It may be too long of a layoff. It could work though as the results would be the same, the Champ and #1 contender only fight once that year.

Lashley has had 1 MMA fight thus far in a regional MMA org and he destroyed another new MMA fighter in 41 seconds. Shamrock is off the fight card because he tested positive for steroids in his last fight. Jason Guida, Clay Guida's brother, is now facing Lashley. Jason Guida is 18-18 in MMA. So he's MUCH more experienced, but he's a below average fighter.FYI the fight is this Saturday.

 

I was told it was Lashley, not Shamrock, who was off the card. I was told Lashley got injured, and therefore they were finding a replacement to face Shamrock. They should let Ken take steroids! Damn man, he's old. It's not giving him an advantage, it's just making the fight MORE equal than it would be if he didn't take 'em!

 

Two things I thought of adding;

The 2 best guys who just miss the cut of making the Grand Prix would face off too and the winner would be an injury replacement for the 2nd round if needed. If more are needed, it would have to come from the least injured losers. If none are needed for the 2nd round, the top 4 best looking losers of the 1st round would face off too and the winners would be injury replacements for the future rounds if needed.

 

dangit, I don't know why but copying and pasting from Word creates those dang stupid smilies.
I can't see it them when at work in IE6.

 

Chocolove has said he'd give the WW GP a try.

that leave HW and if no one else wants it I'ma take a shot at it.

I like Mamba's idea of having a PM fest with him and Speeds to work it out between the 3 of us.