(Props: Smoogy on this epic UG thread.)
Just as Pop Idol spawned American Idol, and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? launched Oh, lucky man!, the UFC wants to turn its Ultimate Fighter property into a global franchise. As Dana White told MMA Junkie following UFC 105, international versions of TUF will begin production in seven or eight countries early next year:
"My job is over the next 10 years, the same game of soccer that we play in the U.S. is the same game they play in Canada, Mexico, Spain Italy, France, etc., and that’s what we’re doing with mixed martial arts right now," White said. "Everywhere you go all over the world, it’s the same sport, and everybody plays by the same rules. We’re trying to get these television deals in all these countries, major TV deals exposing the fans to it, then you bring a live event to those places. Then
the virus spreads and people start training at it, trying to make a living at it, eventually becoming professional athletes. That’s what we’re going to do over the next 10 years.
"How do we plug this whole thing in with television and how to watch it everywhere? We’re trying to figure that whole thing out and build that now. But the groundwork for this thing is ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ and we’ve been working it very hard, and we’re making it happen. ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ is going to be all over the world. That’s the goal."
That’s probably the smartest idea we’ve heard yet in terms of spreading UFC awareness around the world. Still, the grand-prize for all these spinoff-shows can’t be six-figure contracts with the UFC, right? I mean, just because Tomaj Abdolsamadei rolls through the first season of Most Glorious Fighter Praise Allah, it doesn’t mean we’ll have to see him on UFC Fight Night shows, one would hope.
Dana White wasn’t just excited about brand expansion after Saturday’s event. He was also pretty psyched about the technology that will help deliver it, particularly an invention that we’ll henceforth refer to as "The Big [Expletive] Screen":
"I’m not the brightest bulb on the [expletive] porch, but I think that all television – I don’t know what it was in your country or your home state, but I had channel 3, channel 5, channel 8 and channel 13 when I was growing up," White said. "I never dreamed there would be a day where there would be hundreds, maybe thousands of channels to watch. And the world is becoming smaller and smaller every day. I believe that there’s just going to be a screen. I’m not saying a TV, and I’m not saying a computer. But there’s going to be a screen, and there’s going to be a lot of different [expletive] that you can do with this screen, and it’s going to be global."
Sounds awesome, Dana. And yet 80% of the population will only use this thing for porn…
Related: According to the Telegraph, the UFC is considering Georges St. Pierre and Dan Hardy as coaches for the next season of The Ultimate Fighter. We don’t want to see GSP’s layoff drag on any further than it already has, but desperate times (Dan Hardy is the #1 welterweight contender?!?) call for desperate measures (this, apparently).
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Comments
Mon, 11/16/09 - 07:31
This sounds like a great idea! I know the talent pool for the US version seems to be drying up, but think of the possibilities. TUF France, TUF Switzerland, you get the idea. And what forum are these winners going to fight on? This is going to blow up in there faces.
Mon, 11/16/09 - 07:42
Yes. More reality shows is what MMA needs. Although the Russian version will likely have its own rules...It'll be called The Ultimate M-1 Global Fighter. That'll put MMA on par with the countless dancing, singing and other "talent" contests out there. MMA is the soccer of the 21st century. After all, what's good for the UFC coffers has to be good for the sport as a whole.
Mon, 11/16/09 - 07:49
Let's just make one episode so it can be a battle royale and the last person with gas in the tank wins. Judging by this season of tuf they could fit that in a 15 minute show including commercials
Mon, 11/16/09 - 07:51
Allah be merciful, that Iran UFC thread is indeed epic.
Mon, 11/16/09 - 07:54
So instead of an arm-bar or some good old ground-and-pound we'll get to see Hasan al-Jamali al-Jafari al-Chaka Chan finish his opponent with the fuzzy mustache. I'm fucking psyched.
Mon, 11/16/09 - 08:04
UFC Judging . . . U-ndeniably F-ictitious C-omedy
Mon, 11/16/09 - 08:06
If this gets off the ground, then UFC could do a tournament system between all the tuf winners
Mon, 11/16/09 - 08:07
I thought of that the other day while high... eventually the internet and TV will merge.
Mon, 11/16/09 - 08:08
You guys are so racist! Unless you've been there and trained in Iran how can you even begin to speculate on there skill as fighters! I'm just kidding I heard it doesn't count as a loss if you lose by suicide submission.
Mon, 11/16/09 - 08:09
@ skeletor: TUF France or TUF Germany might work, but I was recently in Switzerland for a few weeks, and as awesome as that country is, I can tell you that literally almost no one gives a fuck about MMA there.
