Ask Ant: The 'Strictly For The Hardcores' Edition

phoenixikki asks: Do you think that UFC's new business model (too many events to follow, watered down cards, too many interim/paper champs, paywalls after paywalls, etc) may have hurt their hardcore base of fans?

I definitely believe the number of hardcore fans have been affected by the current business model. Where a UFC event was must watch TV at one point in time, it has been replaced by an endless grind. Week in and week out, hours and hours are spent in front of a television or laptop watching an endless monotonous parade. At least that has been the experience for some of the formerly self-identified hardcores.

The most loyal demographic of mixed martial arts has traditionally been males between the ages of 18 and 34. There aren’t that many 18-34 year old males who are OK with sacrificing nearly every Saturday night in favor of watching the average fight card. That would be mean saying no to other sports, including the playoffs of your favorite stick and ball sport, a weekend night out at a bar, a movie or a date. That factor alone would drive someone in that bracket to diversify their weekend activities and forego UFC Fight Night [insert number] in [insert random city].

There has been some fairly recent evidence that points to what was the 18-34 year old male viewer aging out of the group but remaining a fan. A report from the Sports Business Journal in 2017 says the median age of UFC viewers increased from 34 to 49 years old. While the higher end of that spectrum is less likely to bar hop on a Saturday, the time commitment and general uniform nature of the product remains the same. The sport’s increased dependency on streaming services and paywalls only makes it that much tougher for some fans to stay up to date.

Yes there is a group undeterred by the promotion’s best attempts at watering down the cards and sneaking its way into every single weekend on the calendar. But we are a rare breed. In fact, I’m not so sure I can rightfully be included among this rogue segment of the population since I earn a paycheck for my thoughts and observations of the sport.

Truthfully, it doesn’t really matter to the UFC. The huge influx of guaranteed money means that there’s less priority put on making sure everything they offer is top of the line. Besides, they know when the big names come out, a lot of those disenfranchised former hardcores will come back with credit cards in hand.

A.S. Deep asks: Do you believe that Jones doesn't go up to HW because he loses his overwhelming height, reach and strength advantages?

Jon Jones not making the move up to heavyweight might be for the very reasons you inquire about. When we saw the muscled-out, powerlifting-enhanced version of “Bones” against Ovince St. Preux at UFC 197, he seemed a bit slower without the same knack for timing or his killer instinct. However, it’s hard to find fault with a performance that was still dominant over a late notice opponent that is awkward, freakishly athletic, and stylistically a world apart from his original opponent, Daniel Cormier.

If the added mass was to blame for any differences in his performance, it makes sense to wonder what the world of heavyweight has to offer. If a beefed up light heavyweight version of Jones showed signs of de-evolution, how would an even bigger iteration of the LookSeeDo fighter handle himself?

However, I’m willing to bet Jones isn’t afraid of being less effective at heavyweight. This is probably a money issue. In order to justify the greatest light heavyweight fighter of all time leaving a division that he has run through several times over, his asking price is likely high. Remember the speculation that he would headline UFC 231 after the controversial USADA arbitration ruling? It was rumored that failed negotiations derailed that idea. Let UFC 151 serve as proof that Jones is more than willing to push back at the company and not simply do whatever he’s told.

At the very least, a rematch with Cormier in that division has more intrigue than it would if it were a retread at 205. Outside of that, the big men have more than a few names that could make for interesting style matchups. Look no further than the excitement generated during the two hours it looked like Jones would face Stipe Miocic at UFC 239. He knows his power. Don’t be surprised if he’s just flexing it.

Kung Fu Tze asks: In your eyes, has UFC drug testing just become one big joke?

I wouldn’t call the UFC drug testing a joke. But there is certainly massive room for improvement. Fighters, coaches and managers making cryptic, late or irrelevant accusations on one hand. Tainted supplements and pulsing on the other. It’s all a confusing mess and the science seems to be behind on reality. Unfortunately for Tom Lawlor, it’s just too little too late.

glenwo2 asks: According to Dave Meltzer, Lesnar wanted a flat fee for his next UFC fight since PPVs are now online only. The UFC said it was too much and turned it down. So, the PPV system is what ended Brock’s UFC career, and not USADA? Thanks ESPN.

I’m not sure if thanking ESPN is biting sarcasm or an honest complaint about the UFC’s new broadcast and pay-per-view partner. Either interpretation wouldn’t surprise me much. If you’re sad to see Lesnar retire -- again -- and put MMA in the rearview mirror, it would make some sense. The sport does feel bigger when he’s around. The ever-elusive casual fans get riled up, website traffic increases and the energy around the sport is more noticeable.

