With nearly 50 events scheduled for 2015, thirteen of which are pay-per-view, the UFC is quickly learning what sells and what doesn’t. And, despite his many talents, flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson just doesn’t seem to be a hot commodity.
It doesn’t really even make sense, either. With three submissions and one knockout in his last five fights, Johnson is not only one of the most active UFC champions, he also finishes nearly all of his fights; a feat that continues to elude most other title-holders.
In the face of these great accomplishments, however, are Johnson’s dismal PPV sales records. For a telling comparison, all we have to do is take a look at Ronda Rousey’s last title defense against Johnson’s. While nearly a million people paid $60 or more to see Rousey beat a hole into Bethe Correira, only just over a hundred thousand tuned in for Mighty Mouse.
And the UFC has noticed. It’s part of the reason nearly half of Johnson’s title defenses have come on free TV. It’s also the reason we’ve enjoyed a few slow Saturday’s in the past weeks.
In fact, there hasn’t been a UFC event on a Saturday since August 8th. This was, however, no error on Zuffa’s part. It was calculated.
Mixed Martial Arts, (specifically the UFC) in 2015 is in an artificial state of feast or famine. It didn’t have to be this way, but when you have over 500 fighters on contract, all needing at least one fight every 12 months, the weekends start getting busy.
Except last weekend. And this weekend.
The UFC seems to think it needs to starve fans in order to create an artificial demand for fights. They know Johnson doesn’t sell, so in order to boost numbers they cut back on the drivel.
To a certain extent, I can see why. With an average fight time of just under 20 minutes, it’s not like Johnson makes quick work of his foes. He also boasts the first and third latest stoppages ever in a UFC fight.
He’s amazing, ladies and gentlemen; however, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait.
At the end of the day, though, it’s not Johnson’s job to finish every fight in the first round. The proverbial “finish” eluded Georges St. Pierre throughout his title reign, and yet he is still regarded as one of the sports very best.
With any luck, and some time, Johnson will also be lauded in a similar category.
He is, from a technical standpoint, nearly perfect. Though clocking in the latest finish, he also claims the fastest knockout in divisional history.
Most of his fights are a matter of circumstance; we know Johnson will eventually find a way to win, and though it’s fun to watch the man work, his opponents rarely give him much of a headache.
He is, in that sense, approaching a Rousey-esque title reign.
And with few credible challenges left, Johnson will eventually be forced to remain a big fish in a small pond, or be harangued into a larger stream.
It just depends if people are willing to watch, and pay for it in the process.
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