Mon, 11/16/09 - 08:13
Hey guys lets keep MMA clean from racism!
Mon, 11/16/09 - 08:13
I'll only watch TUF Iran if they have the Iron Sheik as a coach. He'll teach his team that true victory is only achieved when you break your opponent's back then fuck his ass and make him humble.
Mon, 11/16/09 - 08:18
Sure, but you think that TUF hopefuls in other countries will have: the stealth of a sniper the strength of a viper the training to challenge the ultimate fighter? The stealth of a sniper? REALLY? I've never been watching a fight and thought to myself "Man this guy's stealth is TOTALLY winning him this round. It's like the other guy doesn't even see him" Besides, all the stealth in the world doesn't matter when, "Boom, another hit is landed"....
Mon, 11/16/09 - 08:26
That reminds me, #1 thing on my list of recommendations for TUF is three simple words: NEW THEME SONG. Sweet fuck, that song is awful.
Mon, 11/16/09 - 08:38
what are u on crack the theme song is AWESOME U GONNA GET KNOCKED OUT THIS IS THE ULTIMATE!
Mon, 11/16/09 - 08:44
Cagefightmon>> Intelligence and humor FAIL.
Mon, 11/16/09 - 09:02
@cagefightmon- Like I said in the other post, you mean the ATHLETIC COMMISIONS, not the UFC. Fucking retard get it right you loser. I agree that theme song is ridiculous too they need to switch it up. They also need to switch the gladiator bullshit before UFC events. That shit is awful.
Mon, 11/16/09 - 09:03
BTW who the fuck wants to wait until June or July to see GSP fight again. While I think he would make an awesome coach on TUF, why should an entire division be put on hold for the reality show AGAIN! Especially when the eventual outcome of the coaches' fight is so predictable.....
Mon, 11/16/09 - 09:09
@831 Son: Good call. At this point, I'd rather watch some old guy sweeping the arena before the fight or some dude wrapping his hands than see that Gladiator bullshit again....
Mon, 11/16/09 - 09:10
@mthomas One of the only divisions with an active champ at that
Mon, 11/16/09 - 09:21
@agentsmith 10 inches my cock, greco roman jiujitsu, Madison Square Garden! HOw much more time does GSP need to recover? He's gonna kill Dan Hardy, lets get it over with. It's bad enough we have a heavyweight, middleweight, and lightheavyweight champion all on the shelf.
Mon, 11/16/09 - 09:34
Poor Dan !
Mon, 11/16/09 - 09:35
Shit, maybe GSP and BJ Penn should just fight each other again, seeing as they are the only two divisional champs not on the injury list right now....
Mon, 11/16/09 - 09:35
I am COMPLETELY against this!! It should end right here and now, for good. Yes, I definitely believe, with all my heart, that if you link the word "porn", it should lead the reader to porn. Come on, Bens! Some things are sacred.
Mon, 11/16/09 - 10:49
I actually think this is a pretty cool idea. Oh, and Lunk, you have my sympathies. A lot of the near-east countries have a solid wrestling tradition; it would interesting to see some innovative fighters from that base. Iran was a bit of a shocker, though. I hope that they broadcast it. I bet their fighters won't be pissing on peoples stuff. On the music: PLEASE DANA, for the love of pete, CHANGE IT. I never liked it. As far as countries for the International TUF, or iTUF as I like to call it, consider the Netherlands: Bas Rutten and Gegard Mousasi are excellent specimens. France, Germany and Switzerland are good ideas, but what about Brazil? or Russia? Japan anyone? I think they should expand beyond the trainers fighting at the end. The quality of the fighters as trainers is suspect. Tito turned out to be a decent trainer, and even rashad, but more often then not, they're not up to par. You need to do a American Kickboxing Academy vs. Greg Jackson Season, or a Minn. Martial Arts Academy (Greg Nelson) vs. Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy. Camp vs Camp would be good if you could get camp-mates to actually fight each other in the later rounds.
Mon, 11/16/09 - 11:14
BTW, I want that Pic to be real SOOO Bad. Awesome!
Mon, 11/16/09 - 01:23
I could tell Dana had just finished throwing a cruise with Joe Rogan before some smart-ass reporter asked him what he thinks the future of screens were gonn be like
Mon, 11/16/09 - 06:13
Forget a competition to see who is the best fighter, we need a competition to see which one of them has the best uni-brow.
Mon, 11/16/09 - 09:10
that video of the Iranian VT fighter was probably the lowest resolution video I've ever seen. I think there were about 8 pixels. I've seen NES games that look better.
Mon, 11/16/09 - 09:54
Is it just me or does the altered version of Frank Mir really look like Borat after steriods?
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