Comments on: UFC gyms announced, eyebrows raise across the globe

By: mike

mike — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:42:20 +0000

This Gym will not only benchmark history with one of the greatest gyms in the world but be sure that all the haters only hate because they did not do it first. So sit back, relax and watch how the UFC Gym blows away the cheap talk of misplaced stupidity through ignorant eyes and shine light on the future of new gyms to come…

By: Sal Caradonna

Sal Caradonna — Fri, 01 May 2009 18:35:17 +0000

I think that the gym idea is a bad one. Mixed Martial Arts can be very scary to the general public. I was a AAU kickboxer for a short time and the gym I trained in was hardcore. Very few low level martial artist would even take a glance inside, forget the general public. I love the UFC, but they are spreading their wings much too far.

The UFC took 60 million dollars and 10 years to reach a level of profit. They are going to lose all of their gains by doing this. Sure, they’ll sell a few dozen franchises, then they will start closing two at a time after a few years.

Dana White should pay the fighters more money. I see many fighters that are very sloppy, they are good at holding on to another fighter. That’s why great fighters come and go in the UFC. Cung Le say’s the UFC offered him money for a fight with the great, Anderson Silva… money that he would have received many years ago.

Sal Caradonna

By: themonkey

themonkey — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:37:06 +0000

@ Jeff

The popularity of MMA is increasing whether we like it or not. It’s good in the sense that it brings validity and respect to the sport, but it’s also bad because you end up with a lot of posers who like the lifestyle buy know nothing about martial arts.

I guess at the very least, for those of us that really train we will always have that. A million douche bags with Affliction shirts won’t be able to take that from us…unless they’re all attacking you at the same time.

@ WANI

You bring up a good point about the sustainability of the business. I think it’s still so young that there will be a bunch of business ideas that range from good to terrible. Some will make it, some won’t. My guess is that the gyms won’t. I just hope none of the wacky ones make it through. I don’t have a lot of faith in American society to make good decisions about these things.

I’m more concerned actually about the fate of traditional martial arts. The UFC has packaged MMA almost as a distinct fighting style. The rich cultural heritage of muay thai or jiu-jitsu might one day be paved over with the tattooed meathead crowd.

By: WANI

WANI — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:48:42 +0000

I am usually very tolerant to people who “sell out”. After all, everybody needs to bring home the bacon, and I’m all for that. But don’t they see this is business suicide? If this keeps up, MMA will be well on their way following the footsteps of TKD with the McDojos. Market saturation is NOT good business practice.

Make no mistake, this WILL bring in revenue. But only for the short term. I’m very sure Dana White and co. knows the long term consequence of these kinds of move. But they dont care. They’ll have already reaped the cash by the time the MMA market implodes because of their irresponsible actions.

Hmmm… sounds ominously familiar with how a certain western superpower country got to their economic meltdown. I guess some people never learn.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:01:21 +0000

This sooo badddd……….This whole MMA mainstream sucks! Before the TUFseason 1, uf you asked somebody about it and now every freakin moron that went and purchased a TapouT shirt thinks he is a fighter. I really wish things would go back to the way it was. Oh by the way Dana, no likes Joe Rogan get some one else to do the PPV.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:06:48 +0000

I’d like to know if they’ll be serving gelato in the MMA Cafe…