Three Gifts The UFC Needs In 2019

Christmas is here, and the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) could certainly use some gifts for 2019.

With the UFC leaving their longtime home at FOX and beginning a new journey with ESPN, the possibilities are endless. Big changes could be coming to the promotion, but there are certain ones that fight fans want to see happen first. All that being said, let’s take a look at three gifts the UFC needs for 2019.

Faster-Paced Events

One of the biggest complaints fight fans tend to have about the UFC is the pace of their events. Unless it’s on pay-per-view (PPV) or UFC Fight Pass, UFC events tend to drag on a bit on television. While we all love fights, having to sit through such a slow-paced card for several hours can get tiresome.

If the UFC doesn’t want to have fans tune out to their product out of boredom, this is a situation they’d do well to address upon their move to ESPN.

Fewer Cards

The old phrase “less is more” fits the UFC’s situation perfectly. It seems like there’s a UFC event every week nowadays, as opposed to the promotion’s beginnings when events were in fewer numbers. If the events become so frequent, they’ll deplete in appreciation.

Less cards with more fights would not only benefit the promotion, but the fighters as well. A UFC event should be treated as more of a spectacle, and spectacles don’t come around on a weekly basis.

More Weight Classes

Finally, something both fighters and fans have been calling for for quite some time. The UFC plays host to several weight classes at the moment, however, the jump from lightweight to welterweight is far too great. The gap between 155 and 170 pounds must be addressed.

For fighters like Rafael dos Anjos, Kevin Lee, and many more, a 165-pound division would be much more beneficial. Not only for competition, but for their health. Weight cutting has been an issue in MMA for the past several years. Fighters are oftentimes hospitalized for bad weight cuts, forcing high-profile fights to fall through in the process.

If fighters are given more options in regards to weight classes, this will allow the competitors to find a home in which they can compete at the absolute peak of their abilities. It will also ensure less fights falling through due to a bad weight cut, and championship bouts remaining intact.