Don't Believe the Hype?

Yes it was meant as a question, as, is what hype am I referring to? If you’ve followed MMA or are new to it I will elaborate. The “hype” I’m referring to is what is built up between 2 fighters that their respective organization is marketing with the hopes of attracting more viewers of course.

Case in point: The Bellator Light Heavyweight tournament that debuted on Spike TV last Friday saw two of its anticipated biggest draws, Mohammed “King Mo” Lawal and Quentin “Rampage” Jackson, win their 1st round respective tournament bouts. “King Mo” with a 3 round lack luster unanimous decision and “Rampage” by 1st round TKO. After “Rampage’s” bout ended he was being interviewed when he started ranting about how he’s basically back, not to be underestimated, and he’s coming for everybody in the division. “King Mo” came into the cage and immediately the “hype” was built. A shoving match ensued with cage officials separating the two. Keep in mind both are actually affiliated with Spike Series “TNA” Professional Wrestling as well as Bellator. The shoving match looked a lot like a pro wrestling style melee thus creating intrigue in the matchup between the two with the winner getting a shot at the title.

If you ask me I think this fight will not live up to the hype. I see it as a “Rampage” Vs “Suga” Rashad Evans from the UFC when both came off their “TUF” season appearances as coaches and their fight was not that appealing to watch. Evans took the decision but the “hype” was much better than the actual fight. I’m sure Bellator will put as much as they can into the “Rampage and “King Mo” match up and it’ll be interesting to see if the fight itself actually produces.

The UFC is building the “hype” with the new “TUF” series Brazil featuring coaches Wanderlei “Axe Murderer” Silva and Chael Sonnen. If you’ve followed these guys you know that they have a high disdain for each other. In fact, both were at a Las Vegas MMA convention last year when Silva got into the face of Sonnen and gave him a verbal beat down. The UFC has already released trailers for the new “TUF” series showing Silva and Sonnen shooting verbal jabs at one another and then a scuffle ensues between the two. This built up “hype” is actually exciting as the styles of both fighters are dynamic. Silva is known as the heavy handed striker and Sonnen as the wrestling ground and pound technician. The UFC will surely keep viewers intrigued in the new series leading up to the actual fight and no doubt they will highlight the genuine disdain between the two and the fight will hopefully live up to the “Hype”.

So you tell me, do you get caught up in the “hype?”

So whatever “Hype” is created, being genuine, or manufactured, it’s good TV, it grabs our attention, and if it’s a PPV, it will grab at our wallet because we got hooked.