Opinion: Framing Modern MMA

Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media.

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In addition to writing for Sherdog, I spend many hours a week watching and thinking about MMA. I am mostly removed from the thoughts of a typical fan, whether they be casual or hardcore. There is no one in my daily life I talk to about the sport, and the few people with whom I do so online are fellow writers. Thus, I've developed certain ways of thinking and perceiving modern MMA—framing it—that are not typical. Recently, I was reading some MMA Twitter threads when this reality struck me. So, after a weekend with no major events, let us list certain observations vital to how I frame modern MMA, as well as their explanations.

“UFC Quality” Has no Meaning Anymore

Even a few years ago, a fighter appearing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship meant they had achieved a certain benchmark of quality. They were better than the overwhelming majority of fighters in their weight class and were either experienced or possessed significant potential. Entry into the UFC was more difficult than any other promotion. Now? The very concept is a joke. The UFC has signed fighters with four professional fights. It has signed individuals who turned pro less than a year ago. It has signed fighters with major flaws rarely seen in any noteworthy promotion in 2023, like zero ground game. It signs fighters who are woefully out of shape. It signs journeymen pushing 40 and has them appear at least six times.

Sometimes, the UFC likes to mix and match multiple attributes from the list above or have them appear on main cards. Occasionally co-main events if they are heavyweights. That is just “what we do here,” to quote UFC President Dana White. A few weeks ago, UFC color commentator and former champ Daniel Cormier chastised debuting heavyweight Braxton Smith for a lack of skill. He should have chastised his own bosses for signing Smith, who simply did what any other regional fighter would when offered a UFC contract. The promotion simply must find enough bodies to fulfill its contractual obligations to ESPN of 40-plus events a year, quality be damned. The strategy works, but the term “UFC-level” is dead, a relic of an earlier time.

In Big Fights, Finishes Are the Exception and Often Involve Unnecessary Risk

Like most, I prefer a fight to end in a finish. However, I recognize that this is an increasingly unlikely outcome in a big fight. Mixed martial artists are simply too good. Incapacitating an opponent with no major weaknesses who is highly skilled at both striking and grappling, immensely strong, fights very intelligently, has plenty of cardio, and is tough and durable in 15 or 25 minutes is a tall order. That was not always the case. Tito Ortiz, for instance, was one of the best fighters in the world in the 2000s, but he had considerable holes in his striking and even in his submission grappling. His rival Chuck Liddell had porous defense. Such obvious flaws are no longer the case for any elite fighter.

Heavier weight classes are a partial exception both because of the devastating effect of a simple punch as well as the lower skill level, but even there, we see a lot more decisions. Vadim Nemkov vs. Corey Anderson 2, Magomed Ankalaev vs. Jan Blachowicz, and even Jamahal Hill vs. Glover Teixeira all went the full 25 minutes. The only way to get around this is to take risks: going for submissions that give up positional advantage. Trying to land big strikes that could end lead to being countered and left splayed out, unconscious on the canvas. Israel Adesanya-Alex Pereira 2, anyone? The UFC tries to incentivize this risk-taking with what are essentially $50,000 finish bonuses—when is the last time a “Performance of the Night” went to a fighter winning a decision?—but this matters far less to the stars headlining major events. The value of winning a fight to their career and future earnings is far greater than the bonus money. Major fights going to decision is a reality we will all have to get used to.

Any fight promotion which is not a direct feeder to a larger organization or excessively niche has at least one fighter better than at least 50% of UFC or Bellator MMA guys in their weight class.

This is not a knock on any major organization but rather a recognition of how much MMA has exploded with talent. Look at any random Absolute Championship Akhmat or KSW event and you will find highly skilled, well-rounded mixed martial artists, guys with tremendous skill who could be potential contenders in any major organization and give almost anyone a tough fight. I do not think this will change. There is just too much talent for any one major organization or two to sign. People scoffed at Jiri Prochazka when he was dominating in Rizin Fighting Federation, but yeah, it turns out he was better than anyone in the UFC, too.

The lone exception is when an organization is affiliated with a larger one and essentially a feeder system for them, as Invicta FC, Cage Warriors Fighting Championship, Legacy Fighting Alliance and Cage Fury Fighting Championships are for the UFC. There are terrific fighters in all of those promotions, but they do not last long before being scooped up by the UFC.

Alas, a lot of fans do not recognize this and dismiss such fighters for competing in “the regionals”. In reality, such promotions have at least one fighter and often far more who would beat most of the names appearing on UFC or Bellator cards.