Today’s December 25, and you all know what that means — IT’S CHRISTMAS! Now, I’m not sure about all of you, but I didn’t really ask anything for this year from my family and friends, so anything I do get is a bonus. And the reason for that is that the things I do want, no one can buy for me — and that’s because they are all MMA related. So, for a special Christmas version of MMA Odds and Ends, I’ve put together a wish list of five things I hope to happen in the year 2014 in mixed martial arts. Here’s what I came up with:
- No PPV price increase — it would be brilliant if the UFC did away from the PPV model altogether, but for now, I’ll settle with them not increasing prices from what they already are, which is about $60 Canadian at the moment. UFC 168 is $5 more, and there are rumors that more events in 2014 will be as well, but I’m hoping those are just rumors and we don’t have to fork out anymore cash.
- That the new Digital Network is worth it — the UFC will introduce a new Digital Network in January, where fans will be able to watch international fight night cards and re-watch old fights from the Zuffa library. I really hope these international events turn out to be stacked, and that the $10 a month we have to pay for them is totally worth it.
- No Bellator PPV — I love Bellator’s fight as much as anyone, but please Viacom, please don’t do a PPV next year. Stick to your TV model that is working, and keep putting on great fights every Friday night. And speaking of Friday nights, if you want, feel free to switch to a mid-week day. Also, make sure Michael Chandler vs. Eddie Alvarez III goes down, and this time without and legal BS delaying it.
- UFC expanding in Canada — this one is a bet selfish for me as I am a proud Canuck, but I am hoping the UFC will expand this year in Canada, especially now that WSOF has taken a hold of the Western Canadian market. It would be nice for the UFC — the premier MMA organization in the world — to stage more events in Canada in 2014. Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Quebec City, and even places like Hamilton and Halifax should be on the list of destinations the UFC will travel to in 2014 in The Great White North.
- The rematch between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson — and finally, the last thing I am hoping for in 2014 in MMA is that we all get to see the rematch between Jones and Gustafsson. Their first fight at UFC 165 was one of the greatest title fights in the history of the sport, and I believe a rematch in 2014 — after they’ve both had more time to improve and round out their games — could be even better, if that’s even possible.
Oh, and one more thing that I didn’t include on the list because it will never happen — ban TRT in 2014. Yep, like I said, it will never happen, but it should. So, from all of us at MMAOddsbreaker.com, Merry Christmas to all that celebrate and Happy Holidays to those who don’t, and let’s all make a collective wish together that MMA in 2014 is just as good as it was in 2013 — if not better.