UFC

[Cuenca 'ammer]

it's getting closer to Saturday !!!!!!!1

[Cuenca 'ammer]

https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/28/2 ... -year-ever

had a conversation a while back about how popular MMA was and the UFC specifically.

ESPN has a awfully large wallet behind it.......

UFC generated ‘record revenues’ in 2022 including ‘the best sponsorship year ever’

The UFC continues to generate record revenues for parent company Endeavor, as financial records have been revealed for the fourth quarter and full year in 2022.

Endeavor released details during an earnings report call on Tuesday, with the UFC once again leading the way for the publicly traded company. Overall, Endeavor’s owned sports properties, which includes UFC and Professional Bull Riders, generated $301.4 million in the fourth quarter, which is up nine percent from the same time in 2021.

For the year, the UFC helped lead the owned sports properties to $1.3 billion in revenue, up $224.1 million more from 2021 or 20 percent from last year.

“Both organizations recorded record revenue last year,” Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel said. “All 21 UFC events with live audiences sold out, continuing a 29 event sell out streak since returning from the pandemic. UFC posted its best sponsorship year ever in 2022, unlocking new categories and inventory to reach a fan base that grew double digits over 2021 in the U.S.

“It also continues to be an industry leader in digital engagement. UFC’s social media accounts now have over 220 million followers combined. TikTok followers alone grew 55 percent year over year.”

According to Chief Financial Officer Jason Lublin, the UFC’s streak of sellout cards not only continued in 2022, but the return to UFC Fight Night cards outside of the UFC APEX helped to lead to even more record-breaking numbers for live gates.

“UFC set 11 arena records for highest-grossing events, including four of the highest grossing Fight Nights in the U.S. and the two highest grossing Fight Nights in UFC history, both at London’s O2 Arena,” Lublin said.

As far as the growth in sponsorship, Lublin detailed how the UFC added several new categories, such as the “official law firm” of the UFC, which added new revenue for the company.

“UFC also had its highest sponsorship sales in the company’s history,” Lublin said. “We added several new sponsors to our roster like V-Chain, New Amsterdam Vodka, and Project Rock. We also introduced new categories like the official commercial truck, the official law firm, and the official ready-to-drink partners of the UFC.”

Looking ahead at 2023, the UFC is expected to hold the same number of events overall but the promotion anticipates more travel rather than more cards at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas.

The APEX has become a mainstay for UFC Fight Night cards since the global pandemic started, but it appears the promotion is starting to move more and more away from that, with plans to travel to more arenas in both the U.S. and international locations in 2023.

“At UFC, we anticipate the same total number of events but with more U.S. events outside of our APEX arena, more international events and overall more marquee events, all which carry a higher cost structure,” Lublin said. “This in turn impacts margins.”

[dasnutnock3]

Miocic fights the winner in July, which will have been 2 years since his last fight, when he got sparked by Ngannou. But controversial, given how busy some of the other heavyweights have been in that time.

[stu1]

I’m not a big UFC fan but going to tune in for the fight tonight. What’s everyone expecting and/or hoping for?

I’ve seen a few comments saying how Jones looks a bit soft around the mid section following his weight gain and questioning how that might impact his stamina.

[dasnutnock3]

I expect Jones to win but I think it’ll be an unsatisfactory decision, rather than a finish. He probably can’t outstrike Gane, but he had supremely good wrestling at 205, and that should be enough to give him the control he needs to grind out a UD. I’d love to see him get kayoed but I think that’s pretty unlikely.

Keep an eye on Nickal though - be interesting to see if he fancies his chances in the stand up or if he’ll look for the takedown immediately.

Ian Garry could be one to watch, too. Gobby Irish lad, no shortage of confidence or verbals, but seems to have good standup and a decent record so far.

[stu1]

Interesting.

From my limit knowledge, Jones always seemed quite vicious with his striking and slightly unorthodox with lots of elbows and knees etc? His reach also seemed to give him quite a big advantage.

Do you not see him being able to use those advantages as effectively at the higher weight? Any certain skills Gane has that you think Jones might struggle with?

