Why are combat sports relatively unpopular?

[jadillac]

Unpopular?

UFC has made a killing the past several years.

People grow up playing football, basketball so they like those more b/c they can relate to them.

But that's not say combat sports are not popular

 

[Lýba'rhaésheýun]

If I had to guess, its

. The Grappling
. The Seeming Inactivity that happens during these fights
. the constant ducking and no hits
. The Rules which seem to take away the fun from it vs watching street fight.

 

[Big Blue]

DP

 

[FaTaL]

Ufc has had a really bad year

Big names are gone or suspended

Cancelled fights

It’s been a huge mess

 

[Canada Goose]

IDK man, whenever Mayweather had a fight it was an HUGE event, easily had more buzz than a regular season game in the ball sports.

 

[Legal]

For UFC

• Many of the title fights are scrapped because of injuries.
• No direct competitor, like PRIDE FC.
• UFC doesn't allow knees to the head on the ground, or soccer kicks/headstomps. It's safer but makes the fight boring.
• No immediate rematches of split decision title fights; Jon Jones vs. Gustaffason should have happened quickly because it was too close to call.
• Dana White has hurt the sport along with improved it.

Boxing

• Everyone wants to see the heavyweights, but there are like 5 titles for them now just to be the Undisputed Champion. So there is a ton of politics, and you can lose the belt if you don't fight the #1 challenger.
• 12 rounds have made it safe, but boring when in the old days it was 15 rounds
• Expensive PPVS
• Alot of ducking by fighters

Not to mention that in a real fight, if there were no rounds, no one would punch because the longer the fight goes on the more likely you would break your hand. Which is why they don't like fighters to use palm strikes, its more effective. Not to mention the action would be much slower, because with 5 mins rounds in UFC, you know you can get a breather after the 5 mins where a real fight without rounds means you have to pace yourself.

The bolded are crucial.

Dana White definitely helped push MMA forward, but his antics have also kept the sport from moving on to the next stage. Dude is a walking embodiment of the concept of ITWAN. And his ridiculous ass shyt has kept many a fighter from signing, and kept many a match from happening.

But with boxing, a lot of times PPV is the only time you can catch a true headline worthy fight, but them shyts are absurdly priced these days. Let alone the fact that promoters are bast wrestling federations at this point, and are keeping fighters separated.

 

[SPACE IS FAKE]

most ppl think
team sports > individual sports

 

[TNC]

Accessibility

MMA and Boxing are both very niche sports, that are hard to get into (as in participate) and very technical. There are people that have watched boxing for years that still don’t know basic details.

Whereas ball sports are very common and accessible from any age. You can walk into any gym in the country and find a basketball court or a field to play soccer or football in. Meanwhile a lot of actual martial art studios don’t even have rings and cages. Give MMA time tho it’s still very new compared to the rest tho

 

[iceberg_is_on_fire]

Can't build a superstar in UFC because people are prone to losing. Many people in boxing get built up but they most are not marketable.

Boxing is technical and outside of a few of UFC fighters, I never see anybody really use a decided discipline to win a fight. Just brawling and ground and pound.

 

[FaTaL]

Accessibility

MMA and Boxing are both very niche sports, that are hard to get into (as in participate) and very technical. There are people that have watched boxing for years that still don’t know basic details.

Whereas ball sports are very common and accessible from any age. You can walk into any gym in the country and find a basketball court or a field to play soccer or football in. Meanwhile a lot of actual martial art studios don’t even have rings and cages. Give MMA time tho it’s still very new compared to the rest tho

Mma is easy to get into and rise up quickly, it’s the opposite of boxing and that’s why the champs don’t last long

Silva had a long reign, I don’t see that happening again unless jones comes back

 

[staticshock]

For UFC

• Many of the title fights are scrapped because of injuries.
• No direct competitor, like PRIDE FC.
• UFC doesn't allow knees to the head on the ground, or soccer kicks/headstomps. It's safer but makes the fight boring.
• .

Who the fukk wants to see someone get stomped in the head

I don’t follow ufc cause that shyt is barbaric to me. I love boxing though. The sweet science is amazing if you actually know what you are watching instead of just wanting to see some dudes throw haymakers & knockouts

 

[IllmaticDelta]

boxing was once the biggest sport in america

 

[1thouwow]

nikkas ain’t tryna get punched in the face for a living.

 

[Fenian]

Pay per view. I’d watch a lot more if I didn’t have to spend a bunch of time finding a decent stream.

Only worth it for the big fights.

 

[the cool]

Take out the gloves in ufc and it will be more popular