UFC News: UFC Breaks PPV Record, Huge Shows In UFC's Future, And Much More!
Posted by Dustin James on 01.14.2009
Lots of UFC news here.....
- It's almost a lock that in 2008 the UFC will have set the all-time single year PPV record. If Dana White's numbers are accurate, the final North American PPV numbers would be in the $290 million range. That would break the WWE's worldwide record of $260 million set in 2001 and HBO Boxing's domestic mark of $255 million set last year.
- The UFC was interested in a Chuck Liddell/Wanderlei Silva main event for UFC 96 in March, however Silva has informed the UFC that he is only interested in fighting every six months and doesn't want to fight again until June or July.
- The UFC's May 23 PPV in Las Vegas could be a big one. Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar is currently being considered for the main event, Matt Serra vs. Matt Hughes has already been confirmed for the show and rumors say the UFC may be interested in pitting the winner of the Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Mark Coleman fight at this weekend's UFC 95 show against Chuck Liddell.
- There are talks of holding UFC 100 on July 4 in Las Vegas. Rumored match-ups include Rashad Evans vs. Quinton Jackson, Michael Bisping vs. Rich Franklin/Dan Henderson, as well as fights with Georges St. Pierre and BJ Penn.
- Due to recent surgery on a broken finger, Forrest Griffin is expected to be out until August or September.
- The UFC is apparently high on Tom Egan. They feel he has Bisping-level charisma and could end up being a huge superstar in Ireland. Egan will be facing John Hathaway at UFC 93 this weekend.
- Alistair Overeem has been telling people that he will attend the UFC 95 show this weekend and meet with UFC officials about possibly fighting with the company in the near future. Overeem has already committed to the DREAM show in March.
- Ricardo Almeida vs. Matt Horwich has been added to UFC Fight Night 18 in April.
Is it just too much to ask that 96 gets a main event? I mean, I want to go, and probably will, but, seriously? Give us Mir/Lesnar. Hell, or Rashard/Rampage - that'd be fantastic.
Posted By: Sandusky Taint Grab (Guest) on January 14, 2009 at 06:31 PM
alistair might want to consider leaving his banned substances at the door if he's actually planning to go through with this.
Posted By: barry bonds (Guest) on January 14, 2009 at 06:31 PM
How did Silva go from wanting to fight every other month to only wanting to fight twice a year?
Posted By: Champ (Guest) on January 14, 2009 at 07:27 PM
"They feel he has Bisping-level charisma and could end up being a huge superstar in Ireland."
is that you, count?
Posted By: fact checker (Guest) on January 14, 2009 at 07:55 PM
that was anderson silva who wanted to fight more
Posted By: joe (Guest) on January 14, 2009 at 08:02 PM
290 million and they still pay the fighters dirt, what's the excuse now? I'd be pissed if I was one of the guys makin 10 grand a fight.
Posted By: Anger (Guest) on January 14, 2009 at 08:59 PM
Well I guess I wont be watching UFC 100 if it is on the 4th of July. They wont have it that night. I would have to kick someones ass if they do.
Posted By: Chris (Guest) on January 14, 2009 at 09:53 PM
Shit I'd take 10 grand for 15 mins worth of work.
Posted By: SYC (Guest) on January 14, 2009 at 11:27 PM
Bisping level charisma... that's a good thing?
Posted By: Brian (Guest) on January 14, 2009 at 11:47 PM
Jackson VS SHOGUN!!!
Posted By: Guest#9324 (Guest) on January 15, 2009 at 01:19 AM
Alistair vs. Chuck 2 !!!! I would actually love to see this, Chuck had was slightly rocked in their first fight in Dream until he came back to KO him beautifully-----
Posted By: Kevin (Guest) on January 15, 2009 at 07:54 AM
15 minutes of work for ten grand? do you know ANYTHING about what it takes to be a fighter at that level?
assuming a fighter has 4 fights year, one every 3 months...
first of all you have to dedicate your life to training and eating right all year long.
then there's the three months of intense training specifically for that opponent.
then there's any promotion work you have to do (press conferences, interviews etc...)
THEN it's fight time and all the risks of injury that go along with it.
If I got paid $10,000 for a 3 month schedule like that I'd feel robbed.
To put it in perspective, that's roughly the same amount of money I earn in 3 months doing my 9-5 job with no risk of physical injury and a lifestyle of my choosing.
these guys should be getting far more than $10,000 for a fight, even with no name, out of respect for their discipline and the dedication + respect they have for the sport.
15 minutes of work??!! i don't think so.
Posted By: 15 minutes? and the rest... (Guest) on January 15, 2009 at 09:21 AM
Its not 10 grand for 15 minutes of work, it's 10 grand for months and months of training and years of struggling to get on a UFC card.
Posted By: DC (Guest) on January 15, 2009 at 10:20 AM
[i]How did Silva go from wanting to fight every other month to only wanting to fight twice a year? [/i]
He got chin checked by Rampage.
Posted By: RedVexx (Guest) on January 15, 2009 at 11:13 AM
don't forget they have to use that 10 grand to pay for trainers, gyms, camps, etc.
Posted By: soo (Guest) on January 15, 2009 at 02:13 PM
Anderson Silva vs. GSP at UFC 100.
Posted By: Jordan (Guest) on January 15, 2009 at 09:07 PM
