Dave Meltzer: DAZN is in trouble

[RODNEY83]

That was one of the Euro Series cards. Those feature obviously a lot of UK & Euro fighters and not the bigger names or tournaments the DAZN or Paramount Network cards from the U.S. or other countries do. Bellator has at least three or four types of cards, the big tentpoles as Scott Coker calls them on DAZN with the year long tournaments and big game fighters; the regular Bellator cards on tv and DAZN; the Euro Series cards serving that market; and then I would include the Bellator/Bellator Kickboxing hybrid cards that they do from time to time in Europe mostly that are effectively co-promotions with some Euro orgs. You can't compare the old Bjorn Rebney Bellator which was fun for what it was at the time with the much bigger and more expansive Bellator of today that is owned by a media conglomerate and has a lot bigger ambitions.

Bellator cards under Scott Coker suck. Way too many on purpose, scheduled squash matches by the bigger ambitions of a media conglomerate Viacom because that company hired Scott Coker. Big names like Frank Mir, and Roy Nelson, and Josh Barnett haven't equated to more exciting fights, but have equated to abysmal ratings. And have equated to making every excuse social media fans for Bellator under Scott Coker. Bellator so called "Big Cards" under Scott Coker usually comes with some puzzling type of result, Mitrione kicking Kharitonov in the groin, Mitrione having to pull out because of kidney stones, Chael Sonnen vs Tito Ortiz questions, Rampage showing up way out of shape vs Fedor, Ken Shamrock vs Royce Gracie result, on and on it keeps happening under Coker's Bellator and it hasn't stopped. Bellator under Bjorn Rebney was smaller, but better. And Bellator 120 under Bjorn Rebney showed the direction Bjorn Rebney possibly was going to take Bellator in, and Coker's Bellator has even come close to that. No one wants to hear excuses of this, that, and the other. Fans want results and good exciting competitive fights. Not the bs media conferences Coker gives after every so called Bellator "Big card".

 

[careto]

Not sure I agree, they have a better quality roster now, but I don't think they utilise them well at all.

For sure they have a better roster, Bellator has done a great job of poaching a few good names from the UFC (Bader, Davis, Rory, Bendo, Mousasi, Cyborg, etc), however, the way they utilize said talent is questionable to say the least. They use big names for squash matches or old-timers (Mir, Nelson, etc) main eventing when they are way passed their prime.
They have also signed a lot of very exciting prospects, which could be the future of the promotion, but get 0 promotion to get other people, aside from hardcores, excited about these guys. On top of that, they either bring them up waaaaaay to slow or they throw them to the wolves within a few fights. This might have to do with the fact that Bellator does not have enough depth in their divisions to bring up the talent at a better pace but it makes Bellator look like an amateur organization. Its frustrating to see a lot of young prospects fighting guys who have no business in the ring with them or fighting top talent they not prepared to fight yet.
Bellator has risen to be the undisputed #2 promotion in the world but I am not sure is due to the direction of Scott Coker or the checkbook of Viacom.

 

[null]

Bellator cards under Scott Coker suck. Way too many on purpose, scheduled squash matches by the bigger ambitions of a media conglomerate Viacom because that company hired Scott Coker. Big names like Frank Mir, and Roy Nelson, and Josh Barnett haven't equated to more exciting fights, but have equated to abysmal ratings. And have equated to making every excuse social media fans for Bellator under Scott Coker. Bellator so called "Big Cards" under Scott Coker usually comes with some puzzling type of result, Mitrione kicking Kharitonov in the groin, Mitrione having to pull out because of kidney stones, Chael Sonnen vs Tito Ortiz questions, Rampage showing up way out of shape vs Fedor, Ken Shamrock vs Royce Gracie result, on and on it keeps happening under Coker's Bellator and it hasn't stopped. Bellator under Bjorn Rebney was smaller, but better. And Bellator 120 under Bjorn Rebney showed the direction Bjorn Rebney possibly was going to take Bellator in, and Coker's Bellator has even come close to that. No one wants to hear excuses of this, that, and the other. Fans want results and good exciting competitive fights. Not the bs media conferences Coker gives after every so called Bellator "Big card".

