Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen to coach 'The Ultimate Fighter 17,' fight on April 27

[waveycrockett]

we should boycott.

I agree.

[steelcityroller]

So you take away the trash talking and the equivalent of this situation would be Nik Lentz winning a couple fights at 145 and then losing to Jose Aldo and immediately getting a title shot at 155 even though he dropped down to 145 because he couldn't win at 155....

[waveycrockett]

If I'm a top-5 LHW in the UFC. I am PISSSSSSSSEDDDDDDD. This is why these dumb ***** need to form a union. The earliest one of them can fight for the belt is when? June??

[Knockturnal]

As everyone is alluding to, this is obviously for ratings, and it will work. Sonnen is money when he is talking; he is very engaging and funny. They need to move it from Friday as well, but I for one will watch this because I think Sonnen is hysterical. The fight on the other hand, not sure I'll be watching; it's just too undeserved and I already know what is going to happen.

Exactly. If you go to all the other MMA sites, you have fans saying they haven't watched TUF in years, but because Sonnen will be the coach, they will make sure to watch.

That pretty much makes the UFC decision the right one. The problem with that is like Steelcityroller said, it's only a temporary solution, the ratings will be up for next season, but unless they get 2 other big names for the following season, the numbers will go back to normal.

Like I said, I'm against this fight. It sends the wrong message, but I haven't missed a TUF season yet, so I'll watch. However, I'm on the fence about ordering the PPV...

Here's a thought, would you guys opinion change if this fight was on Fox instead of PPV? I just thought about it and I think that's the only way I could see myself accepting this fight...

[fingerbang]

Is hendo still hurt? Machidas on Dana's **** list. Sonnen really isn't a terrible option. There isn't a single fighter that matches up with Jones.

[TopsyTurvy]

I don't have many problems with this fight at all. It's a draw the UFC can use and with other fighters injured, it makes as much sense as giving another fighter a shot. It's far from ideal but it sells the show and it sells an event. The only way it backfires is if Jones or Sonnen get injured before the event.

[Vinny642]

I hope Jones destroys Sonnen, Sonnen talks his way into big fights... but yet even though Jones talks a lot, he backs it up

[marinoman]

what a surprise Dana lied again


"He's a long way away. He's not coming off the (Anderson) Silva fight and just talking his way into a 205-pound world title shot. [Sonnen] is going to have to beat a couple of the best in the world. If he beats Forrest Griffin, we'll shoot him right into the top five and let him fight some of those guys there, and we'll see what happens."
-Dana White, less than 2 months ago.

http://www.mmamania.com/2012/8/21/32...orrest-griffin


the UFC keeps making MMA less of a sport, and more just entertainment

[DeRozan10]

Exactly. If you go to all the other MMA sites, you have fans saying they haven't watched TUF in years, but because Sonnen will be the coach, they will make sure to watch.

That pretty much makes the UFC decision the right one. The problem with that is like Steelcityroller said, it's only a temporary solution, the ratings will be up for next season, but unless they get 2 other big names for the following season, the numbers will go back to normal.

Like I said, I'm against this fight. It sends the wrong message, but I haven't missed a TUF season yet, so I'll watch. However, I'm on the fence about ordering the PPV...

Here's a thought, would you guys opinion change if this fight was on Fox instead of PPV? I just thought about it and I think that's the only way I could see myself accepting this fight...

That's a great point. I think it would make a lot of sense if they put this fight on a FOX card.

Good call.

[zn23]

.

Agree.

Tim Burke on bloodyelbow, I'm not a fan of his at all but he made one really good point and he said "I understand that it is a business first and foremost, but spending six months building a non-competitive title fight between these two seems like pure desperation to me." This is simply non competitive and when you look at the betting lines right now Jones has opened up as -600. That's basically a 4-1 underdog. The odds could get worse.

My guess at this point is that Dana was pressured and forced to make this move by FOX after the horrible ratings they got on the TUF. Dana can say all he wants about the demographics blah blah, but the ratings are horrible and he knows it and FOX knows it, they are expected to lose 30% of viewers from the season opener for the finale. That is a serious decline.

The problem is what are they going to do after this season? Someone pointed out unless they put Pacquiao vs. GSP the ratings are not going to change.

[steelcityroller]

Exactly. If you go to all the other MMA sites, you have fans saying they haven't watched TUF in years, but because Sonnen will be the coach, they will make sure to watch.

That pretty much makes the UFC decision the right one. The problem with that is like Steelcityroller said, it's only a temporary solution, the ratings will be up for next season, but unless they get 2 other big names for the following season, the numbers will go back to normal.

