UFC close to a TV deal?

UFC head honcho Dana White (AP Photo/Jae C Hong)

The signs seem to be falling into place that the UFC will soon be on a major TV network. From Dana White's cryptic interviews about which networks he does and doesn't like to the recent rash of veteran signings. The message behind the scenes is that the UFC is in the final stages of negotiating a network deal and that they will be announcing it in the coming weeks.

This certainly explains why Dana has been bashing CBS, Showtime and a few other companies he has seemingly had unsuccessful deals with in the past. The batch of puzzling signings is also explained in this way because the new deal would require more cards to be put together by the UFC. Some for pay per view and some for network TV. The likes of the old fight night cards probably won't cut what a major TV network will want in terms of ratings, and also wont have a lot of recognition from the casual fans. However cards stacked with faded but recognizable fighters will probably help to keep ratings high.

In the past the UFC has usually had a policy of signing either fighters who are young and developing, already a major star or who are resurgent and in the middle of a winning streak. In this way they tend to avoid signing big names who don't have much hunger for the sport left, and save themselves a lot on fighter purses as well. Those who succeed are kept within the UFC, but those who are either unpopular or who lose a few are cut. The eventual effect however is that there are a lot of UFC 'veterans' out there with recognizable names but not great records which smaller shows often use as headliners.

In a preemptive move to ensure that they have enough famous fighters to put on more cards than they currently are, the UFC is growing its rosters. The likes of Vitor Belfort, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Paul Buentello, Phil Baroni and Frank Trigg have already been signed, and more are soon to follow. The deal could also have interesting implications for the WEC in the near future as well.

If the network deal happens, then the WEC, which was recently caught in the middle of a dispute between Versus and DirectTV, will probably be absorbed into the UFC. Whether the WEC will continue to exist as a feeder organization with its own champions or will just cease to exist altogether isn't certain. Seemingly the better use would be to have the WEC open all weight classes again and to use it as a minor league to the UFC's major league. Prospects and up and comers, as well as veterans who need a few tune up fights to get back to winning ways would benefit from this system. (Think Crocop after his loss to Gonzaga, beating up on a couple of lower tier fighters would have prevented his momentaty defection to Japan).

No doubt that the lower weight fighters will welcome the switch from the WEC to the UFC, because their pay would certainly increase. Their days on the main fight cards might be over however outside of title fights, as the UFC has always tended to favor the heavier divisions.

What does everyone think of the UFC getting a deal and absorbing the WEC?