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MrPerfect
09-18-2011, 10:22 PM
WWE star Triple H stated in an interview with AOL Moviefone that the WWE does not need to evolve in response to the growing popularity in the UFC and MMA. In fact, he suggests that the UFC product needs more of an entertainment component.

Via AOL Moviefone (h/t MMA Fighting) :

Moviefone: How do you think WWE and pro wrestling needs to evolve as UFC and MMA grows in popularity?

Triple H: I don’t think we have to evolve. It’s two totally different things. I think now especially there’s this thing like, “oh it’s very similar.”

I don’t see us needing to evolve to what UFC does because quite frankly sometimes the fights are long and boring, guys lying around and sometimes the fights are fast and over in five seconds. I’ve always thought one of the things about us, if you look at us solely from a sports standpoint, is that we always give you a good show. We’re never going to give you a crap game.

I think if anybody needs to evolve, it’s them. Give more of an entertainment standpoint. Give more form; they just have fighters who walk in in T-shirts and shorts and just stand there and then they fight and then they win and then they go “thanks, I’d like to thank my sponsors” and then they leave. The whole world was up in arms when Brock was flipping people off and was cussing at the beer company because they didn’t give him any money and everyone thought, “oh my god, he’s disrespectful,” — the whole world was talking about it. They couldn’t wait to see him get beat up. And then he did well, and he beat some guys and then people jump on his bandwagon going “Brock’s the greatest.”

Payout Perspective:

If you put aside credibility issues MMA fans may have for a pro wrestler critiquing the UFC product, is Triple H’s assessment valid? The one thing that the UFC and WWE have been quick to mention in the past is that the two are not competing organizations. One is sport (UFC) and one is entertainment (WWE). While the latest Diaz (and now Penn) drama may segue into WWE-type drama, comparing the two products is not fair. This criticism may be the start of a rivalry between the two as the UFC heads to Fox.

Triple H’s critique comes from the perspective of an outsider and what one sees on television. Its obvious that the WWE can control the match whereas the UFC cannot. Triple H also calls out the fact that there is no pomp and circumstance with most UFC fighters. No pre-entrance show, no post-entrance show. His theory is that sports is entertainment. And from his perspective, that’s what the UFC is lacking.

Is Triple H’s criticism that the UFC needs to be entertaining something that the UFC is concerned with? The UFC’s move to Fox was great for the business but will there be a concerted push for entertaining fights. We saw exciting fights at UFC 134 in Rio with several knockouts but no submissions. In fact, most fights rarely saw the ground. For those not accustomed to MMA, ground grappling can seem tedious as the fighters work for position.

As far as the outrageous personalities, there are several MMA fighters that are entertaining and can sell fights. MMA fighters do not play characters, they are athletes. It will be interesting to see the first Fox Primetime and how the product is different from Primetime’s of past. How will the show be produced and how will the UFC/Fox sell Cain and JDS?

dreww
09-18-2011, 10:29 PM
I agree. They are different. Nothing he said is incorrect IMO.

I couldn't say WWE guys aren't athletes though. The things they do require alot of athleticism. They are just athletic entertainers and matches rarely are boring....although I don't watch it

dorian123
09-18-2011, 11:57 PM
well when football players come out they don't spend a half an hour on the mic running their mouths...I wanna see a fighter fight not talk

though I do see where he is coming from at a certain extent...that's what the internet and prefight interviews are for, so they can hype up the fight and put asses in the seat

don't get me wrong I watch WWE every once in a while, but damn here lately there is more time on the mic than there is wrestling-it's gotten to the point of watching a soap opera

big in vegas
09-19-2011, 07:51 PM
I don't watch WWE anymore, it's too much of a soap opera anymore, too much talking and not as many matches as there once was. The only thing I will occasionally watch are the Divas fight and that's kind of self explanatory