Heath Herring: 'Dana White's got six Ferraris. Hell, I just want one'

[Warner2BruceTD]

also, lets be honest, I love this sport but the level of athletes in it are not great, they're great fighters, but the overall level of athletes in the sport is poor and you wont get quality athletes to become MMA fighters with the money that is being paid

even boxing 'which is dead' gets so many quality athletes just from having the Olympics and solid amateur system, MMA has no legit amateur system, they really need to grab wrestlers, judo players, BJJ champs when they are younger and get them into the sport, we are seeing it more now with guys like Phil Davis, King Mo, Jones, etc...you can get the grapplers because there isnt money to be made after college, strikers will always stay in boxing because of the olympics and possible huge pay days, even great kickboxers make more in K1 and only do MMA when they get older

This will come with time.

The sport is roughly 20 years old (actually less) in this country. Think about where the evolution baseball was in 1890, or pro football in 1940, or pro basketball in the 40's and 50's.

There are kids between the ages of 8-18 right now who are growing up with MMA as their favorite sport, and have Chuck posters on the wall. The current guys who are over 25 did not grow up watching MMA. It didnt even really exist, or was still in it's dark age.

These kids will either find gyms (or already have), and some will choose MMA over basketball or football or whatever, and you will see better athletes (aside from the top level wrestlers, who MMA has attracted since day one) participating.

As for top level strikers, why would they jump into MMA? If I was a gifted striker, i'd box or kickbox, too. Why deal with learning ground techniques?

[Warner2BruceTD]

you're right, and the UFC shouldnt pay them more if they sign there contract for

Heath shouldnt be the one talking about this, he is past his prime, had many many chances against some of the best in the world, also he is known to party hard and not put much into training, etc...

the point I'm making, usually comes to how the UFC markets there company and the complete lack of real media coverage by mainstream media, basically they dont care and they have no idea whats going on and just take what Dana and the UFC give them as gospel, the UFC is in a great spot right now, they can pay what they want, promote how they want, cut who they want, use practices like threats and strong arm fighters and no one in the media will say anything

thats why competiton is good and the UFC wants to crush anyone who trys to compete, they dont want fighters to have options and in the end it will just hurt the overall level of talent that comes into the sport because without comp they can low ball fighters even more and the UFC has the media brainwashed into thinking they have all the best athletes/fighters even though they dont pay them like it

This too will come with time.

Right now you have sportswriters & media people who didnt grow up with the sport, so when they do cover it, they all end up doing the same little puff piece, and probably never give UFC a second thought until the next Chuck/Rampage or UFC 100.

Right now you have journalism students in college who are eating MMA for breakfast, who love the sport, and represent the next gen in sports writing. When these kids get media jobs, the MMA profile will rise up. In 20 to 30 years, when these kids become editors or program directors or producers, and are calling the shots, MMA will share the spotlight with the other big time sports.

The crusty old gaurd who represent sports jouranlism in 2010 didnt grow up on MMA, and frankly don't care. The new genereation will have followed it from the beggining, and know Dana's bullshit.

[Liquidrob]

As for top level strikers, why would they jump into MMA? If I was a gifted striker, i'd box or kickbox, too. Why deal with learning ground techniques?

If you start young enough you can pick up grappling pretty easily, you will be way ahead of guys striking wise and long term you will not take a beating like you would in boxing or kickboxing over your career

Boxing and Kickboxing are brutal compared to MMA, the difference between getting your head beat in for 12 rounds in boxing and KO'd all the time in kickboxing are so much worse than getting subbed, taking a few clean shots and the ref stepping in

I always thought the next big evolution will be that quality boxer who comes over young enough, you will see the difference in striking, it will be like when Cro Cop came over and picked up the sprawl and brawl game, guys were just shaking having to fight him plus he came over late and look at the success he had

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

I'm unsure of my stance here.

Rob makes good points, but considering MMA fighters are basically freelance, non-contracted (for the most part) workers...they tend to make what people are willing to pay them for.

And, its good to see people acknowledge Horses' existence.