MMA Junkie is reporting on the ratings for WEC 51: Aldo vs Gamburyan. They were an improvement from WEC 50 but certainly not anything special. The event did a 0.4 rating with 486,000 viewers. I think that should put a damper on talks of a merger with the UFC.
over 1 year ago
Geno Mrosko
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Why would it put a damper? To me it shows WEC is a failure in branding and promotion despite having talented fighters that put on great fights. UFC are the only letters that count and Zuffa is doing the talented Bantamweights, Featherweights and even Lightweights a major disservice by keeping them on a sinking ship. UFC are already losing prospects to Bellator and Strikeforce because TUF isn’t an attractive vehicle any more. WEC could lose its top fighters if pay and visibility doesn’t improve – and the signs don’t point to this happening any time soon. I think even Zuffa must know the WEC branding is a hindrance at this stage, otherwise why would they have gone with a brandless PPV in Aldo vs Faber?
WEC is minor league. The sooner the talent fold into the UFC the better. If the roster gets too big, scrap the garbage TUF fighters who have no right to be there outside of a reality tv show.
Why a damper?
If anything, it only strengthens that talk because the WEC is putting on great fights and needs more exposure, which in the MMA landscape only seems possible if you’re tied to the UFC.
With the terrible showing of UFC 119 and more exciting fights, a merger seems almost imminent.
It's almost certainly not imminent
But it makes a ton of sense from a business and fan interest standpoint. UFC won’t do it though.
Dana did make an announcement hinting toward something big happening in the WEC. It may not be a merger, but could be something good.
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