UFC Scores German TV Deal for UFC 99 — But Will Chuck vs. Randy Headline?
(Photo courtesy of MMA Weekly)
For the first time since February 2006, an Ultimate Fighting Championship event will be televised in Germany, as the UFC has struck a deal to have their June '09 card broadcast on the TV network ProSieben. Tentatively numbered UFC 99, the event is slated to go down at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany. If you'll recall, this was the card that was supposed to feature the hell-why-not fourth match between Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture. And although the TV deal is now in place for a visit to a new European country, the main event is less certain.
According to Franklin McNeil, bout agreements for Liddell/Couture IV have not been presented to either fighter yet, and neither of them is particularly interested in the match; it's possible that Liddell and the German-speaking Couture will be featured on the Cologne card in separate bouts.
Of course, lack of a superfight is just one obstacle in the UFC's quest to invade Deutschland. The reason that German PPV provider Premiere stopped carrying UFC broadcasts in 2006 is because the buy rates were so low; coincidentally, the last event they offered was UFC 57: Liddell vs. Couture 3. And unfortunately, the German media hasn't quite warmed up to the sport of MMA, or its central figure, Dana White. Check out these excerpts from a recent Der Spiegel profile:
...
Lesnar puts his full weight behind the blow, hitting Couture on his left ear and knocking him to the ground. The ensuing scene is something that raises doubts about Ultimate Fighting's right to exist. Lesnar pounces on Couture, kneels over him and starts punching him in the head, doling out 17 blows in a seemingly endless 10 seconds, until the referee finally intervenes. After three minutes and seven seconds, Lesnar wins the fight by technical knockout. He climbs up onto the fence to reap his applause as the new world champion, but the audience boos him instead. Couture is lying on the floor, motionless, looking dead. Seventeen blows to the head in 10 seconds, blows coming from a barely padded fist -- it sounds brutal. In fact, it is brutal, and it raises the question of whether Ultimate Fighting is a sport or simply assault.
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Anonymous Says:
this report is WRONG! zuffa is negotiating with pro sieben but the deal is NOT DONE YET. the source was quoted out of context.
Jugger Says:
A completely pointless fight. But, then again, neither fighter really has too many options at this point in their career. The way I see it, Randy has two fights he could take: 1) Chuck, or 2) the loser of the Nog vs. Mir. The first will pull down more PPVs and the second will tell us more about where Randy should be in the HW rankings. Shrug.
Anonymous Says:
horrible article totally out of context, boo!
Anonymous Says:
horrible article totally out of context, boo!
Zee German Says:
It's really, really hard to believe either one of the points being made.
One thing is that ProSieben is rather trying to establish boxing as a part of their portfolio. The only channel in Germany to feature MMA would in fact be DMAX (which is the equivalent to Spike, I guess) but they have no leverage what so ever. There would be no business to be made. Another thing is this: in Germany you don't have any kind of 101 combat culture except boxing.
The MMA events here in Germany mostly still look like underground fight clubs. And so is the public awareness. It's not even like the UFC BEFORE Zuffa came along. Another example: I moved to Berlin 8 months ago and had trouble finding a proper place to train. Before that I spend some time in Hamburg, there were 2 proper MMA gyms. Remember, Hamburg is the second biggest city in Germany. Before that I was living in Düsseldorf for a while: 1 gym at that time. What I'm trying to say is: there are fans here in Germany. Probably a lot. But certainly not enough to fill an arena.
Anonymous Says:
This is a dumb move. They should have went to Paris first. France is a much bigger MMA country.
Either that, or they shouldn't be going to mainland Europe in the first place. Dana is keen on comparing the UFC to Nascar, but Nascar wouldn't work in Europe. Maybe the UFC won't either. In fact, not only could they fail in Europe, but they could hurt business at home in the US too, because no one wants to see cards in the middle of the night or in the morning (which is what has to happen in the US everytime the UFC goes abroad).
Jared the wiener Says:
With respect to Zee German, I think you are discounting the large American military contingent in your country. MMA is popular with the military and TUF is shown on the Armed Forces Network if I'm not mistaken. I wouldn't be surprised to see more than a few seats in the arena filled by G.I.'s. In fact, maybe the UFC would be wise to offer some sort of incentive for those fine lads. Hmm...
Anonymous Says:
anyone else find it ironic the last PPV they aired was Couture Chuckie 3? and the most talk was havin 4 there. Is it just me or would that be like some Billionaire sheik coming over and throwing millions at SKala to start another MMA company?
Zee German Says:
@ Jared the wiener:
You got a very solid point there.
The American military contingent isn't as numerous as it used to be in Germany (I am befriended with quiet a few soldiers) but it certainly is enough to fill the seats.
Still this whole talk about a TV deal seems foul to me.
