Feb 16, 2012 - "We blew it," UFC President Dana White said. "It should have been a five-round fight."
After UFC on FUEL TV's thrilling main event between Jake Ellenberger and Diego Sanchez last night, media and fans alike questioned why a headlining bout of significance between two known action fighters would only be scheduled for three rounds. Sanchez himself wondered aloud in his post-fight comments with UFC announcer Jon Anik why the fight wasn't longer. In fact, the UFC had previously announced all main events would be five-rounds whether a title was on the line or not. According to White, it should have been and that mistake won't be repeated.
"I was sitting here again tonight looking at the fight going, 'Yeah, this should have been five rounds.' I think that if Ellenberger and Diego went back in there for a fourth round the place would have went crazy. People were ready for it at home," White lamented to FUEL TV's Ariel Helwani after the event.
Contrary to suggestion, the decision to make Ellenberger vs. Sanchez was not a directive from FUEL. "FUEL would have let us do 33 rounds if we wanted to," White noted. Remaining coy about who had responsibility for the decision, White hinted the choice was made internally at the UFC, but not one they'll make again. "I'm not gonna throw anybody under the bus but we blew it, we should have done it."
The only caveat to UFC's plans for universal five-round main events would be existing contractual limits. "There will be five round fights from here on in," White continued, "other than contracts that have already been signed."
The UFC first hinted at the possibility of holding non-title five-round main events in April of 2011. By June, the UFC formally announced the change. "From this day forward, any fight that is signed after right now today will be a five-round fight," White announced days prior to UFC 131.
The move to five rounds is designed to reduce the possibility of controversial or indecisive endings as well as to add a measure of grandeur to main events.
The first UFC main event non-title bout took place at UFC 138 in Nottingham, England in November of 2011 between middleweights Chris Leben and Mark Munoz.
18 comments
Comments
5 rounds?
Why not, but i think Jake would have recovered and it would have got ugly, with Diego bleeding like a stuck pig. I don’t think Diego is getting enuff credit here. Besides being fearless, he’s still a top guy who beats most everyone at ’70. Jake? A stone cold killer.
by bezzarguy on Feb 16, 2012 11:09 AM EST reply actions
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by bobby123 on Feb 19, 2012 4:28 AM EST up reply actions
Jake's lucky it was only 3
yeah, diego got screwed. If that fight had gone into a fourth round, jake was done. he was gassed out by halfway through the third, and he just turtled up while diego beat himj for the last minute or two.
by Shifty-Eyed Dog on Feb 16, 2012 11:20 AM EST reply actions
Diego would have won if it was 5 rounds
And this is coming from someone who was rooting for Ellenburger. Ellenburger looked real tired at the end of round 3 and Diego looked like he somehow recovered all his energy (crazy guy).
Man, round 4 and 5 would have been REAL interesting. That could have turned into a Hendo-Shogun type of war.
UFC dropped the ball big time.
by RyanG- on Feb 16, 2012 12:21 PM EST reply actions
"All main events will be 5 rounds now"
Uuuuhhh yyyyeah you said that last summer,so why the fuck did they make it a 3 round fight?Probably the most senseless,pointless,inexplicable decision they’ve made recently.
by dh3240 on Feb 16, 2012 1:24 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Enjoy the three-round main events while they last
From what DW said, apparently Alves-Kampmann and Mauler vs. Little Nog are going to go 3 rounds, and then after that is likely when we see five-rounders on FOX, Fuel, and FX, regardless of who’s headlining.
I’d like to pretend Miller vs. Diaz is also five rounds until further notice, if that’s cool.
by Dale De Souza on Feb 16, 2012 3:47 PM EST up reply actions
Miller/Diaz was announced as five rounds when it was announced that it was going to be the main event.
FOX main events have always been five rounds.
It was FX/FUEL shows that have been three rounds, I think likely because of TV time (you’ll probably see one less fight per broadcast if they do this). When the five round thing was announced, I seem to remember them saying that it wouldn’t apply to Fight Nights on Spike (at the time).
by Mcmax3000 on Feb 16, 2012 4:04 PM EST up reply actions
This is one of those situations where, "I told you so, " is required. At any point in time if you thought a main event fight was supposed to go anywhere less than 5 rounds, you had blinders on. The venue shouldn’t change the criteria. If the Ellenberger-Sanchez fight would have gone 5 rounds, I feel Sanchez would have pulled out the victory.
by xX__FROST__Xx on Feb 16, 2012 1:27 PM EST reply actions
“At any point in time if you thought a main event fight was supposed to go anywhere less than 5 rounds, you had blinders on.”
