MERGE!

The news made ESPN.com frontpage
http://sports.espn.go.com/extra/mma/news/story?id=5737833

http://www.mmamania.com/2010/10/28/1780228/its-a-package-deal-wec-cage-girl-brittney-palmer-will-also-be#comments

It's a package deal!WEC cage girl Brittney Palmer will also be absorbed in the UFC/WEC merger reports Fighters Only (via Bloody Elbow).

Icing on the cake.

Lol I was going to post that but I didn't know if anyone even know who the WEC girls were

Aldo is a great back plan if Nelson vs Mir can't be made, plus it also helps build up Aldo vs the winner of Maynard vs Edgar II.

The WEC champ is fighting the winner of Maynard-Edgar

bobbitt15 wrote:

The WEC champ is fighting the winner of Maynard-Edgar

Yeah I saw that after I posted. Still builds up excitement for a future match up none the less.

I called this almost a year ago. Though in fairness I said it would be before Jan 2011. Off by a month.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

I called this almost a year ago. Though in fairness I said it would be before Jan 2011. Off by a month.

Didn't everyone know this was inevitable at sometime? It was just a matter of when. What do you think? Is the timing right? Too soon? Too late?

Just right I suppose. After Torres and Faber lost they lost their more marketable guys and had less immediate reason to move forward, but the rise of Aldo made it feel necessary again.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Just right I suppose. After Torres and Faber lost they lost their more marketable guys and had less immediate reason to move forward, but the rise of Aldo made it feel necessary again.

Would have worked out great IMO if they did it a few months ago. Maybe have Cruz-Benividez as the 1st WEC fight in the UFC. Would have helped with these non-title cards we are suffering through. Also would mean Faber's fight would be on a UFC card. What if he loses this fight?

Ya but these things take time. The ball would have had to have been put in motion before ALDO vs FABER. Further I think Zuffa had to finish out the remaining 2010 VS. contract.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Ya but these things take time. The ball would have had to have been put in motion before ALDO vs FABER. Further I think Zuffa had to finish out the remaining 2010 VS. contract.

Yeah good point. I wonder if the UFC will put WEC vs UFC LWs or just WEC vs WEC guys to see who stays and who goes.

I've just heard they're still doing 125 even with the merger. Didn't think that would happen. So that would mean the UFC would have 8 champions. Still a far cry from boxings 129498

Wolfgangsta wrote:

I've just heard they're still doing 125 even with the merger. Didn't think that would happen. So that would mean the UFC would have 8 champions. Still a far cry from boxings 129498

Yeah some of us talked about the 125lb division this morning in a different thread. I'm very excited for it. Puts guys like Benvidez in the proper class.

OU wrote:

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Ya but these things take time. The ball would have had to have been put in motion before ALDO vs FABER. Further I think Zuffa had to finish out the remaining 2010 VS. contract.

Yeah good point. I wonder if the UFC will put WEC vs UFC LWs or just WEC vs WEC guys to see who stays and who goes.

They're probably mix and match a lot. Dana said these guys will be UFC fighters come Jan 1st, so I'd imagine that means everything is fair game. Rivalries and what not that existed in the WEC I am sure will carry over into UFC matchmaking for a little while but it's going to be one division with one talent pool. Expect a higher than normal volume of 55 cuts though for a few cards.

What I am curious about is how will the contracts play out. Will the UFC try and keep guys roped in on their bargain basement WEC contracts or will they sign their fighters to new UFC deals?

Dana keeps saying more "weight classes"

I hope to hell that doesn't mean a new division within HW. That would just fuck up HW and steal some LHW talent as well. No need for a crusierweight division. The myth of 265 cutters has been laid bare. Carwin wouldn't last against a smaller cardio filled fighter, and Lesnar was absolutely destroyed by speed and athleticism.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

OU wrote:

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Ya but these things take time. The ball would have had to have been put in motion before ALDO vs FABER. Further I think Zuffa had to finish out the remaining 2010 VS. contract.

Yeah good point. I wonder if the UFC will put WEC vs UFC LWs or just WEC vs WEC guys to see who stays and who goes.

They're probably mix and match a lot. Dana said these guys will be UFC fighters come Jan 1st, so I'd imagine that means everything is fair game. Rivalries and what not that existed in the WEC I am sure will carry over into UFC matchmaking for a little while but it's going to be one division with one talent pool. Expect a higher than normal volume of 55 cuts though for a few cards.

What I am curious about is how will the contracts play out. Will the UFC try and keep guys roped in on their bargain basement WEC contracts or will they sign their fighters to new UFC deals?

Yeah I talked about too. Fighters making cuts to more ideal weight classes now that they are all on the big show now. We will see some shifting going on for sure.
I was thinking the same thing about the money. You would think atleast the upper level guys would get an increase in pay. But do they have to wait for the current contract to expire or is it an immediate change? Do they sign new deals or is a Zuffa contract a Zuffa contract?

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Dana keeps saying more "weight classes"

I hope to hell that doesn't mean a new division within HW. That would just fuck up HW and steal some LHW talent as well. No need for a crusierweight division. The myth of 265 cutters has been laid bare. Carwin wouldn't last against a smaller cardio filled fighter, and Lesnar was absolutely destroyed by speed and athleticism.

Funny enough we debated this morning what we would prefer a 125lb class or a CW class.

People who would want a CW class are simply misinformed. Make a top ten between LHW, 235 and 265 and see what it looks like. Yeeesh. No thanks. Maybe in three or five years, but not now. No way.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

People who would want a CW class are simply misinformed. Make a top ten between LHW, 235 and 265 and see what it looks like. Yeeesh. No thanks. Maybe in three or five years, but not now. No way.

That was pretty much how some of us felt as well.

OU wrote:

Wolfgangsta wrote:

People who would want a CW class are simply misinformed. Make a top ten between LHW, 235 and 265 and see what it looks like. Yeeesh. No thanks. Maybe in three or five years, but not now. No way.

That was pretty much how some of us felt as well.

+1