Opinion: Does Unpredictability Hurt UFC’s Mainstream Appeal?

Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media.

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Tyron Woodley’s first-round knockout of Robbie Lawler at UFC 201 made him the seventh new Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder in less than a year. As someone who was considered undeserving of a title shot, Woodley adds his name to a growing list of underdogs who have emphatically proved the naysayers wrong.

Does this recent string of title changes and unpredictability bode well for the UFC in the long run? Sure, it’s fun to see that anybody can beat a world champion on any given night; and that hasn’t been clearer than in the past year, as world champions have fallen at a frightening rate against opponents that few thought could usurp them. However, is there any such thing as an “upset” anymore considering how frequently titles have been changing hands? Do the titles mean much of anything anymore considering that nobody can hang on to them long enough to establish themselves as true champions? What we love about mixed martial arts can also be its biggest detriment: unpredictability.

MMA has always had an element of unpredictability that has appealed to fight fans. However, the revolving door of champions has made it difficult for the sport to build stars; and stars are what drive sports into the mainstream because average fans don’t have time to dissect every weight class and fighter. They want their stars force fed to them so they don’t have to do any of the legwork. The ever-shifting landscape of the UFC has proven to be a bit problematic for the company in that regard.

Dominance can be boring, but it also establishes legacy; it makes an underdog defeating an established champion much more significant than a revolving door of fighters holding on to the gold at any given moment. It also gives champions a bit more clout with an audience. Obviously, it takes a lot more than domination to become a star, but winning is always the most important ingredient. The biggest stars in sports are those who have proven to be dominant. In addition to being dominant in their profession, their personalities away from competition are imperative so that they can connect with a broader audience.

Ronda Rousey was a perfect example of a fighter who had both the personality and established dominance in her profession to take the sport to new heights. The same can be said for Conor McGregor. There’s a reason why the UFC was at its highest selling point this year, and that has a lot to do with stars.

In other sports, like boxing, the stars are the driving force behind the popularity, and the biggest stars are supposed to be your champions. From Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson to Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr., they were all established champions with whom the general public became familiar because of their winning ways and unique personalities.

If you look at the list of current UFC champions, you’ll be hard pressed to find a titleholder a casual fan would know. This isn’t to say that Woodley or Amanda Nunes won’t turn out to be the next dominant champion and find their footing with an audience outside of the UFC, but the odds are stacked heavily against them. Stars are the anchors of an organization, and the UFC is in the unique position where the entire landscape of the promotion can be different in the next year.

What else can you really expect from a sport where there are so many routes to victory? Tiny gloves and heavy hands aren’t exactly a recipe for long fights, and it ultimately makes every single punch and kick count. Ideally, the UFC would find a balance between longtime champions and those divisions where the title is tossed around like a game of hot potato, because ultimately, you need a little bit of both in a sport like this. However, there’s nothing anybody can really do to make that happen.

Right now, we’re in a period where no champion is safe, and that part is exciting. Sooner or later, we’ll get another round of fighters who stabilize divisions and cement themselves as stars. Until then, we’ll just have to enjoy the ride and place our bets on who will be the next champion to fall.

Andreas Hale is the editorial content director of 2DopeBoyz.com, co-host of the boxing, MMA and pro wrestling podcast “The Corner” and a regular columnist for Sherdog.com. You can follow on Twitter for his random yet educated thoughts on combat sports, music, film and popular culture.