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UFC President Dana White did all he could to create excitement around the live pay-per-view main event fight of Islam Makhachev vs. Della Maddalena, but still the fight received its criticism, as many spectators considered that the grappling-heavy style was dull to watch. The negative reaction is a reminder of the lines of division within the mixed martial arts community concerning the entertainment value of the dominant wrestling fights main events.
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Dana White promoted the fight by saying it was ‘LIVE NEXT’ on ESPN PPV, but the audience’s reaction was mostly negative. The fight with a lot of control time by the champion did not meet the expectations of the paying customers who wanted explosive action from a premium event. The difference between the promoter’s expectation and the audience’s satisfaction turned out to be a recurring theme that led to serious discussions about the future direction of the sport.
A user expressed his opinion that matched the feelings of most other people when he said: ‘This was such a boring main event. Seriously. And for those who say “it’d be fun if you knew about MMA,” well, I don’t. I wanna see violence. This is why we pay for this crap. Such a boring fing fight.’ This comment reflects the very core of the struggle between the technical martial arts’ appreciation and the wider audience’s demand for brutal entertainment. It’s a battle for the soul of the product.
One of the leading complaints was the amount of money the viewers had to fork out to get the fight. Another person commented, ‘This fight is so boring Dana. I quit buying this. If I want to waste $80 on a snore and be irritated, I’m going to play golf. What a great product!’ The analogy with the slow-paced nature of golf is severe criticism from a viewer who feels he has been deprived of the action he was promised.
The scenario led many to call for changes in the rules and direct involvement. A particular viewer made a particular suggestion: ‘Can you make a special category for such “huggers” as Makhachev? Or you can change the rules and let them stay on their feet after 30sec on the ground? I love this sport and I’ve been a fan since day one, but I think you are able to make it more entertaining.’ This suggestion of rule changing to prevent stalling shows the desire to maintain the essence of MMA while obliging to a more fan-friendly pace, in parallel with the stand-up rules in other combat sports like judo.
The disgust also led to a concern about the future of the promotion being a competitive one. A participant’s comment was, ‘Hey Dana, want to know the reason why so many people watch your tickets through illegal streams? Just take a look at the Co-main and main event. Is anybody really paying for that embarrassing situation? BKFC is going to fast forward past UFC with these Skin crawlers as champs.’ The threat of competition from the less civilized but more graphically violent entities like the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship is an indication that the patience of the viewers is not eternal and the monopoly of the UFC in the market can be at stake.
One more audience member went as far as saying, ‘Yikes. This product has become unwatchable.’ Such a direct statement speaks out in numbers the extent of the dissatisfaction that a part of the loyal fanbase experiences. It is a very clear signal that the particular fighting style that is currently being showcased in some high-stakes fights is driving away even the very first sports fans who helped it grow.
The tough love after UFC 322 presents a significant challenge for Dana White and the top brass at UFC. They are required to be faithful to a sport where wrestling is a critical skill and at the same time provide an entertaining product that justifies the hefty price tag. The fact that a significant portion of the audience has vocalized their discontent indicates that they believe the balance has shifted far too much in favor of wrestling’s integrity. The organization is now faced with the difficult task of convincing the skeptics without lowering the competition’s high standards; this dilemma is likely to characterize its ongoing strategy. This situation has drawn comparisons to previous UFC events that faced similar backlash.
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Meanwhile, other fighters like Brian Ortega and Aljamain Sterling have been promoted by White under different circumstances. Additionally, there has been support from figures like Frank Grillo for UFC’s initiatives.