WEC's Unusual Marketing

**Nathan McScary** · Posted On: 6/27/2007 1:31pm

Does anyone else think it's hypocrytical that Zuffa is so bent on making MMA look like a legitimate sport and trying so hard to stay away from super danerous specticle and the "thug image" that the media sometimes makes it out to be, yet they only enforced these negative stereotypes with WEC's marketing style? Take their TV spots on Versus for example:

TV Spot One: A MMA fighter is shown gritting his teeth while he trains hard and grapples with someone. Voice over: "I have no problem inflicting pain or recieving it, that's just part of the game. When you walk out of the cage with me, you know you're going to be hurt...if you can even walk out at all."

TV Sport Two: MMA fighters are shown training in a dimly-lite gym, they grunt loudly and drip sweat everywhere while they do strange exercises. Voice over: "When you get hit in the cage, you're not thinking about attacking your opponent. You're not thinking about what your trainer told you to do in practice...you're just trying to surrvive!" Close up of a fighter biting down hard on a piece of rope in his mouth with a weight attached.

TV Spot Three: POV shot of a heavily tattooed MMA fighter beating the **** out of someone from the victim's vantagepoint, complete with over the top bone-crunching sound effects. Voice over: "I don't fight for the fame or for the money. I fight because when you step in the cage with me, I f*****g hate you!"

I just think it's kind of strange that the UFC, Dana, and Zuffa are so concerned about what is good for the sport and keeping such a squeaky clean image of it. They get all up in arms when a street fight happens on their show (TUF), and take offense when a newscaster calls MMA fighters thugs, but then they go and let TV spots like this be used for the WEC.

**PirateJon** · Posted On: 6/27/2007 1:36pm

If you want to hate on MMA marketing, I'd start with tapout.

**Airman Kai** · Posted On: 6/27/2007 1:39pm

Originally Posted by PirateJon

If you want to hate on MMA marketing, I'd start with tapout.

And the show. God. Along with movies like american ninja and bloodsport, VS is almost unwatchable.

**PirateJon** · Posted On: 6/27/2007 1:45pm

Yeah I meant that abomination of a program. It's like some asshole middle manager's idea of what "edgey" is. Jesus christ I'd rather **** a blender than watch that. If you murdered the entire cast, you'd probably get some sort of medal. And a parade.

Extra suck because the concept of following up and comers is a pretty cool idea.

**PizDoff** · Posted On: 6/27/2007 2:24pm

Is the OP recent?
IFL earlier this year had a promo which had one of their fighters being carried out on a stretcher after. That did cause some scandal and makes me wonder which group of imcompetents are doing the marketing for them.

**PointyShinyBurn** · Posted On: 6/27/2007 2:43pm

Originally Posted by PizDoff

Is the OP recent?
IFL earlier this year had a promo which had one of their fighters being carried out on a stretcher after. That did cause some scandal and makes me wonder which group of imcompetents are doing the marketing for them.

To be fair, swiftly followed by an apology from the management. Apparently the production/editing company had their own 'ideas'.

**PizDoff** · Posted On: 6/27/2007 2:55pm

Before or after the uproar came?

Nothing would be broadcast without approval, unless their structure is in disorder.

**Teh El Macho** · Posted On: 6/27/2007 3:58pm

Originally Posted by PirateJon

If you want to hate on MMA marketing, I'd start with tapout.

word. Tapout, and the fucking show is the worst of the worst. What the **** is that with the make up in the face and ****?

I do see where Natan's coming from. The third tv spot (the "I fucking hate you" commercial) is just fucking retarded. It's no different from that stupid IFL "guy on stretchers" bomb. Those commercials make my eyes bleed.

The way I see it is like this.

[politically incorrect pimp mode]
The UFC is the most visible face MMA has in US TV. Almost everybody knows what UFC is, very few know what PRIDE, IFL or WEC are. So this is the chick you take to momma's home. The discrete make up, skirt covering the knees and ****. Ah, lovely.

WEC is the kitty freak, the booty call, skanky make-up, the one you like with the mini skirt that almost gives a money shot, and the inches-tall stripper heels that end up pointing to the ceiling.

In essence, it's double standard ****. One mask is used to give legitimacy to the sport; the other is used to appeal to the dumbfucks who assert their hard-coreness by watching bloody slugfests.

Marketing execs and Dana White himself will use these masks according to the situation.
[/politically incorrect pimp mode]

**SpringHeeledJack** · Posted On: 6/27/2007 4:26pm

Regarding the Tapout show: My Tivo took it upon itself to record the episode of this where they picked up some fighter named Matt Major. I have never wanted to see someone beaten so bad in all my life. Anyone else see this?