[Takeiteasy]

Darren Till is a very good Muay Thai boxer/striker. He’s a bang average MMA fighter (at elite level obviously).

[Takeiteasy]

My predictions for tonight:
Garry
Ribas
Brunson
Gamrot
Nickal
Rakhmonov (this guy is a future champion)
Shevchenko
Jones

[Cuenca 'ammer]

only in the prelims at this stage and there's been some good fights already...

[Cuenca 'ammer]

Du Plesis battered Brunson no contest...

Garbrandt up next

[Takeiteasy]

Du Plesis battered Brunson no contest...

What fight did you watch? Brunson hammered Du Plessis first round, it was very much a contest!



Both fighters have massive holes in their game. 185 one of the weakest divisions in the UFC at the minute.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

What fight did you watch? Brunson hammered Du Plessis first round, it was very much a contest!

Both fighters have massive holes in their game. 185 one of the weakest divisions in the UFC at the minute.

I don't know much about the technical side of things but imvho Du Plessis although took some shots won easily..

and as I say I can only say what in my purely untrained "viewer" eyes thought that Du Plessis won ..

as to what each has or has not, I stand unapologetic, I how nothing except what I see....

wish I knew more about it but I don't......

[Takeiteasy]

First round was all Brunson.

Second round was all Du Plessis.

Brunson looked hurt by the end. Wasn’t moving properly and as a result was a sitting duck for Du Plessis’ striking.

Was a much better spectacle than Garbrandt’s fight. Cody did what he needed to do though. He desperately needed to just win, he wasn’t there to please the crowd tonight. Needs must!

Cracking card tonight so far overall.

Looking forward to seeing Rakhmonov. The guy is scary and is surely a future world champion.


Who do you reckon wins the main event, Cuenc?

[Cuenca 'ammer]

wish I knew more about the technical side of stuff like you and Dan..

I enjoy your posts because it helps me understand the pluses and minuses of the fights.

like i say it's my untrained eye and I would hazard a guess that i am more like "myself" so to speak than you and Dan who are more up on the technical side of things. and probably and it's only a guess that the UFC relies more on blokes lie me than blokes like you (no offence) who will get together with "our mates and spend money on a PPV..

I used to work in a bar here in Cuenca and when Manny Pacqueao fought (or someone of that ilk) we showed the fight and it was packed. no many people knew anything about boxing I'd hazard a guess but they knew Manny..that's the target audience imvho

as for tonight...

Piquettt
Gamrot
Rakhmonov
Schevchenko
Jones

all untrained of course

not sure what the payout would be on that coming up !!!!!



well my money's gone already !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Takeiteasy]

well my money's gone already !!!!!!!!!!!!!

You and me both! Brunson let me down, have called the rest so far.

Gamrot’s experience and fighting IQ won him that one.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

hope you and Dan keep posting more of the technical stuff about fighters,,

helps me when I'm watching what to look for.,

cheers



Neal Rakmonov right now

I'm an hour ahead of Vegas until March sometime...

you're spot on about Rakmonov closeish fight as it stood but he won big time

yep future title holder..very impressive and as I say just to my untrained eyes...

[Takeiteasy]

That was a brilliant scrap. Neal is tough as they come but I underestimated how fast his hands were. Gave Rakhmonov some real problems but the Kazak looks so comfortable inside the octagon!

He called out Covington post fight but I’d like him to fight Khamzat, that would be a war.

[stu1]

Well that was quick.

An impressive performance but a bit underwhelming as a final event. The only damage Jones took was a quick to kick nuts after the opening bell.

[dasnutnock3]

Sounds like Bones never went away, then. Be interesting to see how he handles Miocic, who has superior wrestling to Gane, as well as faster hands. Can’t doubt Jones’s fight IQ.

We’ll see if losing her title motivates Valentina or if that’s it from her now.

Think the rest of the card went roughly as expected. Need to watch the fights later today.

[taust68]

So it looks like it will be jones v micovic, I think Jones v nganna would be a more interesting fight, I wonder if nganna could be persuaded to come back to the ufc