I’m not quite sure what you’re implying there. That anyone who went into last night’s show expecting a three round main event hasn’t been paying attention?
If anything, it’s the opposite because I distinctly remember them saying that Fight Nights would still be three rounds to avoid going too far over on TV time. I could definitely be wrong (I have to leave for work shortly or I’d look into it further to see if I can find something to back it up) but I honestly remember that being stated from the beginning.
by Mcmax3000 on Feb 16, 2012 4:09 PM EST up reply actions
wow
dana actually admitted they screwed up. maybe his PR skills are finally improving?
by The J on Feb 16, 2012 2:10 PM EST reply actions
LOL
doubtful
Hendo/Bisping:
"He hit him so hard that even gravity got scared. Bisping hung in mid-air for a moment while gravity screamed at inertia, "Did you see that shit!?" Then, after a high five, the two universal forces quit screwing around and yanked Bisping's limp body onto the floor." - Seanbaby
"You are banned from bloodyelbow because Roth was being too nice and your picture" -Tim Burke
by superfknmario__ on Feb 16, 2012 2:17 PM EST up reply actions
Diego is officially the Chris Leben of the lower weight classes
minus the propensity to get TKO’d and the sloppy style of course..
What I mean is that he seems to get better after getting punched in the face a few times.
Hendo/Bisping:
"He hit him so hard that even gravity got scared. Bisping hung in mid-air for a moment while gravity screamed at inertia, "Did you see that shit!?" Then, after a high five, the two universal forces quit screwing around and yanked Bisping's limp body onto the floor." - Seanbaby
"You are banned from bloodyelbow because Roth was being too nice and your picture" -Tim Burke
by superfknmario__ on Feb 16, 2012 2:11 PM EST reply actions
Get some sleep
Dana, you look incredibly tired. He didn’t even crack a smile during this interview. He even looked annoyed with the questions as well. Get some sleep, bro, let me take over for a few months.
by bo lloyd on Feb 16, 2012 2:50 PM EST reply actions
Five Round Fights
They should make all fights five rounds, aside from main events there are too many fights that end is decisions.
by chris6608 on Feb 16, 2012 3:36 PM EST reply actions
If you look through history, there are very few five round fights that end in rounds four or five so making all fights five rounds, historically speaking, would have a very minimal effect on what you’re claiming is an issue.
Keep in mind though, you’d be asking for less fights per show if they were all five rounds. You wouldn’t get 10-12 fight cards. You’d probably get more like 6-8 fights per card.
by Mcmax3000 on Feb 16, 2012 4:07 PM EST up reply actions
fact
this bullshit. all fights should be at least five rds. championship fights should be five for sure and if no winner is obvious, then one suicide rd for the whole thing.
by One Bad on Feb 16, 2012 4:40 PM EST reply actions
"Contrary to suggestion, the decision to make Ellenberger vs. Sanchez was not a directive from FUEL."
… Heads up Luke, I think you missed something in that sentence…
"Ultimately, martial art means honestly expressing yourself... it is easy for me to put on a show and be cocky, or I could show you some really fancy movement... But to express oneself honestly, not lying to oneself, and to express myself honestly... Now that, my friend, is very hard to do."
-Lee Jun-fan
by Spoiler on Feb 16, 2012 6:54 PM EST reply actions
"Jake's lucky it was only 3 rounds!"
It’s getting ridiculous with this whole idea that Diego would’ve won if the fight went 5 rounds because “Ellenberger was done,” the 3rd round ended with Diego backed against the cage with Jake on the attack, and I gotta say Edgar looked a lot worse at the end of round 1 at 125 than Ellenberger did on Wednesday (my point being there’s no telling how Jake would’ve recovered.) That said, I was hoping for 5 rounds.
by Greasy_Sausage_Pizza on Feb 17, 2012 7:23 PM EST reply actions
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