On Saturday evening, the UFC marked the start of a new chapter with several changes in place. Dana White addressed criticism regarding an advertisement that frequently interrupted broadcasts during the promotion’s debut event on Paramount+. One adjustment that fans appeared to welcome was the introduction of a new post-fight bonus system at UFC 324, offering fighters a chance to earn an extra $450,000.
However, not all areas of the promotion that fans feel need improvement have been fully tackled. A longtime insider with extensive experience in the UFC’s event calendar suggested a modification that seemed to go unnoticed by management.
Following UFC 324, some fans expressed dissatisfaction with the heavy advertising, prompting assurances that the lengthy event format would not become the standard. Due to multiple fight cancellations, the event at the T-Mobile Arena featured only 11 fights, which is atypical for a major MMA organization.
On the Spinnin’ Backfist MMA Show, veteran commentator Jon Anik acknowledged that one of the biggest challenges for UFC events is their excessive length. His proposed solution involves significantly trimming the roster by cutting approximately 150 fighters. During the “Anik & Florian” podcast following UFC 324, he admitted that his remarks on areas for UFC improvement sparked some controversy. “Last week was rough,” Anik said. “I pointed out that our event was too long, which may have disappointed some.”
Anik’s viewpoint isn’t entirely new. On his podcast, guest Demetrius Johnson mentioned that he couldn’t join the UFC as an analyst because he’d be overly critical. Anik cited Din Thomas’ commentary on the recent women’s strawweight title bout as further proof that commentators facing pushback isn’t unusual. Additionally, concerns about the size of the UFC roster have been voiced by other insiders, including Joe Rogan, who noted last year that the depth of talent in MMA is so great that the large roster limits fighters’ opportunities to remain active.
Fan Take: This development highlights ongoing challenges in how the UFC balances event quality with fighter opportunities, directly impacting both fan experience and athlete careers. If the promotion heeds calls to streamline the roster and shorten events, it could elevate fight cards’ overall excitement and give fans more focused, action-packed nights.