I think it's very telling that you only notice or mention these older veterans that fight for Bellator when that's just a small piece of the puzzle and the roster and number of cards consists of so much more than that. Makes me doubt you even watch Bellator any more. In any case, there's no going back in time. Bellator has way more cards, several different types of cards and way more fighters than ever before and they're not going back to those old days when it was a smaller operation under different ownership. I personally like their 40 or so card schedule nowadays so we have a lot more to watch and bet on. Coker even mentioned in an interview not long ago about going to Brazil and South America and elsewhere eventually and having 50 cards per year someday.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

I think it's very telling that you only notice or mention these older veterans that fight for Bellator when that's just a small piece of the puzzle and the roster and number of cards consists of so much more than that. Makes me doubt you even watch Bellator any more. In any case, there's no going back in time. Bellator has way more cards, several different types of cards and way more fighters than ever before and they're not going back to those old days when it was a smaller operation under different ownership. I personally like their 40 or so card schedule nowadays so we have a lot more to watch and bet on. Coker even mentioned in an interview not long ago about going to Brazil and South America and elsewhere eventually and having 50 cards per year someday.

I don't mind the amount of cards they do as long as they sort the matchmaking out. There's a lot of fighters that they really need to start matching up with better competition. I think what separates them from the UFC is that they let guys take humongous steps down after a loss and fight complete nobodies. If Gallagher had lost to Bandejas in the UFC, he'd have gone in with someone tough next time out too, sink or swim at the top.

 

[leto1776]

I don't mind the amount of cards they do as long as they sort the matchmaking out. There's a lot of fighters that they really need to start matching up with better competition. I think what separates them from the UFC is that they let guys take humongous steps down after a loss and fight complete nobodies. If Gallagher had lost to Bandejas in the UFC, he'd have gone in with someone tough next time out too, sink or swim at the top.

Yeah, tune up fights. Boxing uses them, and they work. MMA chews fighters up and spits them out. It’s dumb.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Yeah, tune up fights. Boxing uses them, and they work. MMA chews fighters up and spits them out. It’s dumb.

I don't mind it so much, the best guys still stick around at the top for years and retire with amazing careers having fought the best of the best for years.

Some boxers retire with hardly any decent names on their record like Joe Calzaghe.

 

[Kforcer]

Some boxers retire with hardly any decent names on their record like Joe Calzaghe.

I don't like Calzaghe but that's a huge exaggeration.

 

[careto]

I don't mind the amount of cards they do as long as they sort the matchmaking out. There's a lot of fighters that they really need to start matching up with better competition. I think what separates them from the UFC is that they let guys take humongous steps down after a loss and fight complete nobodies. If Gallagher had lost to Bandejas in the UFC, he'd have gone in with someone tough next time out too, sink or swim at the top.

The Gallagher example is perfect, same thing with MVP, feels like they REALLY want this fighters to become a thing and so they match them up in can crushing fights.
In the UFC the best are always fighting against the best and thats ia what differentiates the two promotions.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

I don't like Calzaghe but that's a huge exaggeration.

He has past prime Eubank, Reid, Lacy, Kessler, Bhop, way past prime Jones.

Considering how many years he was at the top he should have fought much better competition imo and I do like Calzaghe.

 

[Kforcer]

He has past prime Eubank, Reid, Lacy, Kessler, Bhop, way past prime Jones.

Considering how many years he was at the top he should have fought much better competition imo and I do like Calzaghe.

I can't stand the guy, especially the way he did stuff like humping RJJ during their fight. Just disgusting. But he made 20 title defenses, unified and smashed a guy that many were picking to expose in Lacy. Certainly, he should have fought Steve Collins, Sven Ottke and Frankie Liles. But to defend a title for that long, against one number one contender after another, is an impressive feat. Charles Brewer was a very tough opponent, so was Omar Sheika, especially at the time they fought. Also, while certainly well past his prime, the Hopkins Calzaghe beat was still one of the very best in the world.

