UFC Considers Shrinking the Octagon
Posted by Monkey 1 in: All News
UFC thinking of making the octagon smaller
Here's one of the worst ideas I've heard in a long time, and I hope to hell that it doesn't happen: the UFC is considering making the Octagon smaller.
From UFC president Dana White's own mouth:
Actually, we’ve been talking about making the Octagon smaller. We’re considering making it smaller. [UFC matchmaker] Joe Silva wants it. I think he wants to turn the thing into a [expletive] bathtub. Have them fight in a little tollbooth.
It seems the idea to shrink the Octagon is one born of wanting to force fighters to engage more. Apparently the idea came about shortly after Lyoto Machida became champion. As a result, some fans speculate the idea is directly aimed at eradicating Machida's style of tactical fighting.
The so-called problem with fighters like Lyoto Machida and Anderson Silva (and I'm naming these two purely because they are the most proficient at footwork) is that their style of fighting is considered boring - the average mungbean wants a slugfest and the top echelon of fighters aren't stupid enough to give it to them. That, apparently, is a problem.
Not for me.
I've waited a decade for fighters like Anderson Silva and, more specifically, for a fighter like Lyoto Machida to come along and shake up the game. Royce Gracie did it back in the 90's by introducing and showcasing the ground game to the world. Machida is doing it now by demonstrating the next level of stand up. Problem is, just like back when Gracie did it for the ground, most people don't really understand what's going on - the technical side of it is beyond them.
Sure, Machida is rapidly becoming a well respected champion, but when he first came on the scene people booed and whined about his style, just as they did when Jiu-Jitsu hit the scene (and many still boo the ground game when they don't get what's going on). When Machida first entered the cage many fans confused "exceptional footwork" and "intelligent strategy" for "running away."
I get what the UFC are trying to do - shrinking the cage is designed to enhance the action. But I'd like to suggest that "enhance the action" can be rephrased as "reducing the ability of fighters to use footwork and employ strategy."
Whilst a smaller Octagon may force people to engage and bring about more slugfests and blood, it will surely also bring about more clinching, wrestling and ultimately ground fighting which, in turn, will actually take away from the standup side of the game.
Shrinking the cage is an attempt to speed up the stand up action but will in fact restrict and reduce it. It will slow the evolution of MMA by removing the core element of movement and strategy. It will add a few slugfests here and there, but overall the excitement for those who appreciate the ever improving technical side of intelligent martial arts application will be reduced.
Fans like myself who appreciate and get as much excitement from seeing the technical proficiency of a fighter like Machida will see this idea for what it is - a stupid mistake that will ultimately end up being a step backward for professional MMA and the UFC.
Let's hope they don't do it.
Source: UFC Forum
|
||||||||
