[ Post a Response | Justin Lee ]
Posted by Justin on 3/27/2007, 12:07 pm, in reply to "UFC HAS BOUGHT OUT PRIDE!!!!" This is horrible news for WWE. UFC before was already starting to crush them in PPV buys, and tv ratings were climbing. WWE is losing more and more fans to MMA as MMA has learned how to present bigger than life characters and storylines in their product. Now UFC has PRIDE, and PRIDE was the biggest international MMA company worldwide. UFC is now going to be able to use PRIDE's esablished market to build up their own. With the huge star filled rosters, they will be able to create dream PPV bouts on a monthly basis. I wouldn't be surprised for them to go back to the table with HBO now, offering them PRIDE as their MMA show. They wanted UFC, but UFC wouldn't let them do it with their own production crew and announcers like they wanted. I'm sure UFC wouldn't care as much about changing PRIDE's look and announcers if that meant they could get it on a bigger stage. I would bet McMahon is worried. And if he isn't, he should be. His product is terrible and he isn't really making any new superstars. 3 of the 4 main eventers at Wrestlemania are in their 40's (depending on the truth about Batista being born in 1966 or 1969). Cena is booed by as many people that cheer him. Do you think people are going to pay money to see a PPV headlined by "Carlito" in 5 years? Or "Kennedy" and "MVP"? That's the future? Or is HHH going to win his 33rd heavyweight title at Wrestlemania 42? Not to mention Sports Illustrated just exposed another steroid scandal on the WWE (Edge, Orton, Rey Mysterio, and Helms all named). That always makes people upset. MMA on the other hand is the fastest growing sport internationally, and from a PPV standpoint is destroying the WWE and about to overtake boxing.
This is the equivalent of WWE buying WCW, only the UFC's owners aren't jack asses, and they know better than to let their own egos mess up a good thing. They will continue to let PRIDE run as its own company with its own champions and stars.
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