Tonight, emanating from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, will be the biggest UFC card of 2017. Jon Jones will challenge for the Light Heavyweight title he never lost in the cage, as suspensions and arrests had derailed the career of who many consider the most talented fighter to ever grace the Octagon. Standing across the cage will be the man who has ran roughshod over the 205 lbs division in Jones’ 15 month absence, Daniel Cormier. The 2 time olympian has lost only once in his career, a 5 round unanimous decision in January of 2015 to then champion Jon Jones. Since then Cormier has submitted Rumble Johnson twice, and made easy work of Alexander Gustafsson and Anderson Silva; establishing himself as a once-in-a-generation caliber fighter. It is the two best pound for-pound fighters squaring off in a contest with copious amounts of bad blood involved. It is one of the most compelling fights of our lifetime, it is the MMA equivalent of Ali v Frazier, and yet it is riding in the back seat.
On September 16th, the sport of boxing will put on it’s first truly captivating fight since the inception of Mixed Martial Arts. A fight that can actually deliver on what’s being promised, unlike the much-maligned Mayweather v Pacquiao contest. Canelo Alvarez, who’s only loss came when he cut too much weight to fight Floyd Mayweather, will battle undefeated Gennady “Triple G” Golovkin for the Middleweight Championship of the world. Boxing is a game where most of the dodging takes place outside the ring, instead of inside. Fighters are advised to take on lesser opponents to keep their records pristine, and keep collecting PPV checks while cruising to easy victories. Yet, amidst speculation that these two phenoms would dodge each like Pretty Boy Floyd and The PacMan did, they agreed to fight each other in the middle of their respective primes. This fight, like Jones v Cormier, is also riding in the back seat.
On August 26, the fight that’s firmly in the driver’s seat of combat sports takes place. A battle between a 40 year old with degenerative hands, and a martial artist with a 0-0 boxing record. Floyd Mayweather Will take on Conor McGregor in what has been dubbed “The Money Fight.” It’s not an inaccurate description, both fighters are set to make 9 figure pay-days for their battle in the boxing ring. It’s nowhere near the level of competition of Alvarez and Golovkin, it can’t even sniff the level of disdain that Jones and Cormier have for each other, and it will cost consumers 40 dollars more to view. So why are fans clamoring for this contest, while objectively superior bouts are being ignored?
The truth is the PPV model dying. consumers are inundated with more and often cheaper content to choose from. Fights no longer hold the must-see status they did generations ago. Fans want the biggest spectacle, not the biggest fight, and that’s ok. Jones v Cormier is the first MMA fight in 2017 to generate any buzz whatsoever in the eye of the casual fan, and will suffer mightily due to fans saving their money for the August 26th Money Fight. The same fate awaits boxing promoters when they ask fans to part with 60 dollars after they spent $100 three weeks prior on what was (persumably) an underwhelming contest. It’s a great time to be a combat fight fan. I can’t say the same for promoters.
The best part of the Mayweahter/McGregor fight may have already taken place with their 4-day international press tour. Yet, in 2017, that’s what sells. It certainly had my attention, and it will again August 26th for better or worse.