Why the hate for the HW GP from the MMA ‘fans’ and ''media'?

[Liquidrob]

Why the hate for the HW GP from the MMA ‘fans’ and ''media'?

I like probably most of you guys look at other sites, always interesting to see the reaction to Strikeforce from the 'fans' and 'media' and I use that term loosely, mostly has been negative

Sites like MMAJunkie, Bloodyelbow, MMAfighting, The UG, etc...

Is it because it is the most relevant tournament in years and Zuffa has nothing to do with?

Is it a preemptive strike to bash the tournament because when the winner is named they will have the right to the coveted number 1 ranking?

Is it Because MMA fans will get exposure to the tournament format on a bigger stage and show the fans that matchmaking is not the way to go?

At first the tournament was getting bashed because it was 'not a tournament' because there are no seeds and Overeem is defending his title, now that Overeem is not it is getting bashed becasue he isnt defending his title

The building up of non-zuffa shows helps the sport grow as a whole, more free MMA, more options, better pay for fighters which makes better athletes want to compete, etc...you would think the fans and media would be behind shows like Strikeforce, Bellator and the Japanese scene

 

[Liquidrob]

Let me get this out of the way first, this is not directed at you guys, I just want some opinions

Also, don't bring my feelings for Zuffa into it and change the subject, I am the minority in the MMA world

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I'm shocked at the backlash. Like I said in another thread, this is the most exciting thing to happen in MMA in years. People are too busy complaining about minor details like seeding, the title defense issue, the format, etc, when they should just be focusing on the fact that we will see 8 top guys in 7 fights, plus some good alternate bouts. They werent going to make everyone happy with the details, but people are losing sight of the fact that all of these top guys are finally fighting each other.

Some of it, is the sports culture we live in. Guys on this site were bashing the BCS title game the other night in the chatbox, despite the fact they were watching a game that had a 2 point conversion, a fake punt, a fake pat, 2 goal line stands, tons of big plays, and came down to the final snap. Nobody is happy anymore, nobody just enjoys the games. Same thing with the Rams/Seahawks game when it was moved to Sunday Night. The NFL was giving people essentially an extra playoff game, and all you heard all week was bitching and complaining from "fans".

Its the culture, people just look for the negative instinctively.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I'm shocked at the backlash. Like I said in another thread, this is the most exciting thing to happen in MMA in years. People are too busy complaining about minor details like seeding, the title defense issue, the format, etc, when they should just be focusing on the fact that we will see 8 top guys in 7 fights, plus some good alternate bouts. They werent going to make everyone happy with the details, but people are losing sight of the fact that all of these top guys are finally fighting each other.

Some of it, is the sports culture we live in. Guys on this site were bashing the BCS title game the other night in the chatbox, despite the fact they were watching a game that had a 2 point conversion, a fake punt, a fake pat, 2 goal line stands, tons of big plays, and came down to the final snap. Nobody is happy anymore, nobody just enjoys the games. Same thing with the Rams/Seahawks game when it was moved to Sunday Night. The NFL was giving people essentially an extra playoff game, and all you heard all week was bitching and complaining from "fans".

Its the culture, people just look for the negative instinctively.

 

[Bigpapa42]

The negative reaction I've seen has mostly been questions of whether it can work. It mostly seems, as W2B says, nitpicking. Moreso that than really venomous.

 

[SHOGUN]

This article excerpt sums up how I feel about it.

So, when Strikeforce announced their Heavyweight Tournament which basically laid out Strikeforce's booking plans for the next 3 title shots and the better part of 2011, one would've thought Mr. Smith would applaud them for their efforts. Yet, his article about the tournament was filled with conjecture and speculation basically doubting if said tournament would take place. Not to pick on Mr. Smith as he was not alone. He was joined by pretty much everyone in the media who basically derided the tournament and offered the opinion that it wouldn't take place. It was rare to see someone write about the tournament as something positive and potentially exciting to see. I mean, it has 4 of the top ten fighters in the world on 1 side and 4 of the top 25 heavyweights on the other side. We are, at the very least, guaranteed Fedor vs Silva and Werdum vs Overeem. It's rare, actually unseen before in recent MMA history, to see the next three title shots of a major promotions lined out.

I've read more editorial articles skeptically and critically written about the tournament written n the past week than I have seen in the past month in regards to Chael Sonnen's failed test, appearance in front of the CSAC, guilty plea for money laundering and suspension from the UFC by "major" MMA media. The media who basically ignored the Shane Carwin steroid story which Ariel Helwani called the most underreported MMA story of the year can find it in their hearts to criticize the smaller promotion. I wrote about that Strikeforce card on December 4th that went head up with a UFC live card and smoked it with exciting fights and the feeling that fans (and some media) were seemingly upset that Strikeforce has the better card.

Now, I'm not going to use Mr. Smith's words and call anyone in the media a "shill" or suggest in this article that there are writers with a financial incentive to gloss over negative Zuffa stories and attack other promotions. All I am doing is saying that I've noticed that big MMA media tends to nitpick at some promotions while not doing in kind with the others. If you look at what the media chooses (and chooses not) to cover, you might recognize the same patterns. This is not to say that Strikeforce (or Bellator or MFC, etc) are not to be criticized. In fact, I have criticized those promotions myself. However, it is a case of "what's good for the goose is good for the gander". If you're going to run through some with a fine-toothed comb, then run through all.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/1/1...ng-comments-about-strikeforce-commentator-pat

 

[JeremyHight]

People are backlashing against it because SF doesn't want their golden boy to lose the belt. Going into the Fedor/Werdum fight, we all had the same idea, winner faces Overeem for the belt. It made sense. The two top contenders fight for the #1 contender spot and the winner goes for the belt. Werdum wins and immediately, SF buckles.

