Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Torres: Why Zuffa, LLC must make this match
Posted July 21st, 2008 by MMAcademicsBy David Mayeda, PhD, FightTicker.com Social Issues Contributor
Coming off the heels of a solid Affliction card and approaching EliteXC's second run onto primetime television, we should look at what makes the Zuffa, LLC brand of mixed martial arts (MMA) at present time, distinctly different from these and other MMA organizations.
When it comes to MMA, Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of the UFC and WEC, is about long-term vision. Sure, Dana White, the Fertitta brothers, and the UFC also want short-term success. But as a broader organization, Zuffa, LLC is taking impressive measures to build their organization for the long haul. Now that Lorenzo Fertitta has shifted his occupational focus to the UFC and its international expansion, he should also think about the WEC talent and how it can fit into the international mix.
Enter Miguel Torres, the 135lb Latino phenom, who has steadily gained respect across the MMA world. In most pound-for-pound polls, Torres ranks solidly amongst the world’s top ten, irrespective of weight class, and is the current WEC Bantamweight Champion. Oh, and let’s not forget that ridiculous 33-1-0 professional MMA record.
Now enter Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino sensation, currently considered by most boxing aficionados the world’s best pound-for-pound boxer. With lightening quick, precision punches and unrelenting power, the 29-year-old “Pacman” boasts a 47-3-2 record (36 KOs). Not to mention, he is the reigning WBC Lightweight Champion, WBC World Super Featherweight champion, and WBC International Super Featherweight champion.
But how could a fight between these two combat sport stars happen, and perhaps more importantly, why should Zuffa, LLC work diligently to make it happen?
To begin with, Lorenzo Fertitta recently made that “minor” job change, resigning from Station Casinos in Las Vegas to focus on the UFC’s international expansion. The UFC has made known its intentions of increasing MMA’s development to become a much more world-based sport, similar to soccer.
As Dana White has said many times, MMA is a sport virtually every male in every country can identify with and understand, and the Philippines has been cited as a country where the UFC plans to hold future cards. This makes sense, given that UFC pay-per-views are already aired in the Philippines, while Filipino American mixed martial artists, such as the UFC’s Brandon Vera and the WEC’s Mark Munoz, are making headway in the Philippines media.
Still, no combat sport competitor stops traffic in the Philippines like “Pacman,” whose matches have come to symbolize an international rivalry with Mexico. In building his stardom, Pacquiao has turned back tough challengers who hail from Mexico or at least have Latin roots, including Juan Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, and most recently, David Diaz.
Thus, while Torres makes sense as a competitor for Pacquiao in terms of size and sporting stature, symbolically, he also carries on a healthy global competition that transcends sport for the atypical fight fan from both Mexico and the Philippines. According to the WEC webpage on Torres, though born in Indiana and now residing in Chicago, Torres speaks Spanish, and thus, could promote the competition to Mexico and other Latin markets.
And while there is that tricky little issue that these two men specialize in different combat sports which must be teased out, let’s continue looking at more of the intrigue this fantasy match would yield for fans of both boxing and MMA across the globe.
First off, both of these fighters bring it. Torres is a slick, aggressive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu artist, but as we saw in his recent contest with Yoshiro Maeda (already a match-of-the-year candidate), his hands can also wreak somber damage.
Still, could a diverse repertoire of kicks and punches be enough to set up a successful takedown on a Pacquaio who had a year or so to train seriously in the MMA basics? As much respect as I have for Brock Lesnar and his superb wrestling pedigree, his wrestling skills do not match the boxing skills of Pacquiao.
Frank Mir vs. Lesnar was certainly not a freak show. Both Lesnar and Mir gained various dimension of respect from their contest. Hence, if provided the time and training partners, Pacquiao vs. Torres would not be a freak show either.
If the match were set for the end of 2009, that would give Pacquiao over a year to train his takedown defense and some basic jiu-jitsu in order to employ a Chuck Liddell-like strategy and keep the fight standing. Likewise, Torres would have the time to work further on his hands, as well as a strategy to get by Pacquiao’s punches so that he may take the boxing champ to the ground.
