Then there are 5 governing bodies, each with their own belt. Ring Magazine has further complicated the problem by creating a belt of their own, but I refuse to count it. This is the kiss of death for many fans. Most can live with 17 weight classes so long as there is a clear champion in each weight. Boxing has 5 champions (going on 6) per weight class. That's 85 champions (going on 102.)

Do we really want to repeat the sins of Boxing?

I agree 100% with the underpayment of Mir — and that's just one example. There are a ton of fighters who are not being paid what they deserve. Competition within the sport isn't very likely to help fighter pay because the UFC's competators keep going belly-up. It's used as an excuse to keep fighter pay lower, not higher. In all likelihood, the only thing that will get fighter pay where it belongs will be unionization of the fighters — and man wouldn't that piss off Dana White!!

I also agree that the UFC is not making good decisions for the sport. One of the obvious no-brainer choices would have been to leave the WEC fully intact and used the WEC in the same way that baseball uses their own minor leagues. Instead, the UFC has canibalized the WEC down to the point that it's just a promo for the smallest weight classes. Having the “major leagues” and “minor leagues” under the same roof — so to speak — would have been a very nice touch.

Good or not, mma is not a sport that I feel should have a monopoly. The UFC is frantically stealing talent, and buying away regions, trying to do it, but that is a business plan from them. It has very little to do with what is best for mma.

I am ok with it, provided it is on the up and up with current rules, restraints, and athletic commisioning.

Although it will be nice for Dana to be considered the good guy for once.

Don King is Satan. No, he' not “like Satan” or anything like that. He's the purest evil in human form that is not currently being hunted by US forces, the FBI or some other similar entity. Don King is pretty much the most evil human being alive who is not currently on death row. He is Satan and the horns are hidden by that thing he grows on top of his head.

Should MMA be scared of Don King? Scared of his mafia contacts and scared he'll put a hit out on Dana White? Hell yes! Scared that he'll generate viable competition to the UFC? No, not really. Donald Trump was in bed with Affliction and that tanked.

The real trouble is, most MMA fans of today are casual fans. Most are unfamiliar with the term “Mixed Martial Arts” but they know what “Ultimate Fighting” is. The UFC has burned it's name-association with MMA deeply into the collective subconscious of the people of the USA and of the entire world. If you want to see a County Fair version of MMA, most people know that it's out there. If you want to see the best fighters in the world, everyone knows that the UFC is where you go.

The biggest question in my mind: How much longer until the current mortal coil possessed by Satan (and called Don King) will die? That mortal body is 78 years old. No doubt he'll just possess somebody else and have that person carry on his work, but that's what Satan does.

Bear this in mind:

I used to be a huge boxing fan. The 7 things that ruined boxing for me and caused me to lose interest in the sport:
1.) Don King
2.) Cancellation of Tuesday Night Fights and other free boxing shows.
3.) Don King
4.) Boxing has 85 Champions, how the hell do you keep up with that??
5.) Don King
6.) Mixed Martial Arts is just a helluva lot more fun to watch.
7.) Don King

Did I mention that he's Satan incarnate and that the horns are hiding in that plume of gray mold on top of his head?

I don't think he'll be that much of a competition to them. If anything, I believe he should be involved with Strikeforce.

I doubt he'll offer anything to the sport. He's just another greedy boxing promoter.

http://mrjamesryan.com/2009/09/15/boxing-promot…

Both of which are fuel to the fire.

Perhaps despite Don King's waning influence more fans of boxing may be exposed to MMA courtesy of said publicity and controversy.

In the end people will tune in good bad or otherwise to see what Don King has to offer.