Question about the future of Irish MMA

_oveless

The thread about the recent events at Chaos have made these forums a bit dour, so I'd thought I'd try to create some positive discussion on Irish MMA. My Question is, how long before we see an MMA card on an Irish channel, a la the pro boxing cards that are on RTE? What do you think it would take to put such a card in motion? and What fights would you like to see on national tv?

cowzerp

When RTE show bernard Dunne half the country tune in to watch, MMA just does not have the interest at the moment to warrant been put on national tv in Irish MMA sure i'd say the UFC does not even do the numbers that Dunne does, Will it ever? hopefully but probably not, i think its near peak to be honest.. it will be great if it can stay here and not drop back though..

Saying never is silly though as you just dont know!

leggo

It'll be a few years...but that's not a bad thing. It's a developing sport in Ireland and at least now we can begin to draw a calendar as to when it will grow.

UFC coming to the country will increase interest...MMA schools are still doing great business despite the recession...TUF9 had a British winner. Everything is working in our favour. If only Tom Egan had won at UFC 93, but how and ever.

All it takes is one guy going on a run in TUF, or doing what Egan couldn't and notching up a UFC win then following up with some strong showings, and we're right in the mix. Look at how quickly British MMA has become a force to be reckoned with.

It's like the first time someone ran a 4-minute mile: once the world saw it was possible then it became the norm. One Irish name impressing in UFC will only increase motivation for the rest of the country and get kids down local gyms double-quick looking to emulate their success. Imagine how cool it would be if one of our own managed to even become a UFC champion.

All it is is a case of someone with that extra spark getting their foot in the door.

Mrs Lynch

The massive increase in youngsters in the sport can only bring the sport further, it will (at a young age) among their peers hopefully stamp out any misconceptions on the sport. Hopefully this will continue to grow and spread.

Havin the likes of the lads representin us at the weekend on Eurofight Xtreme etc keeps us in the world scene and will only attract interest back here.

Boxing is just years ahead of us but we will catch up - when our break comes:D

Mrs Lynch
xxx

Pride Fighter

I think it'll be on TV. I think TV3 have to show it at some time. Look at the crap on now, some shite called playtv. MMA on instead would get a much larger audience.

ChristyCent

Pride Fighter wrote: »

I think it'll be on TV. I think TV3 have to show it at some time. Look at the crap on now, some shite called playtv. MMA on instead would get a much larger audience.

I wouldnt be too sure of that the amount of morons ive heard of ringing into that play tv is shocking lol

waltersobchak

tv3 could do a lot worse than showing.. the ultimate fighter, even to just test the waters.. its alot better than hells kitchen usa and that other crap they show

arybvtcw0eolkf

cowzerp wrote: »

When RTE show bernard Dunne half the country tune in to watch, MMA just does not have the interest at the moment to warrant been put on national tv in Irish MMA sure i'd say the UFC does not even do the numbers that Dunne does, Will it ever? hopefully but probably not, i think its near peak to be honest.. it will be great if it can stay here and not drop back though..

Saying never is silly though as you just dont know!

+1.

Here's a guy who's not kidding himself.

Like it or not, MMA is tiny in Ireland and will most likely continue to make up a very small sector of the Martial Arts community.

Maybe someday in the future when Irish MMA can get its act together and form some kind of association with a set of governing rules & guidelines it can properly begin to market itself as a professional sport - but in the mean time almost each individual event operates with the co-operation of other clubs under nothing stronger than a 'gentlemans' agreement on a set of rules.

.

bret69

I wouldn't underestimate the popularity of the sport in Ireland.

Look at how quickly tickets for the last UFC show sold. Lots of concerts/events at the 02 don't sell out at all, yet we'd still see that artist/performer on tv.

cowzerp

bret69 wrote: »

I wouldn't underestimate the popularity of the sport in Ireland.

Look at how quickly tickets for the last UFC show sold. Lots of concerts/events at the 02 don't sell out at all, yet we'd still see that artist/performer on tv.

UFC is the biggest MMA event in the world, Dunne alone also sells out the o2-The question is about local MMA been screened on RTE or TV3 etc obviously as there is no way in the world local tv will pay for international MMA shows..

Most MMA fans went to the point plus lots of curious fans wanting to see blood, same happened with the 1st cage rage in Dublin, 2nd 1 struggled to fill the boxing stadium, im sure UFC will sell out again but to make it worthwhile for tele there needs to be way more fans turning in,

The simple truth is people way over estimate the popularity and this does the sport here no good, Hopefully it will reach levels such as Boxing but it will take years and may never happen.

Killme00

Not a chance in the immediate future. Perhaps if there was an Irish champion in the UFC it would pique the public interest but that probability is a long way off.

calex71

what I can't understand is, and not just in Ireland but outside of Asia , is how K-1 doesn't get more air time I mean its boxing with kicks right ???? I know im over simplifying that hugely. But as a leap from getting an arm chair boxing fan to watching mma you would imagine Boxing - K-1 - full mma would be the logical progression.

Given the amount of people here who kickbox for fitness and kids who train Karate it's baffling there's no K1 promos here (could be wrong), sure i've seen KB on setanta the odd time.

There's also the old adage here, that it needs to be on the telly 1st before it's worth bothering about. I really doubt we will see mma of any form on tv here in even the next ten years and beyond, especially if its in a cage.

People can talk all they like about misconceptions etc but as long as there is radio / tv and printed press that misconception will remain imo