UA-59049186-1 Losing Doesn’t Hurt Your Marketability in the Fight Game - Good if it Goes

Losing Doesn’t Hurt Your Marketability in the Fight Game

135_Ronda_Rousey_vs_Holly_Holm.0.0.0I didn’t get a chance to touch base on this subject in my blog last weekend, so I’ve decided to take time out and give this topic it’s own article. One of the most moronic things said last weekend after UFC 196, was that Dana White’s “cash cow” in Conor McGregor is done because he took a loss in a fight two weight classes above the division in which he rules. This made me have flashbacks of UFC 193 when casual fans who barely watch the sport. The only time these people watch, is when big name fighters like a Ronda Rousey or Conor McGregor fight. People were ranting and raving over the fact they think Ronda Rousey’s celebrity status is “ruined” and she will never draw money for the company again. Knowing these are going to be the same idiots who would tune into her comeback fight even if it was against a total tomato can. Let alone if she rematched Holly Holm, guaranteed that fight will outdraw any fight in UFC history.

It wasn’t only the casual fans who are clueless chiming in, it was hack ass journalists/reporters for big corporations adding their two cents in on subjects they have no clue about. For example: Darren Rovell.

For those who don’t who this Tony Shalhoub looking dorkchop Darren Rovell is, he’s a sports journalist who looks at the business aspect of sports for ESPN and ABC. You would think that someone with this pedigree wouldn’t say something so foolish, and than you remember the other chumpstain geekazoids they have employed at ESPN, and you realize this goofknob fits in perfectly. The whole funny part about this all is Conor McGregor didn’t even come into this fight undefeated… He has had two previous losses, one of which is to current UFC fighter and fellow countryman Joseph Duffy. So all this jumping the gun, claiming the UFC is “losing money” with Conor losing in a fight out of his natural weight class and not even for his title is very amateurish analysis from a hack ass journalist.

When you think of big money fights, think of the first Holyfield/Tyson fight. Originally, they were going to fight in 1991 after Evander Holyfield wrecked the man who conquered Iron Mike, Buster Douglas. But Mike was forced out of the fight with a rib injury, and did a 3 year jail stint for the infamous rape in Indiana. During Tyson’s jail stint, Evander went on to lose three times in the timespan.. Twice to Riddick Bowe and once to Michael Moorer. Tyson was released from jail and won a against a bunch of tomato cans, and ended up getting the WBA heavyweight title.

People back in 1991 were saying Holyfield/Tyson was going to be the highest grossing heavyweight fight ever. When it finally happened in 1996 it was an even bigger fight. No one cared about Holyfield’s previous losses, or Mike Tyson not proving himself against elite talent after serving time in jail. In all honesty neither of them were better than Lennox Lewis at the time who was probably the best heavyweight, but both were bigger draws than him.

Anticipation trumped all of that, you want to know why? Even before Mike Tyson went to jail he started to create that “bad boy thug” image who belittled his opponents and made people either love him or hate him(majority hated him), but still want to tune in to watch him. While Evander Holyfield had that good, christian, wholesome (quite the contrary by the way, but thats a discussion for another time), warrior who never gave up. This had the classic “Good vs. Evil” storyline that couldn’t have been marketed better and had the world on the edge of their seats wanting to see these two finally fight after 5 years of build up.money_mayweather_crop_north

Personalities are what draws money more than anything. Once a year boxing watchers cry about Floyd Mayweather’s style and how “boring” it is, yet the same people still shell out $50 a PPV to see him fight. Why? Because he developed that “Money Mayweather” persona over the years to make the people hate him, like a modern day Ric Flair. Even if it was a mismatch, his haters would still order his fights in hopes the man would lose; anticipating that one punch would land and knock him out. It never happened and Floyd continued to talk as much shit as he wanted.

Plenty of undefeated, talented fighters fail to become superstar status because they fail to market themselves and show personality. Kimbo Slice is jabroni status as far as fighting goes and has been exposed various times, but you turd nuggets still tune in to watch him fight in Bellator on Spike TV everytime he fights. No matter if he’s fighting a 50 year old Ken Shamrock, or a non-fighter in Dada 5000, his “bad ass street brawler” gimmick still has people glued to their television sets because the man marketed himself smart, especially getting the attention of the internet.

So in conclusion, when a superstar fighter loses in a big money fight, stop being irrational hacks and use your brain. Thank you for your time.

P.S. ColeyMick from twitter is the biggest, fattest, most worthless trailer park rat, fake Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, Boston trash I’ve ever seen in my life. Bye.

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