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http://mma.fanhouse.com/2009/08/07/dana ... eath/#cont

Among other newsworthy items White discussed, he mentioned that the UFC is considering merging together with the WEC.

"We're talking about that right now," he said.

Such a move would put a larger spotlight on accomplished fighters including Mike Brown, Urijah Faber and Miguel Torres, who is headlining Sunday's WEC card.

I would like this move. It would give these guys much more recognition.

If this happens, the UFC better add more free events on TV.

Kind of torn on this.

On the positive side, it would be great to see some of the great fighters at 135 and 145 get the recognition they deserve. It would also be great to see more fights at lower weight classes to spice up some of the UFC cards.

On the other hand, I don't feel like there's any problem with the WEC as it is. I'm seeing guys I like to watch fight, and fairly often. I also like being able to tune into a WEC event confident that there will be some awesome fast paced fights, and a pretty low chance of seeing a snoozer. I'm not sure I would even want to mix these guys in on a card with HWs.

I'd have to know a few more things as well.

Would we get more shows? Maybe one UFC Fight Night a month in addition to a PPV every month? A season of The Ultimate Fighter featuring BWs and FWs could be a great way to kickstart the interest, but they could do that now, really. Plus, there seems to be plenty of depth in the WEC already. I wouldn't want to see a ton of their fighters out of a job just so the top guys can get a bit more exposure.

If this happens, it really sucks to be Jamie Varner, Donald Cerrone, or Rob McCullough. Top 3 dudes in WEC and probably not top 15 in the UFC for their weight class. Kinda like how Stann, Cantwell, Sonnen, and Condit all got knocked WAAAAAAAY down. But it's good for guys like Bowles, Torres, Faber, and Brown.

kdawg32086 wrote:If this happens, it really sucks to be Jamie Varner, Donald Cerrone, or Rob McCullough. Top 3 dudes in WEC and probably not top 15 in the UFC for their weight class. Kinda like how Stann, Cantwell, Sonnen, and Condit all got knocked WAAAAAAAY down. But it's good for guys like Bowles, Torres, Faber, and Brown.

Yeah.

As much as it would be nice to see the top guys at 135 and 145 get more shine, a lot of guys would get left out in the cold, so I think it would kind of balance out for all of the fighters.

So all I'm really concerned about is my own entertainment, and I'm fine with the setup the way it is. I would actually prefer to see the WEC expand, and maybe add 125 fights (did they already start that actually?) and/or a women's division.

I think for the likes of Torres, who is considered in things like the pound for pound discussion as one of the top fighters in the world, its great, because he would be very quickly compensated in relation to his skills.

I think like a few others my main concern if a merge did happen would be activity. A combined WEC/UFC organisation would need to put on new shows, as fighter activity would suffer otherwise. With the merge, should they up the number of PPV's and Fight Nights, it would be great, and you also throw in two more champions that can beef up cards and throw in a few more title fight main events a year, in theory it could mean that you see very few PPV's without a title fight.

I think as long as they do compenstate for the addition of a fairly hefty (and talented) roster to the UFC with more events (both PPV and Free), it would be a good move. I would hate to see guys left out just because there is no room in their current scheduling to fit them in.

I heard this awhile ago from a WEC champ, 2010 you will see this more than likely happen. If BJ puts down Diego and Varner does in Cowboy/Henderson, expect a Varner/Penn fight in 2010.

El Hardee wrote:I heard this awhile ago from a WEC champ, 2010 you will see this more than likely happen. If BJ puts down Diego and Varner does in Cowboy/Henderson, expect a Varner/Penn fight in 2010.

I know Varner is your boy and I like him quite a bit, but there is probably a good 8 or 9 155 pounders in the UFC more deserving of a title shot than Varner. He would get absolutely murdered by BJ.

We all know Varner isnt on BJ's level yet, even his trainers said Jamie isnt ready. From what I heard about a year ago, 2010 is when they would revisit a unifying the titles and promotions. I would rather see BJ fight Huerta but that is just what I heard, and most of the info I get is ussually pretty accurate.

Would they unify the titles? I would have thought that it would essentially be scraped?

Still, I think as long as there is more show's put on, its a great thing to get the likes of Torres, Faber, Brown and co into the UFC, another two belts to put on the line as well as those top end contender fights would see, hopefully, a few more balanced cards (on paper, I am not one necessarily to condemn a card until I've seen the fights themselves, but in reality, top tier fights are that for a reason).

