MMA-UFC UFC 193 - Melbourne November 15 - Questions & Answers

[phantom13]

Do it at Rod Laver, charge more per ticket (cause there wouldnt be a bad seat in Rod Laver). Much better way to handle it.

I'm glad i was there for the atmosphere and cause it was a record breaking and historic event but yeh, change it up, Etihad didnt work.

Further to this how much better would it be on a friday or saturday night. I know it will never happen cause of the American PPV crowd but damn, it would be so much better.

 

[BradWCE]

Further to this how much better would it be on a friday or saturday night. I know it will never happen cause of the American PPV crowd but damn, it would be so much better.

I remember hearing that the UFC said they did a card (the Adelaide one I think) during the day because Australian fans were used to that timeslot and liked it more. They were asked about it because it was a Fightpass card and it seemed silly to put it on at that timeslot when the UFC had said that Fightpass will allow shows outside North America to be on at normal fight times.

I don't know about everyone else, but a rare night card in the UFC, in Australia or Asia, would be great. I have no problem with all the morning/early afternoon cards, but a few night ones would be nice. Big event or small one.

 

[MMAPride Scott]

I think but not 100% that there was a deal done for Aus to land a PPV next year as well. But I dont know which way they will push, there is a focus of breaking the cage ban in WA, they need to try and convert as many of the melbourne casuals that went as well. my guess it will be at rod laver with a more international PPV card bit like when brazil get theres.

 

[nobbyiscool]

I think but not 100% that there was a deal done for Aus to land a PPV next year as well. But I dont know which way they will push, there is a focus of breaking the cage ban in WA, they need to try and convert as many of the melbourne casuals that went as well. my guess it will be at rod laver with a more international PPV card bit like when brazil get theres.

I hope you're right with all that. In the epic post I left after I got home from 193 it was one of my biggest takeaways - Docklands was a cool place to do once, and I was glad I went. But Rod Laver needs to be their permanent venue. As WWE shows every year, people in this country will pay for s**t - they make millions out of inconsequential house show.

So I think you could get away with those more international PPVs, and I think Matthews and maaaaybe Noke give them enough to have 2 main card fights with Australians - but with all that said, you still need hypeable names in Australia. To fill Rod Laver at the prices they charge, I think we need some sort of a title match, even if it's not one of the really hot ones. (They could get away with Joanna Champion again quite easily I think.)

They can't keep deluding themselves that Michael Bisping is an international star who can carry cards like this

 

[phantom13]

Matthews, Noke, Hunt, Whittaker and to a lesser extent Bec Rawlings can all be on a main card but yeh we need either a title fight or a big name fight (#1 Contender fight at HW etc could be enough).

 

[nobbyiscool]

Matthews, Noke, Hunt, Whittaker and to a lesser extent Bec Rawlings can all be on a main card but yeh we need either a title fight or a big name fight (#1 Contender fight at HW etc could be enough).

Forgot all about Whittaker!

I still think the suggestion that Hunt is Australian is tenuous...

 

[BradWCE]

Forgot all about Whittaker!

I still think the suggestion that Hunt is Australian is tenuous...

I forget exactly why, but Hunt said that he'd rather represent Australia than New Zealand. Something to do with NZ not caring about him winning the K-1 title or something.

Hunt's a big fan favourite in Australia. He lives here, his wife is Australian and his kids are Australian. I think he moved here about 20 years ago too.

 

[phantom13]

Whittaker is a Kiwi as well. Weve just adopted them.

 

[phantom13]

Im pretty sure we tried to claim Lombard for a while cause he lived here for a while, mind you i thnk he has dual citizenship. A cuban-australian who lives in USA and dates a French Canadian

 

[MMAPride Scott]

Im pretty sure we tried to claim Lombard for a while cause he lived here for a while, mind you i thnk he has dual citizenship. A cuban-australian who lives in USA and dates a French Canadian

lombard refuses to be called Cuban, because of his upbringing as far as he is concerned he is an aussie. we adapt to who trains here till there is a huge amount of aussie fighters thats the way it will go. UFC are aiming for a title fight if not two per PPV but they have got the likes of Silva and even a Nick Diaz now that could and prob will head line a PPV non title fight. that not silva against Diaz but I think each could possibly head line next year

 

[BradWCE]

Yeah, Lombard's an Australian citizen. Hunt's been here for 20 years or so. Whittaker moved here when he was a child. I don't know how young he was.

They want to represent Australia, that's cool. They don't want to, that's cool. I don't really care. I'm a big fan of Hunt and Whittaker. Not so much Lombard.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

I forget exactly why, but Hunt said that he'd rather represent Australia than New Zealand. Something to do with NZ not caring about him winning the K-1 title or something.

Hunt's a big fan favourite in Australia. He lives here, his wife is Australian and his kids are Australian. I think he moved here about 20 years ago too.

Hunt wears the NZ flag on his UFC shirt. If he really thought like that he would wear an Aussie flag like Whittaker does.

Yes he lives in Australia but on paper, Hunt wants to be formally announced as being a New Zealander. Hence billed from South Auckland, NZ.

 

[phantom13]

I dont reallt care whether they rep NZ or Oz, we have a reputation for claiming all talents who even mention they "like" Australia, my point was more they could all be considered main eventers for a fight night card in Oz.

 

[nobbyiscool]

I dont reallt care whether they rep NZ or Oz, we have a reputation for claiming all talents who even mention they "like" Australia, my point was more they could all be considered main eventers for a fight night card in Oz.

Would anyone go to that show though?

The initial discussion we were having was about "Australian-heavy" cards on PPV. I think a lot of the guys we've mentioned could feasibly appear on a PPV main card - but they still couldn't appear in main events of a PPV obviously. As I think you (or someone else, apologies if not you) and I both said, we'd still need a big, marketable main event I think, even if it was "just" at Rod Laver.

That said - Whittaker in particular is probably at the point now that he could semi-main if it was against someone in ~the top 4; Hunt is probably in the same boat, although I wonder if some of the shine is off him now.