Now, for some stupid reason, the HW champion and the #1 HW contender are going to fight... without the belt on the line. What? Why? So Werdum has the beat the champion, beat the #1 contender for the belt two more times after that, and then he gets a shot... at the belt? That makes no sense.

The rest of the format is fine, I have zero problem with the winner of the Silva/Fedor fight getting a shot at the belt. I have zero problem with the winner of the other bracket getting a shot at the belt. But why the fuck does the #1 contender fight the champion without a belt being on the line other than if SF was trying to protect Overeem?

 

[Liquidrob]

It is the coveted UFC press credentials? That is always a factor IMO

 

[EmpireWF]

I think the backlash is nonsensical crap like the seeding and What Ifs.

JHight's issue about the heavyweight title not being on the line at all is a valid issue. IMO, it doesn't mean anything to begin with so putting it on ice for another year-plus won't mean much. Right now, the Grand Prix Championship is in the spotlight and it should be fun.

SF is giving us the fights we want to see first. Overeeem/Werdum (granted, it's not for the gold) is what people want. Fedor versus the winner is what people want. Great, the other side of the bracket can hopefully create another name and we'll see what happens in the finals.

I'm really hoping they end up giving Cormier the Barnett spot though.

Stop reach rob re: credentials, Zuffa is not yanking Junkie's creds or Helwani's creds because they say anything about the tournament. BE doesn't have them.

For whatever reason, some people assume this tournament will fail before anything even happens. Wait and see approach for that contingent.

 

[Liquidrob]

In MMA history I cant remember a time when someones title was on the line during a major torunament or GP format

Fedor, Nog, Wand, etc...correct me if I'm wrong though

Like I said before, I don't like it, but that has been the history of the sport, also, the Grand Prix belts have as much meaning if not more for these type of things

 

[Liquidrob]

Stop reach rob re: credentials, Zuffa is not yanking Junkie's creds or Helwani's creds because they say anything about the tournament. BE doesn't have them.

If you dont think some of these journalists dont blast other promotions and bite there tounge about zuffa issues because they dont want there shit snatched you're crazy

 

[EmpireWF]

If you dont think some of these journalists dont blast other promotions and bite there tounge about zuffa issues because they dont want there shit snatched you're crazy

If you think any of these places are talking negatively about the tournament because they don't want credentials removed, you're crazy.

 

[Liquidrob]

If you think any of these places are talking negatively about the tournament because they don't want credentials removed, you're crazy.

It's a pattern kid, please open your eyes

MMA media wants to stay in Zuffa's good graces, if the media started calling this the best thing in MMA to crown the number 1 HW Zuffa would not be happy, you better believe credentials and access would be denied

 

[EmpireWF]

It's a pattern kid, please open your eyes

MMA media wants to stay in Zuffa's good graces, if the media started calling this the best thing in MMA to crown the number 1 HW Zuffa would not be happy, you better believe credentials and access would be denied

you're too jaded

Helwani, Junkie are not getting their credentials pulled over this tournament.

 

[SHOGUN]

I don't think it's all about credentials being pulled, but I think there is definitely something regarding the media being softer on ZUFFA because that's what brings in their website hits.

 

[Steel Mamba]

I haven't noticed any backlash, but I don't really keep up on some of those sites you mentioned. After quickly browsing bloodyelbow there's an article on their homepage backing the tournament and MMAfighting regularly features SF fighters along with Scott Coker, so I think they're pretty fair in their coverage. At least Ariel is.

But, really to be blunt about I don't think it matters. If they want to criticize it they have the right to do so, if there's sites out there that provide unfair coverage then don't go to them. I'm not saying that to be an ass, but if enough people feel that way then their numbers will drop, money will drop, and they'll be forced to change their ways.

Other than that people criticize EVERYTHING. They criticize the UFC a lot too, most recent example being the selection of Brock Lesnar as the next TUF coach. Many reporters questioned whether Brock was qualified or not. The only difference is that everyone wants to play the victim card when it comes to SF.

 

[calgaryballer]

I agree with Mamba. The reaction I've see, largely, has been positive. While there have been nitpicks, I think those are fair criticisms and mostly addressing things that Coker has said previously (HW title, 5 rounds, etc).

Secondly, this is being viewed through the prism of US MMA. This is essentially no different than Pride GPs, but this is something that's never been done on US soil (albeit in an abbreviated form).

It's also hurt by the fact that Overeem has barely defended his title in 2+ years. People want to believe belts mean something. To get a guy into his first fight in forever in the org and then make it non-title can rub people the wrong way. If Coker had said it was just a GP title originally, then I think it'd be different.

I can't imagine the backlash if Wandy had been on a two year hiatus before entering the LHW tourney, losing non-title to Arona, and then having to rematch him.

 

[Liquidrob]

That BE article today is probably the first positive one I have seen, also I am taking about the fan comments to, I shouldn't read them, but I do, just a train wreck

 

[Bigpapa42]

That BE article today is probably the first positive one I have seen, also I am taking about the fan comments to, I shouldn't read them, but I do, just a train wreck

It all depends on where you are looking. Certain mainstream sites are bad for being pro-Zuffa. Yahoo notably. Expecting anything else out of them is a waste of time and energy. I do understand to an extent why they end up that way, but it doesn't mean I like it.

As for fan comments, I've mostly seen muted excitement than dislike for the entire tournament. If you are seeing negativity on places like Sherdog or The UG... Well, that's what those places do. Its either trolling or just haters. Trying to take those people as indiciative of "most fans" is far worse than looking at us here as that.

 

[CrimsonGhost56]

cause it will never measure up to the greatness of the YAMMA tourney.