Comments on: Counter programming alert: UFC 84 to air for free on Spike TV July 26

By: UFC 84 free tomorrow night on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET at UFC blog for UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, pics and tickets — MMAmania.com

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:59:21 +0000

[…] more background on the free “Ill Will” broadcast on Spike TV Saturday, July 26 click here. It was a dandy. July 25th, […]

By: naturalshadow

naturalshadow — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:27:13 +0000

I plan on watching the Affliction event if I can get the chance. As for the Elite XC show, watching Penn vs. Sherk again seems just fine to me.

By: mikemick

mikemick — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 04:21:18 +0000

Completely agree. The Elite XC show had some major downpoints for the sport of MMA. The one positive though was that it got relatively good numbers. Take that away, and then what do you have? A sh*tty show that nobody watched. Once that happens how long will it be until you see MMA on national primetime tv again? Most likely…never. What happens when you get a sh*tty show that people do watch? You get season 2 of American Gladiators. If people watch it, the networks buy it.

By: mikemick

mikemick — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 04:11:40 +0000

It’s not sharing the pie, it’s letting the pie get bigger. When MMA grows, the UFC grows. Elite XC isn’t anywhere near a threat to the UFC. If this was Pride a few years ago, then yes…UFC should react. But this is different. Elite XC isn’t a threat to the UFC. Unfortunately Elite XC is the only organization representing MMA on primetime network tv. So when Elite XC fails on CBS, MMA fails on CBS. To a columnist writing for TV Guide or whatever, they don’t see the difference.

Think of it this way, if Elite XC ultimately fails. Where does that leave the UFC at the bargaining table with major networks? Not very good. These executives aren’t necessarilly MMA fans and see it as MMA isn’t mainstream, and isn’t a proven product. If Elite XC can prove the MMA product, then the UFC could name their price for programming. You have to look at the big picture.

By: mikemick

mikemick — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:54:12 +0000

You can’t argue numbers, and these critics will simply not listen to a “well there was another event on tv that detracted from this event’s ratings”. Want proof, look at all of the columnists that are still calling MMA a dirty bloodsport. They have no interest in listening to reason or giving MMA the benefit of the doubt. These people don’t want excuses, they want facts. And the ratings are the facts.

By: ekc

ekc — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:20:12 +0000

wow… so 90% of you HATE eliteXC, but because of EliteXC, Dana has to give you free MMA… and yet, you still HATE EliteXC..

mmm…ok.

By: Ro-J

Ro-J — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 01:56:37 +0000

Cock blocking is a termed use by those having their cocks blocked, I see as protecting your interests.

By: pUniSHment

pUniSHment — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:23:38 +0000

Yo MANIA!!!!!!!!!!!!

What will you guys be doing on July 19?? Are you guys gonna do the live results for Affliction: Banned, or UFN 14???

By: randy murders

randy murders — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:00:25 +0000

yeah but the elite xc show was a blackeye to mma really it marketed shitty fighting other then the carano fight and the lawler fight, the main event was terrible where one guys ear blew up, and one guy looked like a complete bum off a bench..

you don’t want that representing your sport at all not when you already have fought really hard to clean it up

By: Joseph

Joseph — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:44:27 +0000

Thats funny because thats what a lot of us do to the UFC…