It's a cultural thing. Germans are not used to groundfighting of any sort. It's like in the US ten years ago. Only that we don't even have grappling here or wrestling as a tradition. So it's really hard to bridge. But I could be wrong.
Just can't really fathom the UFC on nationale television.
Germans don't seem to like the asskicking.
Tommy2tymes Says:
they have a problem with mma?
have you watched any german porno lately?
c'mon!
rob rearenderle Says:
Its interesting how the drunkard from Affliction no one has ever heard of gets the full treatment for his past behavior but douchebag supreme who has fucked over way more fighters than Beard ever will gets the free ballsucking pass.
>He is 39, a former bouncer and a bellhop at a Boston hotel.
Means he has no skills, no job prospects.
> He was found guilty of assault and, because he refused to pay >the fine, wound up in prison.
Did prison for assault? So HE IS like the Affliction douchebag!!
> and fled from the Mafia to Las Vegas,
Yeah, because the Fertita's are not in the biz of laundering mob money...still, this is a whole new level of sleaze that unknown t-shirt wino is uncapable of. You always want the head of a multimillion dollar company to be running away from the mob.
Explain to me how he 'fled' from the mob to LV and they 'forgot' about him? Ever hear the mob forget someone they were after?
ESPECIALLY when they then become famous and put themselves on the cover of magazines and TV?
I think even the gay mob doesnt forget....
> round-headed man wearing a skin-tight shirt and belt with a >skull-shaped buckle,
The douchebags look par excellence.
Look no further as to why every UFC fighter must be ripped, shaved head, waxed chest and nads and wear bathing suits....
its the fashion guido's idea.
Babalu Says:
If these two go at it again, it would be like watching two drunk bums fight over chicken wings at the local pub. WE NEED A NEW MILESTONE MATCH! (ie: Chuck vs. Shogun, or Machida, or Thiago or, or DANA WHITE!)
Krazy Kracker Says:
@ Babalu
I'd rather piss glass then watch Machida grind out a win vs Chuck to end his career. Get real. However, Chuck vs Thiago or Shogun wouldn't be half bad.
@ Couture vs Chuck
Not as dumb as everyone makes it sound. It's kind of sad we have to consider the ramifications of Douchebag White kicking fighters out of the UFC for losing a couple of fights in a row or just whoever he is butt-hurt with that week. Just look at that pic from their last fight. Epic. Were any of you not entertained or enthralled with the last fights they had? Shit, I hate comparing us to boxing but Bernard Hopkins is 43 and and Roy Jones Jr is 39... do people not still line up to see them fight? Old is not the equivalent to bad. Whenever they start breaking hips, tearing knees, and calling fights to make it home for Matlock REPEATEDLY is when they are too old. Give it a chance. They are both legends/Hall of Famers. Christ you mma fans are hard to please!
Dakyn Says:
That German reporting is terrible. They cite speculation and report it as fact; accuracy is, apparently, a second thought.
Imbecile Says:
"Der Spiegel" is a rag of a newspaper with hack reporting all across the board. What you don't realize is that citing a German news source like "Der Spiegel" isn't really a great indication of where the German populace stands on MMA. Newspapers over there are blatently and openly biased for specific points of view (unlike over here, where they are certainly biased, but try to tell people they are being objective), and so a large segment of the German people who reads "Der Spiegel" might wholly agree with what is written here, and equally large, or perhaps larger segment probably feels exactly the opposite. Quoting "Der Spiegel" proves little, except that it further points out what a shitty publication it is. The UFC may well have a very large fan base in Germany, but we will have to wait and see.
Also, the reason for Germany is because it is much easier to organize and promote a big-money event in a fully developed country. The Philipines presents a lot of challenges, but may well prove to be viable once they work things out. But initially, Germany presents the best option for a show on the mainland of Europe, since France just recently legalized MMA, but the rules they decided to allow would make it look more like the old Pancrase events. Germany is the most populous nation with the most money to be casually spent on sporting events on mainland Europe. The fact that the average German has a lot more money to spend on MMA than the average Filipino also has to factor in.
Anonymous Says:
If Randy and Chuck are going to fight a 4th time,then I want to see Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock IV.
Krazy Kracker Says:
Oh yeah, great idea! Tito won the first via domination, the second via dominating until a controversial stoppage and the third by rape. I can see the appeal there... Ken isn't even technically fighting anymore. He's like the Lizzie Borden house ghosts. You hear a lot of talk about him but never see him...
Lincoln Says:
I agree that we need a Tito Ortiz/Ken Shamrock IV.The build up leading up to it with Tito and Ken would be worth it on it's own.
tyler Says:
I agree Gimme Tito/Ken IV any day over Randy and Chuck the prefight hype between Tito and Ken alone would be better than Randy and Chuck again.