ESPN MMA Conversation

kingbmore20

The training should be regulated to help prevent injury. So many fighters are often injured and it is hurting the UFC.
341 Days ago

BlueChewy06

UFC has 8 weight classes. Yet only Henderson, Jones, and Dos Santos are currently defending. If I were Dana White, I'd start telling guys that you lose your belt if you pull out of a fight. No interim belts, no #1 contenders waiting to fight the champ. If a champ pulls out or can't fight during an 8 month span, his belt should be up for grabs. And surgery after a fight is different than pulling out a month before. Some good all that training does if it makes half of the better paid fighters pull out a month before they fight.
346 Days ago

sstutch

All in all out of the 8 weight classes 4 champs have been/will be in action. 2 of them will have an interim champion. 1 will have the first ever champion crowned. That means only 1 weight class(featherweight) will have not seen some form of a championship bout. Now with all that being said, White should force people with interim belts to defend it rather than getting it and siting out for 9 months to wait for the champ like Condit. I'm sure they would have loved to crown an interim champ in the featherweight division with Aldo out, but I assume the injury isn't too severe. Plus, in my opinion, there aren't two deserving people of a belt in that division at this given moment.
345 Days ago

oRodeo540o

I agree 100%
345 Days ago

RCloud74

Best case scenario is to sub in Jung for Aldo. The should at least help the pay-per-view a little bit, in my opinion. http://cloudmma.tumblr.com/
346 Days ago

Scott7713

Part of training is training in a way that allows you to actually show up for the event. I realize these guys are putting their all into their training because they want to be at their best. But when you get injured prior to your event, not only don't you participate, you don't get paid. This also makes it nearly impossible for fans to follow the sport. I feel more trainers should strongly emphasize training hard, but training in a way that allows you to actually make it to the starting line. I was gonna order both UFC 148 and 149, but the way things stand right now forget it. If they'd have at least left Faber/Barao on the Sonnen/Silva card, I would've at least got that one, but now ... couldn't care less about either. One fight is not enough for me to pony up $60 ... I'll have to hear about sonnen/silva on Sherdog or something. I can't understand why we can't have ala carte fights on these UFC cards. Preliminaries could go for five chops a piece, or less. Then the pricing gets more expensive the higher up the card you get. That way, I could just pay, say, $19.95 for Silva/Sonnen 2 and not have to get all the byproduct and filler. The way things are priced now, I can't afford to be a fan of this sport.
346 Days ago

Scott7713

Great point. My thinking is that they will more than make up for that with the bigger fights. Obviously the prelims they already give away would still be free. Maybe they could make you have to take a prelim or two with your order. I just can't be paying $60 for one fight. And in this current day injury-fest, there really never is more than one good fight per card that I care about.
346 Days ago

welikehonda

Best advice I can give is visit a bar in your area that shows the PPVs. The problem with a la carte pricing is anyone who fights Clay Guida or Jon Fitch won't have many people watching their fight. Plus if there are two relative unknowns fighting not many people would pony up even $5 just to watch them plus a fighter who has lost 2 or 3 straight vs an up and comer.
346 Days ago

coachenlee

i will say that this many fighters coming up hurt in "practice" doesnt seem to be that professional. something definatly needs to be done about it. i mean, who the heck wants to buy tickets or make plans in advance nowadays.
346 Days ago

tom_tom21

The only way to keep a growing sport growing is to adapt. The UFC needs to 1st, not have so many cards, 2nd, load up each PPV with stars so when someone does go down us fans do not feel cheated, 3rd use the TV events for young exciting up and comers.
347 Days ago

Dog9breath

I agree, FX and Fuel should be used to build marketability of fighters, but the FOX cards need to be the biggest fights possible. I understand they want the PPV revenue, but the FOX cards should be the best of the best so the same amount of people that watch NFL on Sundays can view it to get more people talking.
347 Days ago

NapD

For anyone who still believes UFC can do nothing about this, that these injuries are a natural part of the sport (BTW Aldo is 25 years old and hasn't fought since January, he shouldn't be worn out), let's take a look at some rule changes the NFL instated in 2011 to reduce wear and team on their players: -The dreaded "two-a-days, or two full-contact practices on the same day, has been eliminated. -A team can have one preseason practice per day, as long as three hours maximum, with hitting permitted. -Players must be given one day off per week. -The rules also limit each team to 14 practices in full pads during the regular season, 11 of which must come in the first 11 weeks of the 17-week season. Notice all the limits on the length and number of full contact practices. You think these rules will reduce the chance of injuries compared to having no rules at all on how they can practice? Here are the restrictions governing how MMA fighters train: NADA. ZERO. ZIP. Wanna train 8 hours a day? Go ahead! Wanna practice wrestling and have guys shoot at your knees 6 hours into a training day when you are tired, weak, and more likely to be injured? Go right ahead! Wanna punch the heavy bag without taping up your hands and wearing boxing gloves? No problem! These guys are warriors! Steel sharpens steel! And we wonder why MMA fighters are going down like flys in practice.
347 Days ago

