When we look at the MMA landscape, no brand has had the kind of global reach that UFC has, and the promotion is often referred to as the UFC sport itself. Enthusiasts of the sport would often ask, “Do you watch UFC?” One of MMA’s earliest journalists, Ariel Helwani, has come out to claim that it’s all because of the monopoly that Dana White‘s promotion has in the sport. And now, the sport is in ‘recession’.
“MMA, right now, is in a recession. MMA is in a really tough spot,” Ariel Helwani said on a recent edition of his self-titled show. Since the PFL or other regional promotions like Rizin FF and Cage Warriors haven’t been able to make the kind of noise that Dana White’s promotion has made, the fans only have the monthly UFC PPVs to watch out for. And even then, the focus is mostly on having just a few big fights on the card, with the rest of them being seen as fillers by the fans. “There is no No.2. Lord knows there’s no No.3, certainly not here in North America, and to your point, the UFC, they’ll have their big shows once a month, a PPV, typically top-heavy.”
He also mentioned that the biggest PPV of the UFC’s calendar, which takes place in the summer during International Fight Week, is still in an uncertain state. Given that Dana White himself claims to have the biggest fight in his hands–the Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall fight–people are waiting for a confirmation on that front.
Furthermore, he also mentioned how the uncertainty surrounding Ilia Topuria‘s next fight and Conor McGregor‘s absence are all contributing factors, and it could hurt the UFC’s chances of earning a big media rights deal down the line.
“Their Super Bowl show… usually happens end of June/Early July. That’s International Fight Week. It’s April 22nd right now. They’ve yet to announce their main event because they don’t have a main event. Jon Jones isn’t signing up for the Aspinall fight as of right this moment. We don’t know what they’re going to do with Ilia Topuria,” Ariel Helwani added. “Conor McGregor has shown no interest in coming back… They’re about to score a massive rights deal in the States… but in terms of a high watermark for the sport, and apex moment of the sport, we’re not in that moment right now.”
MMA is in a recession.
We know this is cyclical, but if we are all being honest, there are other factors at play here. pic.twitter.com/OpXY94YH3i
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) April 22, 2025
Meanwhile, top boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, who was a guest on Ariel Helwani’s show, also gave his take on the whole recession in MMA. And guess what? It all boils down to the lack of stars in the UFC. Here’s what he had to say.
Dana White gets a reality check about the lack of stars
Unlike in the WWE, where characters take precedence, it’s all about being a marketable fighter in the UFC. While most of the roster focuses on becoming the best fighter, others try their hardest to draw as many eyes as they can, not only on their fights but on themselves. Conor McGregor is perhaps the best example, and many fighters have tried applying the same approach, but recently, only Alex Pereira appears to have qualified as a bona fide star.
Although it’s necessary to keep the sport moving and introduce new fighters, Eddie Hearn insinuated that the lack of stars is still is big problem, although he defended the UFC CEO while claiming that it happens in boxing as well. “Is it the lack of stars? By the way, I think it’s cyclical. People talk about it in British boxing at the moment. All these guys are getting old. Yeah, guess what? The newer guys that are coming through 5-0, 8-0… they are the future. They’ll get there, but sometimes there’s just that low,” said Hearn.
But Ariel Helwani doesn’t think that’s the only issue with the UFC. He believes that the brand has become more popular than the fighters themselves. This has led to complacency among the UFC executives, Dana White and Co., pointing out the ‘soulless’ Fight Night events inside the Apex. “I also feel like there’s a bit of a ‘McDonaldization’ of the promotion, where they’ve gotten so popular that it all starts to feel a little rinse, repeat,” Helwani further stated. “They do these shows at the Apex, which I think has taken the soul away from the events… The biggest star in the UFC are the three letters.”
Well, recession has been a cyclical phenomenon in combat sports. But what does it mean for the future of mixed martial arts? Drop your comments below.
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