WWE superstar Triple H recently promoted his new movie Inside Out with AOL Moviefone. Ironically it wasn’t questions about the movie or even the WWE that made headlines. Questions about the UFC took front and center and like a true ring general, Hunter addressed them head on.
I always find it fascinating to hear big stars from professional wrestling talk about the UFC. Most are fans, yet some can get very defensive when comparisons are made to their business. It appears that Triple H is somewhere in the middle. The former WWE champion offered both praise and criticism about the competition and quite frankly, had some interesting recommendations for the UFC.
Triple H was asked flat out by a reporter how the WWE needed to evolve and respond to the UFC’s growth in popularity. Like a true WWE politician, Hunter turned the question around and offered an interesting response.
[adinserter block=”2″]”I think if anybody needs to evolve, it’s them. Give more of an entertainment standpoint. Give more form; they just have fighters who walk in in T-shirts and shorts and just stand there and then they fight and then they win and then they go “thanks, I’d like to thank my sponsors” and then they leave. The whole world was up in arms when Brock was flipping people off and was cussing at the beer company because they didn’t give him any money and everyone thought, “oh my god, he’s disrespectful,” — the whole world was talking about it. They couldn’t wait to see him get beat up. And then he did well, and he beat some guys and then people jump on his bandwagon going “Brock’s the greatest.” I’m good friends with Floyd Mayweather and Floyd would be the first to tell ya, “I make the most money in boxing and I have the biggest buyers because I have the biggest mouth.” He’d be the first guy to tell you that. That’s what it’s about. Sports is entertainment.”
Very interesting answer by The Game and you know what, he is right. Sure, the first response from WWE critics is to re-ask the question because to a lot of us, the WWE really hasn’t evolved. However, to an objective eye he is dead on.
If there is one thing lacking about the UFC it is the “big show” feel and I don’t mean slow, boring, matches. The UFC is missing the big ring entrances and money making promos that the WWE and even some of the most successful Japanese MMA companies used at their peak. Check out some MMA entrances from Japan and you’ll see everything from Jason Miller dancing down the stage with schoolgirls to Sakaraba coming out in a Big Van Vader gimmick. You aren’t going to get that in the UFC.
I even saw this in boxing, specifically with the opening round of Showtime’s Super Six tournament. You had Arthur Abraham coming out in the opening round in Germany to a glamorous entrance as The Scorpions played his music live. I know Floyd Mayweather has come out in the past to rappers rapping his entrance music.
The UFC is still very conservative in that regard. As edgy as the UFC can be at times, they can be very hesitant to embrace the show-aspect of combat sports. While I know purists prefer it that way, a more big-time feel would really open up the sport to casual fans. It would also help creating those historic moments and offering promos and entrances that nobody will forget.
Triple H was also talked about Brock Lesnar leaving the WWE. The questioner phrased the move as controversial, yet Hunter disagrees.
[adinserter block=”1″]”Well [the terms] weren’t controversial. Brock’s a country bumpkin. And I don’t mean that in a derogatory way. Brock just wants to be on his farm and he doesn’t like being famous. He doesn’t want to be bothered. Before he left, he was talking about buying a prop plane, and hiring a guy to fly him so he wouldn’t have to go to airports ever. He could just literally fly from town to town so he wouldn’t have to see anybody, go to the building and wrestle. That’s the one thing about what we do for a living: you go to the ring twenty minutes every night, it’s the highlight of your day. But you’re on the road a couple 100 days of the year, that twenty minutes a night, that is the juice.”
Overall Triple H came off very intelligent in my opinion when discussing the UFC and the areas of improvement with the company and the sport. Before the MMA defenders and anti-WWE critics get all riled up, process what he is saying, and think about it from an objective point of view. The guy knows what he is talking about.
Thanks to MMAFighting.com for the quotes.
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If I wanna see some changes in the UFC (and MMA in general),its in the judging system and the judges.
Not in the entrance,or the "entertainment".All I wanna see is the best MMA fighters getting at it.
