We always talk about the dog days of summer especially when it comes to sports radio. However, many fans of combat sports like MMA are talking about the dog days of winter and spring. You look around the landscape of the UFC, you’re just waiting for the next decent PPV. The only one that has a big main event has to be Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier in July.
When you look at the rest of the cards up to that point, there’s nothing truly tantalizing that would make the casual MMA fans fork over big bucks. The next PPV is headlined by a Women’s Featherweight title fight with Cris Cyborg and Kunitskaya (who?). Seriously, the UFC website has a silhouette for Kunitsaya.
UFC 223 has a solid main event with Ferguson vs Khabib, but no casual fan will care about this because it’s not for a belt, at least that’s what UFC President Dana White has said, but that could change. Basically the lightweight title is in limbo because of Conor McGregor and White hasn’t vacated it yet because it hasn’t been defended since November 2016.
225 in June might be the next opportunity before Miocic-Cormier to make money in Chicago, Illinois. Dana White has mentioned that Phil Brooks could be fighting in the UFC again and you could put that as the co-main event along with a solid title fight would entice some fans to fork over some duckets.
It seems like the UFC is just building these mega cards to get the big buys instead of getting the fans to buy more PPVs and get more invested in the overall product.
-Clint Domingue