When will the UFC catch up to other major sports in level of talent?

[Sean_wongster_wongmastter]

Do you think there will ever be a day where it will almost be impossible to make it into the UFC unless you have been training MMA all your life and also a freak athlete?

Will only the extremely elite make it to the UFC?

 

[ripsta619]

Money would have to get there first and that is doubtful. Risk vs reward. Less CTE and better pay in every other sport pretty much.

 

[elcaballo]

Never until there is a fighter union, pension plan and more pay for fighters in general. Other sports you start playing in schools but other than wrestling there isn’t high school sports that train you for MMA

 

[franquito]

All the A level athletes are going into Slap fighting now.

 

[koquerelle]

Never. Getting punched and kicked in the face is a hard way to make a living.

 

[StonedLemur]

Never. Getting punched and kicked in the face is a hard way to make a living.

It's no 9 to 5 that's for sure sir.

 

[Yagripzizweak]

Never it’s now wwe

 

[Human Bass]

No. Fighting requires a certain instict and mindset that only formal training isnt enough. Also being a Jack of all trades master of none isnt a guaranteed formula.

 

[Hyperborea]

Even during the height of Heavyweight boxing in the 90s, when 100 million dollar purses weren’t unheard of, the talent pool wasn’t very deep. You still had old fatties and puffed up cruiserweights winning titles. No matter how much money you offer, the fact you have to stand out there in your underwear, get punched in the face, and risk complete humiliation in front of the world will always be a selective filter.

 

[Luthien]

All the A level athletes are going into Slap fighting now.

 

[Fergelmince]

I doubt it ever will. In the late 80's and early 90's Boxing reached higher payouts for money than other sports in the US, and the athletes got worse. People don't want the shit beat out of them if there are viable alternatives and similar financial outcomes.

 

[BrockLesnarsTurtleBack]

Nope. Training from a young age doesn't necessarily provide a similar advantage in MMA as it does in certain other sports. Also The pool of people wanting to do combat sports is reducing drastically as our standard of living increases and The testosterone levels decrease.

 

[Taric]

NFL/NBA/MLB players are making 50 million dollars a year atm, and it's only going up.

MMA will never get there.

 

[Klaavical]

It'll forever be a curiosity sport unfortunately, fan base isn't there.

 

[Paul E Gensinger]

Money would have to get there first and that is doubtful. Risk vs reward. Less CTE and better pay in every other sport pretty much.

How long was the NFL around before guys got PAID? Years and years.
Getting unionized would change all of that. Minimum contracts. No more champion clauses.
The other thing that has to happen is for a clear #2 to the UFC. Bellator pays the top decent, but the bottom of the card absolute peanuts.
Remember how long the NFL, NBA, and Baseball were around before the sport became so lucrative.
Interestingly enough is that none of those sports are PPV based.

 

[Vegesus44]

No.

 

[RiseAboveHat]

No. You can train a sport from a young age that doesn't require getting hit in the face repeaditly and pays more money. Hell, learn how to hit a baseball far and you can make 8 figures just coming off the bench to hit dingers

 

[ripsta619]

How long was the NFL around before guys got PAID? Years and years.
Getting unionized would change all of that. Minimum contracts. No more champion clauses.
The other thing that has to happen is for a clear #2 to the UFC. Bellator pays the top decent, but the bottom of the card absolute peanuts.
Remember how long the NFL, NBA, and Baseball were around before the sport became so lucrative.
Interestingly enough is that none of those sports are PPV based.

Yeah in the early days had to have a regular job as well. One thing that makes it hard to catch up as well is opportunity for free higher education at least in U.S. Only wrestling has full ride scholarship.

 

[Azure]

MMA is dead.. Slapfighting is the new edgy sport that will catch on

 

[scoobster]

Do you think there will ever be a day where it will almost be impossible to make it into the UFC unless you have been training MMA all your life and also a freak athlete?

Will only the extremely elite make it to the UFC?

no, the ufc will continue along the lines of shitty pay and i can see the day when the ufc is the number 2 mma org, number 1 the PFL