As for possible financial hurdles, true, Pacquiao brings in millions of dollars per fight, so he commands a purse well beyond even Chuck Liddell-like money. However, by the end of 2009, Zuffa, LLC will have likely increased their average fighter salaries. Moreover, Pacquiao’s price would be a worthwhile investment if in fact Zuffa, LLC wants to make a colossal global impact that no other MMA organization can match.
Finally, the match would bring the biggest possible spotlight to the bantamweight division. Win, lose, or draw, Torres’s international stock would skyrocket, and if marketed properly, so could Pacquiao’s. Pacquiao would become the central international ambassador, who embraced MMA for the Philippines, and possibly other Asian and Southeast Asian regions, while subsequently returning to his primary craft of boxing.
From there, fighters such as Brandon Vera and Mark Munoz could be highlighted in much the same way as Michael Bisping in the United Kingdom. Along these same lines, Torres could spark a stronger movement of Latino fighters into MMA.
Surely there are unforeseen pitfalls in making this super-fight happen (who knows if Pacquiao even likes or dislikes MMA or is completely indifferent to it?), but dwelling on the obstacles is not how the UFC, or Zuffa, LLC as a whole, made its mark in the sporting world. Pacquiao vs. Torres makes sense. It can happen, and it needs to happen if indeed Zuffa, LLC wants to take MMA to the next level globally with a "****" no other company could likely match. The question is, will Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White do what it takes to make it happen?
Join FightTicker and leave a comment: Mag rehistro at pumindot DITO. Registre haciendo clic AQUÍ.
David Mayeda, PhD, is lead author of Fighting for Acceptance: Mixed Martial Artists and Violence in American Society, the first political book on mixed martial arts, based on in-depth interviews with 40 mixed martial artists, including Randy Couture, “Rampage” Jackson, Dan Henderson, Guy Mezger, Chris Leben, Antonio McKee, Frank Trigg, and Travis Lutter. The book’s Forward is written by Jason “MayheM” Miller.
Posted July 21st, 2008 by MMAcademicsBy David Mayeda, PhD, FightTicker.com Social Issues Contributor
Coming off the heels of a solid Affliction card and approaching EliteXC's second run onto primetime television, we should look at what makes the Zuffa, LLC brand of mixed martial arts (MMA) at present time, distinctly different from these and other MMA organizations.
When it comes to MMA, Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of the UFC and WEC, is about long-term vision. Sure, Dana White, the Fertitta brothers, and the UFC also want short-term success. But as a broader organization, Zuffa, LLC is taking impressive measures to build their organization for the long haul. Now that Lorenzo Fertitta has shifted his occupational focus to the UFC and its international expansion, he should also think about the WEC talent and how it can fit into the international mix.
Enter Miguel Torres, the 135lb Latino phenom, who has steadily gained respect across the MMA world. In most pound-for-pound polls, Torres ranks solidly amongst the world’s top ten, irrespective of weight class, and is the current WEC Bantamweight Champion. Oh, and let’s not forget that ridiculous 33-1-0 professional MMA record.
Now enter Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino sensation, currently considered by most boxing aficionados the world’s best pound-for-pound boxer. With lightening quick, precision punches and unrelenting power, the 29-year-old “Pacman” boasts a 47-3-2 record (36 KOs). Not to mention, he is the reigning WBC Lightweight Champion, WBC World Super Featherweight champion, and WBC International Super Featherweight champion.
But how could a fight between these two combat sport stars happen, and perhaps more importantly, why should Zuffa, LLC work diligently to make it happen?
To begin with, Lorenzo Fertitta recently made that “minor” job change, resigning from Station Casinos in Las Vegas to focus on the UFC’s international expansion. The UFC has made known its intentions of increasing MMA’s development to become a much more world-based sport, similar to soccer.
