
Most of the MMA world is focused on an upcoming event featuring Ronda Rousey's return against Gina Carano, along with Nate Diaz facing Mike Perry. However, there are concerns about the stakes and perceptions surrounding these fighters.
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We are coming up on the rare weekend where most of the mixed martial arts universe is focused on something outside of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Professional Fighters League.
The question is, will Most Valuable Promotions be an upstart or a one-off?
Itâs hard to say at this point. No one can deny the amount of interest that has been going into the event. The brightest star in womenâs MMA history, Ronda Rousey, is making a comeback â of sorts â going against a dream opponent from yesteryear in Gina Carano. It also features Nate Diaz facing a spiritual successor in Mike Perry. Plus, while Francis Ngannou may not officially be the UFC heavyweight champion, he is the lineal UFC heavyweight king. Heâll be returning to action. However, each of these contests have some asterisks. In fact, the biggest advantage may prove to be a disadvantage.
The perception of Rousey has changed since she was ruling atop not just her division, but the entirety of the sport. A lot can change in a decade. Rousey has not only set ablaze her relationship with fans, she has done the same with those that follow professional wrestling. The UFC was careful to cultivate her image in a way to make her as likeable as possible. After she lost to Holly Holm, Rousey was so petulant, they could no longer hide the warts in her personality. With a fresh fanbase to cater to in the WWE, Rousey managed to gain adulation again when she went to professional wrestling. Things were peachy for about a year, before Rousey went on maternity leave. When she came back, her faults were once again revealed, and Rousey now has two fanbases that generally want to see a repeat of the Holm contest.
Ronda Rousey's return is significant as she is a major figure in women's MMA, but her changed public perception since her peak raises questions about her current appeal.
The main fighters include Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano and Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry, along with Francis Ngannou making an appearance.
Ronda Rousey's image has shifted from a dominant champion to a more controversial figure, especially after her loss to Holly Holm and subsequent experiences in WWE.
The fighters face challenges related to their current popularity and the expectations of fans, particularly regarding Rousey's past performances and persona.
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Once again, Rousey isnât helping herself. She officially burned her bridges with the UFC when the pay-per-view model was eliminated with the Paramount deal. Previously negotiating with the organization, the talks went south when she couldnât count on PPV points and they were unwilling to give her a base salary to her liking. Thus, while Rousey never mentioned a thing about fighter pay prior to not getting a preferable payday, she now paints herself as a champion of the topic. The disingenuous nature of her change could be a turnoff for those familiar with her nature.
The way the contest came together doesnât help the perception. Rousey has been ridiculed for being unable to show Holm any respect following her loss. For expecting -- and receiving -- special treatment when she challenged Amanda Nunes for the belt. For showing nothing but disdain toward the fans. Rousey came out a year or so ago and claimed she was unable to gain medical clearance to fight again due to concussions. That would be a viable reason, but why wait years to reveal that? Isnât there considerable risk for wrestling in professional wrestling too? Why is it you can fight now when sheâs facing an opponent who hasnât stepped into a cage in 17 years? Rousey recently professed a new diagnosis stemmed from migraines, but itâs convenient timing.
Yep, you read that right: 17 years ago was the last time Carano stepped into a cage. Rousey claims she felt bad for Carano when she saw her appearance and wanted to do something for her. Is she sure that she wasnât looking for a cash grab? That a contest with Carano wouldnât be both the easiest contest and the biggest payday? As much as I respect Carano, the sport passed Rousey by a while ago. It had long passed Carano by when Rousey was still active. And while Carano has worked herself into fantastic shape -- and she will get a hell of a payday herself -- a single camp doesnât make up for years of inactivity. In terms of star power and ability, this feels like the equivalent of the UFC making a fight between B.J. Penn and Conor McGregor. One name completely past their prime and likely having no business in combat sports anymore, the other who might still be relevant had they maintained their commitment to the sport, but shopworn otherwise.
Thus, the question is what are the stakes? It isnât a legacy fight. No one cares about the third contest between Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell as they were well past their prime. It was a disaster of a contest. So was Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, a boxing match that saw another star of yesteryear return. Why would anyone expect Rousey and Carano to be any different given the massive similarities?
As for the other fights, Diaz is long past his prime and only seems interested in paydays. Perry washed out of the UFC. As impressive as he has been in BKFC, it also shows thereâs levels between the UFC and BKFC. That keeps the stakes relatively low. And while Ngannou is the lineal UFC heavyweight champion, heâs had one MMA fight in four years in PFL. Like Diaz, Ngannou has been more interested in chasing boxing paydays than furthering his legacy. Iâm not ripping on him for doing that, but interest in him has dropped significantly. Plus, while Phillipe Lins, Ngannouâs upcoming opponent, left the UFC with a winning record, none of those wins came at heavyweight.
Nevertheless, while the stakes for the individual contests are low, the potential for rewards are high. For the sake of the sport ,the UFC needs some competition. Their brass is getting lazy in terms of giving fans what they want. While none of the high-profile fights on the MVP card interest me, I hope the event does well. The young prospects on the card indicate they may be planning for the long run -- and force the UFC to up their game -- but the first event needs to go well. Not just in terms of viewership either. The contests need to be quality. Thereâs a lot working against it. But it also has something the UFC is struggling with: star power. That could be enough to push it over top. I pray it does.