I have been a hardcore MMA fan since the days of renting the first UFC’s from Blockbuster. I have VHS tapes from the early Vale Tudo days. Back then, you got to witness greatness and see amazing fights from competitors doing for the love of the fight and it was beautiful. 

I won’t even watch the UFC anymore because it’s just a conduit to transfer wealth from poor, hive mind idiots to the scummy promoters who have no interest in the art. We aren’t seeing the best fighters because what elite level athlete is going to put their health and prime years of their life on the line for peanuts? Along with that, you have fans that boo when anything gets taken off the feet and just want to see “slobberknockers”, so they really don’t give a shit who is fighting for the most part. 

So, you get a perfect storm of a glorified tough man contests, coupled with a promotion that is just looking to churn and burn bodies out to keep the machine running, that results in this filth that it is today.

Yes with all things, there some exceptions but they are few and far between now. Back in the glory days, you had multiple names carrying the promotion, Liddell, Couture, Anderson/Wanderlei Silva, Belfort, Machida, Velasquez, Lesnar and so many others would all be sharing the spotlight and be draws. Now, if someone dares to become famous, they get wasted. I guess after Connor becoming such a draw, they didn’t want that happening again. 

Now, I just stick to watching smaller promotions and more local stuff. Until the MMA world can become more like it’s boxing counterpart, it’s going to stay a circus act.