As Dana White has said many times, MMA is a sport virtually every male in every country can identify with and understand, and the Philippines has been cited as a country where the UFC plans to hold future cards. This makes sense, given that UFC pay-per-views are already aired in the Philippines, while Filipino American mixed martial artists, such as the UFC’s Brandon Vera and the WEC’s Mark Munoz, are making headway in the Philippines media.
Still, no combat sport competitor stops traffic in the Philippines like “Pacman,” whose matches have come to symbolize an international rivalry with Mexico. In building his stardom, Pacquiao has turned back tough challengers who hail from Mexico or at least have Latin roots, including Juan Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, and most recently, David Diaz.
Thus, while Torres makes sense as a competitor for Pacquiao in terms of size and sporting stature, symbolically, he also carries on a healthy global competition that transcends sport for the atypical fight fan from both Mexico and the Philippines. According to the WEC webpage on Torres, though born in Indiana and now residing in Chicago, Torres speaks Spanish, and thus, could promote the competition to Mexico and other Latin markets.
And while there is that tricky little issue that these two men specialize in different combat sports which must be teased out, let’s continue looking at more of the intrigue this fantasy match would yield for fans of both boxing and MMA across the globe.
First off, both of these fighters bring it. Torres is a slick, aggressive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu artist, but as we saw in his recent contest with Yoshiro Maeda (already a match-of-the-year candidate), his hands can also wreak somber damage.
Still, could a diverse repertoire of kicks and punches be enough to set up a successful takedown on a Pacquaio who had a year or so to train seriously in the MMA basics? As much respect as I have for Brock Lesnar and his superb wrestling pedigree, his wrestling skills do not match the boxing skills of Pacquiao.
Frank Mir vs. Lesnar was certainly not a freak show. Both Lesnar and Mir gained various dimension of respect from their contest. Hence, if provided the time and training partners, Pacquiao vs. Torres would not be a freak show either.
If the match were set for the end of 2009, that would give Pacquiao over a year to train his takedown defense and some basic jiu-jitsu in order to employ a Chuck Liddell-like strategy and keep the fight standing. Likewise, Torres would have the time to work further on his hands, as well as a strategy to get by Pacquiao’s punches so that he may take the boxing champ to the ground.
As for possible financial hurdles, true, Pacquiao brings in millions of dollars per fight, so he commands a purse well beyond even Chuck Liddell-like money. However, by the end of 2009, Zuffa, LLC will have likely increased their average fighter salaries. Moreover, Pacquiao’s price would be a worthwhile investment if in fact Zuffa, LLC wants to make a colossal global impact that no other MMA organization can match.
Finally, the match would bring the biggest possible spotlight to the bantamweight division. Win, lose, or draw, Torres’s international stock would skyrocket, and if marketed properly, so could Pacquiao’s. Pacquiao would become the central international ambassador, who embraced MMA for the Philippines, and possibly other Asian and Southeast Asian regions, while subsequently returning to his primary craft of boxing.
From there, fighters such as Brandon Vera and Mark Munoz could be highlighted in much the same way as Michael Bisping in the United Kingdom. Along these same lines, Torres could spark a stronger movement of Latino fighters into MMA.
Surely there are unforeseen pitfalls in making this super-fight happen (who knows if Pacquiao even likes or dislikes MMA or is completely indifferent to it?), but dwelling on the obstacles is not how the UFC, or Zuffa, LLC as a whole, made its mark in the sporting world. Pacquiao vs. Torres makes sense. It can happen, and it needs to happen if indeed Zuffa, LLC wants to take MMA to the next level globally with a "****" no other company could likely match. The question is, will Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White do what it takes to make it happen?
Join FightTicker and leave a comment: Mag rehistro at pumindot DITO. Registre haciendo clic AQUÍ.
David Mayeda, PhD, is lead author of Fighting for Acceptance: Mixed Martial Artists and Violence in American Society, the first political book on mixed martial arts, based on in-depth interviews with 40 mixed martial artists, including Randy Couture, “Rampage” Jackson, Dan Henderson, Guy Mezger, Chris Leben, Antonio McKee, Frank Trigg, and Travis Lutter. The book’s Forward is written by Jason “MayheM” Miller.
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