Chances are you’re not a fan of the UFC, which I totally understand. I do. I get it.
I personally love the UFC and watch the fights and have been to big events and I know how great of a sport MMA can be when you really get into it.
It’s awesome.
But the UFC is not a mainstream sports product, which is why a lot of people still don’t know much about it or could even name four current champions. And no, Conor McGregor doesn’t have a belt right now.
The most proof that the UFC isn’t mainstream has happened the past few weeks when the antics of UFC boss Dana White and Co. have gone virtually under the mainstream radar – because if any big sport did the stuff the UFC has done the past few weeks they would be getting crushed on every yelling sports debate show that is looking for all the content right now.
Things came to a head on Wednesday when lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov officially dropped out of his big title fight with Tony Ferguson, which was supposed to happen somewhere on April 18th. I say somewhere because White has moved the fight from Brooklyn because of the coronavirus and is still trying to find a place to hold the event. Because hey, the circus must go on during such an awful time in our nation’s history!
Nurmagomedov even had to explain to the simpletons out there who are mad at him for dropping out of the fight. He had to explain why quarantines are important, how this situation makes it difficult to train for a fight, and why IT’S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO BE SAFE RIGHT NOW.
It’s really not that hard of a message to understand.
So how’d that go? Ferguson went on ESPN and ranted about how Nurmagomedov was ducking him and that he should be stripped of his belt.
And lots of fans accused Nurmagomedov, who is one of the most dominant fighters to ever step inside the Octagon, of being afraid to fight Ferguson.
For real.
This is the UFC. The building is on fire and major players are in the lobby arguing over who is the toughest guy in the world while bonehead fans are showing their idiot cards on Twitter.
White put on an event a few weeks ago in Brazil with no crowd during the first major weekend of this pandemic. The ratings stunk and the broadcast felt off, as more pressing matters have been at hand for all of us. And that was before things have really gotten serious in our country.
White, who on March 7th said he “doesn’t give a (expletive) about the coronavirus,” recently had this to say about the people who cover the UFC: “The wimpiest people on Earth cover the biggest, baddest sport.”
I guess having concerns about the health and well being of the fighters who are supposed to fight during these times and those who are supposed to work this fights isn’t something a tough person would do?
Right now, each day for us wimps feels like a survive and advance kind of day. That’s not so for White, apparently, who continues to push forward in his macho ways and try to book a Pay-Per-View that isn’t necessary and now isn’t even interesting without the Nurmagomedov-Ferguson fight.
In the past week or so a number of fighters have tweeted or yelled on Instagram live about wanting to be a part of the main event at UFC 249. As a fan of the support it has all seemed forced and sad, but then again these fighters need to fight to make money because White doesn’t pay them if they’re not fighting – even though the UFC is a $4 billion company.
White and the UFC just need to shut things down and back away for while like all the other leagues are doing. It’s common freakin’ sense and nobody is going to bash them for it.
The UFC has been a bumbling mess the past few weeks – which have been some brutal weeks for everyone in our country and around and the world – and as a fan of the sport it has been embarrassing to watch.
Does that make me wimp?
You know what, who cares?
Quick hits: Fans not happy about MJ… Lillard shuts down joke… Edge on WrestleMania… And more!
– Fans were not happy about Michael Jordan winning ESPN’s college basketball GOAT bracket.
– Damian Lillard perfectly shut down an April Fools’ Day tweet from a Lakers fan account.
– Edge opened up as to why an open arena at WrestleMania 36 could help him in his match with Randy Orton.
– Tennis stars, including Serena Williams, were rightfully bummed to learn that Wimbledon has been canceled.
– Steph Curry had to assemble his own basketball hoop just so he could practice.
– Jimmie Johnson says ‘the opportunity could be there’ to delay retirement, return in 2021.
– People have been having fun with Zoom backgrounds.