NapD

If you think the UFC has nothing to do with fighters pulling out of fights due to injuries you are wrong. This whole epidemic started with a policy change made by the UFC last year to cover training injuries under their health insurance. If they have to eliminate that to fix this problem, so be it.
346 Days ago

Dog9breath

So the fighters training cannot engage in punching heavy bags in fear of injury? Aldo has been injury prone for about 3 years or so now, so this is the least surprising injury of the year so far. Fighters are independent contractors, UFC does not own them or even make the rules. It's commissions that call the shots rules and regulation wise. As long as they pass the commissions requirements, they are clear to fight. Stop thinking Zuffa's companies are actual leagues. Dana White is not a commissioner, there is no players association for athletes. It's prize fighting. Now if Zuffa had camps they covered all the expenses for, then yes, they can start dictating. But the camps are independently operated, your not walking into anyone's gym and telling them what they can and cannot do. Keep smoking your crack.
347 Days ago

NapD

Assuming the Brazilian he faces can actually make the fight, cough Belfort cough Aldo. I'm not saying I'm a trainer, but it doesn't take a genius to realize when a fighter goes down every week in the UFC that there's a systematic problem here. You think nothing can be done about it. I disagree, I see no reason to think trainers cannot improve and and refine their training methods. Training hard does not always mean training smart. For example, you can go without rest days, that's physically harder, however that will actually negatively affect your performance. Guys should be training smart and training hard. If you don't, expect to be injured sooner or later.
346 Days ago

Dog9breath

First of all, there are many boxing related chronic joint muscle injuries associated with overuse of heavy bags. you hit those at full force, not half force like in sparring. over time it can build up wrist and elbow injuries that has actually lead some boxers to retire early. How about you put out a video showing how a prize fighter is going to prepare for a fight in an 8 week camp without being injured. Guaranteed anyone using your method is going to be crushed by the 1st Brazilian he faces.
346 Days ago

NapD

Who said they can't train on a punching bag? Re-read what I said. There's a right way to train and wrong way, some fighters and trainers don't realize the difference. Again the UFC can just offer training guidelines and then just hoped they are followed so the chance of more fights being canceled can be reduced. Stop thinking the way fighters train now is the only way they can train. Training methods are constantly evolving in every sport. 10 years ago gyms had guys KOing each other in practices without head gear or anything, it supposedly made them tougher. Concussions were no big deal. In reality it only shortened their careers. 20 years from now when they look back at all the injuries taking out fighters in 2011-2012, many of them will be attributed to the outdated training methods of the time.
346 Days ago

tom_tom21

The NFL rules have nothing to do with player safety. Players wanted those rules because they dread those workouts in the off season. they are not a whole lot of fun. The NFL gave into those rules because it was either that or concede on some money front, which they had no intention of doing. but good job at mis using some facts to make a point. Skip Bayless would be proud of you right now
347 Days ago

Dog9breath

The player safety rules are the ones on fields such as no leading with the helmet for a tackle (which has been on every helmet sold for about 15 years now), no taking players out at the knee, etc. People are complaining of those rules saying it's wussifying the sport, it seems your not one of them, but when gyms lose their top guy and don't get paid, then that is on them and I can't feel bad for them that they live with their mistakes. It sucks for fans, but at the end of the day it is what it is.
346 Days ago

NapD

Of course the NFL rules have to do with player safety. Why do you think the players negotiated it? It wasn't about "fun". It was about reducing the wear and tear on these guys and trying to extend their careers so they aren't worn down in practices. There's also the whole league wide crackdown on concussions. This has everything to do with preventing injuries.
346 Days ago

Dog9breath

so true. the NFLPA made that stance to draw out a lockout because they needed ridiculous demands to put pressure on the league to start negotiating in a way that would benefit them.
347 Days ago

hossdog20

And what exactly is your point here? Are you saying that the UFC should control their fighters like puppets, regulating everything down to how long they can stay in the gym, what about a fighter's right to train how he wishes? Injuries are just part of contact sports, especially ones centered around one on one combat. Not to mention the fact that training methods for these sports are completely different.
347 Days ago

