The UFC and Bad Music; Limp Bizkit not performing for UFC 100
I am a huge fan of mixed martial arts (MMA) and my hardcore addiction has only gotten worse over the years (you can find playlists for some UFC events on here). One of the great things about being a mixed martial arts fan – you’ll find that there are all types of fans and that includes a diverse crowd of music fans.
However, if you’re looking a diverse set of music – the UFC is the wrong place for you. The musical selection of the UFC can be placed into two genres: metal and rap – or sometimes metal/rap.
Look, I’ll be the first to say – music and fights don’t mix. I absolutely hated Affliction: Banned with the scheduling. Banned had a really good fight card but to me the event was ruined by between fight performances of popular metal band Megadeth. To me it ruined the event because I was a fight fan and not a Megadeth fan (what do you know a Roadrunner records artist). To the fight fan and Megadeth it might’ve been a good event but that’s alienating all the other fans.
UFC 100, slated for tomorrow and is being dubbed as the “biggest mixed martial event ever” (likely to have the same thing said on the New Year’s card at the end of the year). However, it could’ve been much worse as they had Limp Bizkit booked to play at the event. Luckily for most fans – there was a contract dispute and the card features only fights now. As it should be, but the idea that the UFC’s management team were thinking about it – is frightening. I really believe someone should be fired for thinking this idea but that’s just me.
Bands should not play on fight cards period. However, the main topic I’d want to approach is the entrance music of fighters. I always feel like it lacked diversity and sometimes I’d wish cool songs would show up on a fighters entrance. To date the coolest entrance was Amir Sadollah’s first fight where he had Aphex Twin. For the UFC, it’s been made clear that Dana White has full control of what the fighters can choose for the entrances. While, I think that’s wrong, he’s also made some awful choices in using his veto right.
The UFC’s entrance music is basically subpar compared to small promotions because of this control. Countless times when watching a small promotion on TV (more so internet TV) there’s a nice mix and it just doesn’t involve classic songs and the same old metal/rap.
I don’t want to keep knocking metal/rap – it’s not the point of this. There are two fighter entrances that are perfect: Anderson Silva’s walk out to DMX’s Ain’t No Sunshine and Wanderlei Silva coming out to Darude’s Sandstorm. To be against the UFC again, Wandy’s entrance came from the techno friendly Pride promotion which was bought by the UFC.
The UFC lacks trademark entrances in addition to the lack of “good” music for their artists. Dana White on many interviews states he wants songs that “pump people up” and yet he vetoes the use of Dethklok’s Thunderhorse for Tamdan McCrory – a metal song no less. I’d have to say this were the WWE is miles ahead on the UFC. Being a huge WWE fan at one point, entrance music got the crowd wild – because you knew who was coming out. The UFC lacks this, it seems they perhaps are either forcing music on certain fighters or perhaps should be helping fighters choose something appropriate that they could use for every single entrance. If Tamdan McCrory wants to right in on his Thunderhorse, let him.
Overall, fighter entrances in the UFC need some work. It’s not that the music is all entirely bad. It needs to be a lot better and entrances need to invoke some sort of familiarity. With countless fighters saying the UFC controlling this tightly, maybe it’s time to say that they need to do a better job on this front as it is seriously lacking. Fighters’ personalities are being hindered but no one would be complaining if the UFC was doing a better job with this. Perhaps hiring someone to be in charge of this rather then President Dana White would be the way to go.
(I don’t care that much it’s all about the fights at the end of the day for me. Just expressing my opinion on this matter nonetheless.)
DMX – Ain’t No Sunshine
Darude – Sandstorm
Tags: opinion
“Bands should not play at concerts period”
Huh?