I dont wanna be patronizing,but you need some understanding "of the game" to truly appreciate it.Peoples like @Barney Stinson should stick to WWE to be honest!(based on his comment)
People like HHH have no understanding of the martial arts or mma he's not a MA or an MMA fighter stick to what you know and leave the skill to the pros please.
I love how the UFC introduces their fighters when they come to the ring it's one part I look forward too. Nobody who is a true fan wants too see for example when Phil Baroni came down to the ring with his worst apollo creed impersonation with the girls and fireworks. I like the boxing feel of coming through the crowd that's what makes them different. I think if they changed it, it would turn a lot of fans off who love the sport. Mayweather handpicks his fights, so I could care less abt that guy, and wrestling has to do theatrics because its scripted. I understand HHH point, but not for the UFC.
UFC fighters need to just pay attention to whats at stake at and thats the evry real possibilty of getting their @ss kicked and then they end up really entertaining some folks at their next jobs because they couldnt concentrate
WWE is for children, who wants to watch fake stuff. MMA is real fighting
As much as Chael Sonnen makes me sick, he has the right idea.
I think your all missing the point…. I love UFC because it is real…. What if wrestling was real… true DDT's… Piledrivers….Clotheslines??? Add a little theatrics to UFC and the FanBase Skyrockets!!! were talking billions of dollars here… For example… I cannot pick a UFC fighter i like more than another….Tito Ortiz cause he just dont give a damn or it use to be The Iceman Chuck Liddel…. If the Iceman came out with a little showmanship like the rock or John Cena does? It would be like endzone celebrations in the NFL… I would love it…. push the envelope… sell tickets… make money!!! Thats it…. and the sport of UFC wouldnt Change….. they would still kick the shit outta each other… and they could choose to just come to the ring like they do now also??? let the personalities loose and stop huggin each other after… a true rivalry in UFC filled with Hatred???? Either Way ill still watch them both…. cause Triple H is right…. its Sports Entertainment!!!!!!!
Your kidding right ? Have you seen a fight between Forest Griffin and Stephen Bonner that's just one instance of a brutal ufc fight…
That was six years ago.
I have tried to watch UFC before, and in all the so-called fights I have seen, they usually ended up with the two guys just hugging each really hard on the mat! At least when I watched WWE there was actual movement between the two combatents. Real or fake! I want to be entertained, not watching some guys who lay around on the mat together for five minutes a round, afterwhich from the looks of it, they probably go back and share a bar of soap and scrub each other's back in the shower! UFC=Unentertaining F@g Club! All the great ones are gone from the WWE, so really nothing to watch anymore, except for when Pacquiao fights, and even when he fights it gets boring at times!
you have to understand the art of mixed martial arts, juijitsu and all in order to enjoy the fights. whether its stand up game or ground game. people who don't undertsand, study or practice mma wont enjoy it
That is really ignorant thing to say. Do you have to be a former football player to understand a football game? Do you have to be an author to understand a good book? Do you have to be a chef to enjoy good food? Get over yourself.
Brock Lesnar hasnt won in the UFC since he stopped taking steriods or (PED)….. all the WWE is, is a circus of steriod using wanna-be athletes…that's not the image that the UFC is looking for, thats not REAL entertainment.
I watch MMA (primarily UFC) for the fights, not because of someone entrances or a personna. You want that crap stick with Rassling and the other 13yrs who watch that. With WWE the entertainment is scripted and fake, with the UFC the entertainment is watching two fighters compete at the highest level to determine who is more skilled. Please don't turn the UFC into WWE, I can't understand how any over the age of 15 can watch that crap.
Who cares about the entance and the the theatrics? True UFC fans care about the substance. WWE is an afterthought….
I agree…it's a business after all, and if you're not continuing to grow business the rich people that own you and your soul will replace your sorry ass. That's capitalism, we aren't allowed to have anything nice.
Paul Levesque will end up owning the WWE someday.
I wish it was Shane. Too bad he doesn't like wrestling anymore…