The sole pupose of the WEC was to showcase the lower weight classes from when Zuffa 1st purchased them, I think they wanted get all the interesting match-ups in upper weight classes out of the way before breaking them up. Actually Varner was 1-1 in the UFC when after the purchase of WEC they told him to fight in the WEC and they give him more money and the promise of a title shot.

I think Varner could do pretty well in the UFC, but throwing him right to BJ would be a bad move for all involved IMO.

I actually like the idea of combining the WEC into the UFC and adding more weight classes, but only if the UFC adds more free shows on Spike or a network.

Adding guys like Torres, Aldo, Faber, Bowles, Varner, and Brown to the UFC would be cool. They should then use the WEC as a minor league.

Cammo101 wrote:I think Varner could do pretty well in the UFC, but throwing him right to BJ would be a bad move for all involved IMO.

I actually like the idea of combining the WEC into the UFC and adding more weight classes, but only if the UFC adds more free shows on Spike or a network.

Adding guys like Torres, Aldo, Faber, Bowles, Varner, and Brown to the UFC would be cool. They should then use the WEC as a minor league.

I agree it the UFC had a lower weight classes, we'd see guys like Edgar, Griffith, Stout, Fisher etc... going down in weight. Imagine a Torres/Fisher fight or Edgar/Faber, that would be SICK.

Edgar vs. Faber was what I wanted to see a while back when Faber was killing everyone. Edgar would be sick at 145.

It would also open up the opportunity for the likes of Kenny Florian to drop another couple of weight class's

But in seriousness - I think your both hitting on something there - there is a couple of good fighters in the UFC that would be great at the likes of 145, but obviously - if your doing well / resonably well at 155 in the UFC - your not going to push yourself down - a merge would open that up.

I think giving the WEC 155 champ a title shot right away is stupid. I mean Varner is good by WEC standards. But guys like Penn, Florian, Edgar, Sherk, Huerta, Stevenson, Lauzon, Maynard, Griffin would prob beat him. I mean, unless he can beat all the other top dudes in the weight class, he shouldn't be getting a title shot. I think the talent difference is obvious by the impact the top WEC guys at 170, 185, and 205 all have had in the UFC. If WEC gets disbanded, it might actually be good to see Varner go to Japan or to PFC to fight while he improves his skills. Because as of now, I'd say he's the 10th best 155er at best.

kdawg32086 wrote:I think giving the WEC 155 champ a title shot right away is stupid. I mean Varner is good by WEC standards. But guys like Penn, Florian, Edgar, Sherk, Huerta, Stevenson, Lauzon, Maynard, Griffin would prob beat him. I mean, unless he can beat all the other top dudes in the weight class, he shouldn't be getting a title shot. I think the talent difference is obvious by the impact the top WEC guys at 170, 185, and 205 all have had in the UFC. If WEC gets disbanded, it might actually be good to see Varner go to Japan or to PFC to fight while he improves his skills. Because as of now, I'd say he's the 10th best 155er at best.

Varner was in the UFC before he went to the WEC. He clearly is good enough to be in the UFC right now, though I agree a title shot is a bad idea. Unifying titles only works if both orgs are on the same level.

Cammo101 wrote:

kdawg32086 wrote:I think giving the WEC 155 champ a title shot right away is stupid. I mean Varner is good by WEC standards. But guys like Penn, Florian, Edgar, Sherk, Huerta, Stevenson, Lauzon, Maynard, Griffin would prob beat him. I mean, unless he can beat all the other top dudes in the weight class, he shouldn't be getting a title shot. I think the talent difference is obvious by the impact the top WEC guys at 170, 185, and 205 all have had in the UFC. If WEC gets disbanded, it might actually be good to see Varner go to Japan or to PFC to fight while he improves his skills. Because as of now, I'd say he's the 10th best 155er at best.

Varner was in the UFC before he went to the WEC. He clearly is good enough to be in the UFC right now, though I agree a title shot is a bad idea. Unifying titles only works if both orgs are on the same level.

Unifying the titles was a bad choice of words, what I meant was the WEC champ vs. the UFC champ for the UFC championship. Sorta like when Hendo and Page fought and Hendo came out with the Pride Championship but it was nothing but for decoration.

I think brining in feather and bantam would be great in the long run for UFC. But it will take time for sure. Guys like Torres, Faber, Brown are already names that people know, but it'll take time to get other guys out there. Thats why I agree with one of the posters that if they combine the two organizations then they should have more fight nights and possibly add another fight or two on the main card.

I like the fact that WEC is on Versus... it props up the network and hopefully we can get more coverage of combat sports there. So, that is why I would be against it.