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- Apr 1, 2005
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- 1,902
Here is the UFC situation. Chuck Liddell is the UFC but he has had some trouble staying awake for his last few fights. Dana would like him to retire maybe for his health but mostly so he doesn't go somewhere else and jumps start their organization. Most MMA fans and insiders know Chuck is done. Three very bad things have happened to him. Other fighters and trainers have figured him out, they are not scared of him, and he doubts himself. So if you are the UFC what do you do with him. You hope he retires, you put him in the Hall of Fame, and then you sell his greatest knockout videos. The problem is Chuck still likes to fight and there is concern that he won't go away. The UFC dilemma is to let him fight against lower level guys that don't have any appeal and might even beat him or let him walk away and fight somewhere else. Any way the UFC loses big time, they hang on to him and he continues losing, well that tarnishes the image of their superstar and effects merchandising sales of Liddell items. Let him walk and Affliction, Strike force, or both sign him immediately. The other organizations certainly have some of the best guys in the world; especially the Heavies but only true MMA fans know that. The signing of Liddell now gives them someone the rest of the masses have heard of. You hand pick his fights and use him as the anchor of your new organization. With Liddell network TV will once again come calling so will bigger sponsorships which means bigger paydays for all fighters. Soon other disgruntled UFC fighters will follow the attraction, bigger paychecks and great exposure.
Enter Kimbo Slice. To the hardcore MMA fan Kimbo is a joke and a side show. To the rest of the masses this is the toughest dude on the planet. After all that the UFC has said about Kimbo they could never bring him in and put him on a card. They would be accused of a publicity whoring and most likely he would lose. They can however put him on a reality TV show that is in need of a tune up and jump start. They are banking that Kimbo will carry the show and that there is still curiosities. If he does well and ultimately wins the show or at least gains the trust of the fans that he is not a fraud it will be perfect for the UFC. They would then bring him in to fight Liddell in a huge pay per view. If Liddell knocks him out great, they squeezed one more big pay per view payday out of Liddell and now he can go away with honor. If Kimbo wins this will give him enough pay per view momentum for at least 2 more pay per views with losses at least 5 more if he keeps winning. Of course Kimbo can tank on the show which has not begun filming yet and then the UFC will have to go to plan B. I hope Dana didn't throw away the phone numbers of Tito Ortiz and Babalu.
Enter Kimbo Slice. To the hardcore MMA fan Kimbo is a joke and a side show. To the rest of the masses this is the toughest dude on the planet. After all that the UFC has said about Kimbo they could never bring him in and put him on a card. They would be accused of a publicity whoring and most likely he would lose. They can however put him on a reality TV show that is in need of a tune up and jump start. They are banking that Kimbo will carry the show and that there is still curiosities. If he does well and ultimately wins the show or at least gains the trust of the fans that he is not a fraud it will be perfect for the UFC. They would then bring him in to fight Liddell in a huge pay per view. If Liddell knocks him out great, they squeezed one more big pay per view payday out of Liddell and now he can go away with honor. If Kimbo wins this will give him enough pay per view momentum for at least 2 more pay per views with losses at least 5 more if he keeps winning. Of course Kimbo can tank on the show which has not begun filming yet and then the UFC will have to go to plan B. I hope Dana didn't throw away the phone numbers of Tito Ortiz and Babalu.