 

[leto1776]

The Gallagher example is perfect, same thing with MVP, feels like they REALLY want this fighters to become a thing and so they match them up in can crushing fights.
In the UFC the best are always fighting against the best and thats ia what differentiates the two promotions.

What reality are you living in in 2020?

 

[careto]

What reality are you living in in 2020?

LOL, i know there are some exemptions but as a rule of thumb, the UFC puts on match ups that make sense. In other words, there is a clear path to the belt. If you fight a top 10 opponent today you dont jump to a top 20 for the next fight, you will consistently fight someone in your same echelon.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Bellator you can move from fighting a top 3 opponent to a top 20 to a top 10 to title contention, which makes no sense. This is particularly true if you are someone they want to push, you will constantly fight top 20 opposition then jump to title contention.

 

[leto1776]

LOL, i know there are some exemptions but as a rule of thumb, the UFC puts on match ups that make sense. In other words, there is a clear path to the belt. If you fight a top 10 opponent today you dont jump to a top 20 for the next fight, you will consistently fight someone in your same echelon.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Bellator you can move from fighting a top 3 opponent to a top 20 to a top 10 to title contention, which makes no sense. This is particularly true if you are someone they want to push, you will constantly fight top 20 opposition then jump to title contention.

When was the last time the UFC had a clear path to the belt in bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, or middleweight? It’s been a while.

 

[milliniar]

what has Coker got to do with Dazn being in trouble?

Scott Coker conned DAZN

 

[Kforcer]

BTW, anyone else HATE Dazn's "roll up" deal? I almost want them to go under just for the stupidity of that thing.

 

[null]

BTW, anyone else HATE Dazn's "roll up" deal? I almost want them to go under just for the stupidity of that thing.

Not sure what that is. I paid $99 for a year in advance and felt it was a very good deal. Let mine run out last week though until Bellator & boxing come back.

 

[careto]

When was the last time the UFC had a clear path to the belt in bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, or middleweight? It’s been a while.

The only one that is questionable is the LW because of Mcgregor and now again BW with the whole Jose Aldo getting a title shot after a loss at. Unless there are injuries or pandemics, the rest of the divisions are pretty straight forward as far as the road to the belt.

 

[Kforcer]

Not sure what that is. I paid $99 for a year in advance and felt it was a very good deal. Let mine run out last week though until Bellator & boxing come back.

Professional boxers locate and confront trolls. I think it is pretty asinine. Instead of shrugging off or laughing off criticism from their fans, the two hosts bring professional fighters to the work places of their critics to intimidate them. I like Bellator and RIZIN a lot, but this is so stupid it just about turns me completely against DAZN.

 

[leto1776]

The only one that is questionable is the LW because of Mcgregor and now again BW with the whole Jose Aldo getting a title shot after a loss at. Unless there are injuries or pandemics, the rest of the divisions are pretty straight forward as far as the road to the belt.

Featherweight is logjammed, and likely going to give Max a pointless rematch, so contenders are stuck in limbo. Middleweight? Yoel just got a fight coming off a loss. No clear cut contender there, either.

 

[careto]

Featherweight is logjammed, and likely going to give Max a pointless rematch, so contenders are stuck in limbo. Middleweight? Yoel just got a fight coming off a loss. No clear cut contender there, either.

Max ia getting a rematch because he lost a very close decision and he is one of the FW all-time-greats, its not ideal to have immediate rematches but some fighters have earned them due to their trajectory.
If im not mistaken mistaken Borrachinha was next in line but got injured and Adesanya specifically asked for Yoel as a replacement, or at least thats what Dana said. I know these situations are not ideal but they are an exeption to the rule, usually once crack the top 10 you will constantly fight top 10 opponents.
Dont get me wrong I like Bellator, I just dont like when their matchmaking has no direction.