If you’re happy to watch the oversized chest sword tattoo go back to his mixed lifestyle of rural seclusion and scripted combat, that’s completely understandable. Lesnar has held up the heavyweight division for the better part of a year after crashing Cormier’s big moment, when he defeated Stipe Miocic to be become a dual champion. Since then, top contender Curtis Blaydes got knocked out of what was a deserved crack at the title and Cormier has been patiently waiting on the sidelines, aside from the rushed together Derrick Lewis fight, anticipating the payday to sweeten that retirement plan. And this is only the latest time that Lesnar has flirted with a return to the sport only to ultimately let us down. Every time he makes an appearance cageside at an event, the UFC gets all excited and seems to forget about the fighters that are actually actively competing on a regular basis. Factor in that he has no legitimate claim to a title shot since his last outing was marred by a PED violation and before that he hadn’t had his hand raised since 2010, it’s much easier to see him go away even if he’s exciting to watch.

However if the reason for Lesnar passing up on the Cormier fight that was rumored for UFC 241 was centered around the new pay-per-view structure, then it is hard to hold any ill will toward the former champion even we’re tired of being his backup plan. Expect there to be pushback from everyone that benefits from pay-per-view points. Whether it be the reported flat fee that Lesnar was seeking or a restructuring of the contracted incentive pay, anyone with a modicum of business savvy will be trying to make sure their pay isn’t adversely affected by the decisions the promotion made without their input. This holds especially true knowing that the UFC will be getting a guaranteed check per event that is unaffected by the buy rate.

It’s hard to deny that this brings some conflicted emotions. We missed out a big fight and the perpetual good guy misses out on a wonderful parting gift from the sport. At the same time, a fighter rightfully stood up to the system and walked when his demands weren’t met. It’s hard to not applaud a power move like that. Also maybe this will end up being a backdoor way to get the UFC back into being primarily concerned with highlighting the best the sport has to offer against the best the sport has to offer. If the promotion can’t or won’t foot the bill for a semi-invested megastar like Lesnar, it could just be forced to deal with a roster of world-class talent in organically compelling fights.

I’m not banking on this being the end for Lesnar and his flirtatious mixed signals to MMA whenever he has relationship problems with the WWE. All it would take is for another one of those phone calls one a lonely night and the cycle will start all over again. As of now, we haven’t heard of him formally retiring and being pulled from the USADA testing pool. Until then, it’s all speculation.

Fakechow14 (YouTube) asks: Are we stuck with Greg Hardy? europe1 - Is Dana trying to hide the fact that he knowingly booked a gimmie fight to pad Hardy's record? Or is White truly that ignorant about his own fighters?

Yep, we’re stuck with Greg Hardy. That’s exactly what it looks like. Love it, hate it, or have nothing but apathy, it doesn't matter. Hardy is here and we have to deal with whatever feelings that stirs up in us. Aside from the obvious issues with his history of domestic violence and behavioral issues as an NFL player, we’re seeing a very raw talent developing before our eyes. There’s nothing wrong with a fighter building his career and skill set. It’s a vital part of the process and everyone starts somewhere. However, is it necessary to see in the UFC?

When Dana White lashed out at Dmitri Smoliakov for doing his best imitation of a BOB punching bag, he seemed to conveniently forget his level of responsibility in this whole fiasco. First, it was White that insisted on snatching up Hardy for his Tuesday Night Contender Series and finding favorable fights for him. Second, it was White who booked him to fight in a co-main in his UFC debut against a fellow unproven talent. When that unproven talent proved to be too much for Hardy to handle without forgetting the finer points of the Unified Rules, the UFC found someone more proven. Smoliakov has proven himself to capable of only beating the most questionable of jobbers and was deemed perfect for Hardy.

Maybe White didn’t directly sign off on Smoliakov or hand pick him to get battered. But every step of the way before this was something he set in motion. Besides he is running the show and it happened on his watch. The buck has to stop there.

Frank McEdgar asks: What did you guys make of Rory MacDonald's bizarre post fight speech after his draw against Jon Fitch?

I’m not sure what to make of MacDonald’s post-fight speech and religious awakening. Despite not being 30 years old yet, MacDonald has fighting for nearly half of his life. 14 years of active competition, the large majority of it at the highest levels of the sport, is a very long time. After a while the constant cycle of training camps, bloody wars of attrition, personal sacrifice, and injury have to wear thin or at the very least cause some sort of introspection that a life lived at a 9-to-5 desk job doesn’t.

MacDonald’s personal life has greatly changed in recent years as well. Being a husband and father has undoubtedly changed his worldview and finding purpose in religion only intensifies that transformation. We’re seeing something more than the evolution of a fighter, we’re seeing the maturation of a man. Sometimes those two things that exist in perfect harmony.

As far as his future in the sport is concerned, the “Red King” assured that he would see the Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix through. However, after he either goes through the entire bracket or gets eliminated and drops the belt, I don’t see him lasting much longer afterwards.