Like I said, I'm against this fight. It sends the wrong message, but I haven't missed a TUF season yet, so I'll watch. However, I'm on the fence about ordering the PPV...

Here's a thought, would you guys opinion change if this fight was on Fox instead of PPV? I just thought about it and I think that's the only way I could see myself accepting this fight...

That is an interesting thought. If it were on free television then I wouldn't have as much of a problem with it in all honesty. But still wouldn't agree with it at all....

Is hendo still hurt? Machidas on Dana's **** list. Sonnen really isn't a terrible option. There isn't a single fighter that matches up with Jones.

Well the thing is that this fight won't happen until April. So even if Hendo is hurt that doesn't matter because this fight is so far away as well. Surely Hendo would be ready by that same time frame.

I think that it is obvious this decision was based purely upon them needing ratings for TUF.

[steelcityroller]

Agree.

Tim Burke on bloodyelbow, I'm not a fan of his at all but he made one really good point and he said "I understand that it is a business first and foremost, but spending six months building a non-competitive title fight between these two seems like pure desperation to me." This is simply non competitive and when you look at the betting lines right now Jones has opened up as -600. That's basically a 4-1 underdog. The odds could get worse.

My guess at this point is that Dana was pressured and forced to make this move by FOX after the horrible ratings they got on the TUF. Dana can say all he wants about the demographics blah blah, but the ratings are horrible and he knows it and FOX knows it, they are expected to lose 30% of viewers from the season opener for the finale. That is a serious decline.

The problem is what are they going to do after this season? Someone pointed out unless they put Pacquiao vs. GSP the ratings are not going to change.

Those odds are really low considering that Jones was set to be a -1200 favorite against Hendo who IMO has a much better chance than Chael. At least Hendo could possibly win by KO. Watch the odds on this one go up really fast.

But that is something to keep an eye on and expect the odds for Jones and Silva to keep going up really high. Because people have started doing parlays with just Silva and Jones and betting big amounts knowing that they are almost locks to win and if you parlay them you can get -300 or so which isn't horrible when they are nearly certain to win.

I was thinking the same thing as well. It wouldn't shock me at all if Fox said something to make them put up such a big fight as the coaches.

[zn23]

Well considering how Dana says Fox apparently "loves Chael" and seeing as how bad the ratings, I'm guessing it played a factor. Dana is basically contradicting himself at this point. So he was probably pressured that if they don't make this change they would take TUF off FX.

Dana won't say it publicly but, to me, it looks like that is what happened.

[TopsyTurvy]

I'm still not sure how people are upset that Henderson not getting the next shot is a slight in any way considering his injury and recovery puts him outside of the UFC's timetable for Jones to fight. Would you prefer sitting Jones?

Currently you have:

Henderson (Injured)
Machida (coming off a win against Bader)
Evans (coming off a loss to Jones)
Shogun (fighting in December against Gustaffson)
Phil Davis (just fought)

The only fight that makes any sense for me would be a rematch of Evans/Jones, Machida, or possibly a stretch show of a match like Sonnen or Rampage. If the UFC already has any semblance of plans for Rashad or Machida, I think their hands are tied unless they bring in someone like Lawal or Mousasi (though I think that would be even worse).

I understand how disappointed fans are (I am as well), but it's likely the best available fight considering Jones won't be changing divisions for any other super fight.

[steelcityroller]

I'm still not sure how people are upset that Henderson not getting the next shot is a slight in any way considering his injury and recovery puts him outside of the UFC's timetable for Jones to fight. Would you prefer sitting Jones?

Currently you have:

Henderson (Injured)
Machida (coming off a win against Bader)
Evans (coming off a loss to Jones)
Shogun (fighting in December against Gustaffson)
Phil Davis (just fought)

The only fight that makes any sense for me would be a rematch of Evans/Jones, Machida, or possibly a stretch show of a match like Sonnen or Rampage. If the UFC already has any semblance of plans for Rashad or Machida, I think their hands are tied unless they bring in someone like Lawal or Mousasi (though I think that would be even worse).

I understand how disappointed fans are (I am too to a degree), but it's likely the best available fight considering Jones won't be changing divisions for any other super fight.

Jones arm is injured and is gonna be out longer than Hendo.... Why it doesn't make sense. Dana White said that his plan was to do Jones vs Hendo on Super Bowl weekend but then found out that Jones was gonna be out until April so he decided to go this route instead..... That doesn't make a damn bit of sense. So because the champion is hurt the challenger gets jumped out of his spot?

http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publ...le_14702.shtml