NapD

Obviously the UFC can't police every practice. They can offer guidelines and then just just pray they are followed. It's obvious by the rash of injuries dating back to last year that many trainers and fighters themselves don't know what they are doing. If they don't know how to set their own rules up to decrease the chance of injury, have someone else do it.
346 Days ago

Dog9breath

Your not going to tell an independently ran gym what they can do in preparing a fighter for a fight. Zuffa does the "independent contractor" thing with the fighters, your an idiot, there is no league, commissioner, or fighters union laying those regulations. The commissions run the game, they clear you, you fight. Anyone that has ever trained will tell you in any sparring session it's a possibility, you can blame the trainers or the fighter, you can't blame UFC.
347 Days ago

illy4life1977

another injury? makes you wonder if there legit injuries. just saying.
347 Days ago

mh_game

due to an undisclosed injury, it's unfortunate, but i will be unable to watch the next couple of ppv's. i have been hitting the couch hard, and getting my remote ready. but something just doesn't feel right. so i am going to have to pull out from paying for these ppv's. if anyone would like to donate so that i may still watch, that would be greatly appreciated. i'm heartbroken, but the fights will go on... and i will just have to watch by other means than me paying to watch in the friendly confines of my own home. (wonder if applebee's will be busy?)
347 Days ago

mh_game

in all seriousness, the number of injuries that are occurring is getting unreal. i understand that these fighters have to cover a lot of different skills in their training, and i understand that sometimes freakish things happen. but to this many fighters this close together? i get a ting here and bruise there from time to time, but that is when i learn to train around it so that area heals and i don't lose anything... but then again, i'm not a professional fighter...
347 Days ago

tjstryker

Fitch, Aldo, Stan, Bisping, Belfort.....Injury pullouts are starting to be rampant in MMA now
347 Days ago

Dog9breath

what do you mean starting??? Last summer it was the same thing with those cards.
347 Days ago

pac7196033

No kidding, it's turning into a circus.
347 Days ago

SeanB1991

these fighters need to change how they train. its ridiculous how often these guys get injured
347 Days ago

tankthecane82

some things you can't control, they have to practice wrestling (knee injuries, shoulders etc.), striking, bjj, strength and condo. There's nothing they are doing that's out of the ordinary
347 Days ago

tankthecane82

actually it is, i've been around sports my whole life and all my strength and conditioning coaches through college have used that as an abbreviated form. Regardless if it's gramatically correct or not, it's clear you are troll and have nothing better to do than try and start sh** when we all know you are a chump hiding behind a computer. Also quit liking your own comments.
346 Days ago

Dog9breath

condo is not a recognized abbreviation for conditioning. Stop being lazy and spell the word.
347 Days ago

ReesesPieces76

They get hurt more than Penn State linebackers
347 Days ago

dlartis

I dont think it has anything to do with training harder, but rather fighters are no longer living from paycheck to paycheck like they were in the past. Increased paychecks, medical insurance, and endorsements allow fighters to afford (literally) to skip a fight and wait til they are completely healthy. In the past they would fight through injuries to get that much needed paycheck. The risk is no longer worth the reward.
347 Days ago

Dog9breath

They don't get the paycheck unless they fight. Fighters pay out of pocket for the camps, so just because there's insurance doesn't mean he's still getting paid.
347 Days ago

tankthecane82

not to mention, their sponsors pay for most of their expenses anyways. It's typically a sponsorship/endorsement deal, they're covered. It's the lower tier fighters that have to keep on fighting.
346 Days ago

mh_game

well said. to continue that thought, it only seems to be the big name fighters that are pulling out of fights. don't hear about too many newbies trying to break into the ufc backing out with an injury.
347 Days ago

tankthecane82

exactly
347 Days ago

Roque1996

3 Champs down, four to go.
347 Days ago

BlueChewy06

4 champs if you include Silva.... he still isn't technically back from injury yet.
345 Days ago

mattyd522

with the level of competition rising all the time these fighters are clearly training harder than ever so injuries are expected, it is a shame to us fans we dont get to see the big names all the time but watching 2 guys big names or not going at it in the octagon is still great entertainment and the only people losing out are the ones who actually pay for PPVs.
347 Days ago

mattyd522

forgot about them ha, yeah they are losing out to. i personally prefer watching at home as opposed to being there i love the tv coverage.
347 Days ago

triumph1134

And the ones who travel to the matches and pay for tickets.
347 Days ago

OSUCowboy787

Wow now almost every title holder is injured it seems like. What they need to do is have set times when they have to defend their belts and if they get hurt and can't defend it then that fight will be for an interim belt for the weight class. It almost seems like these guys get injured before their fight so they can have more time cashing in on getting sponsors money etc.
347 Days ago