Jim Ross Blogs On UFC 158, Production, Diaz, Hendricks

Jim Ross has posted his latest blog entry online. Check out the highlights:

On UFC production values: “I have issues with how UFC mic’s their live audience as I feel that the announcers should have to work harder and have to have a more distinct tone and infliction at the loudest moments of the live event. That did not occur. On entrances that are hot, like GSP and Diaz, there is really nothing that any announcers can say that exceeds the organic and real feel of what the audience is providing the PPV customer…as long as the audience is mic’ed well. So, in my view, those two entrances in particular would have been perfect examples where the broadcast team would have simply sit back and allowed the viewer to soak in the moment. By the way, Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan did stellar work on their marathon assignment Saturday night which started late Saturday afternoon, if not much earlier, and finishing well after midnight Saturday night. No one should overlook how hard those two work during a PPV day for UFC.”

On Johny Hendricks’ win: “Happy for Johny Hendricks, a native Oklahoman who was a stud, high school wrestler with three state championships and a Division One star who was a 4 Time All American at Oklahoma State in wrestling, getting his biggest win to date against the highly skilled Carlos Condit. If this fight had been a 5 rounder instead of 3, Condit would have likely pulled it out. As it stands. apparently Hendricks, aka Big Rig, is the next challenger for George St. Pierre’s welterweight title. Suggestion to Hendricks…don’t fight GSP in Montreal.”

On Nick Diaz’s loss: “Nick Diaz is a tough dude with many fights under his belt but has some issues at times expressing himself. (He also had issues Saturday night in figuring out how to create offense against GSP.) How’s that for a revelation? I feel that many of Diaz’ issues are out of his own frustrations. I’ve dealt with many talents in the genre of sports entertainment that were miserable to be around, at times, and challenging to manage but the old theory of solving a problem or eliminating it resonates here. I am not advocating that UFC rid themselves of Diaz because Nick is still a viable commodity who fans, like me, will still pay to see fight. Diaz isn’t boring but he’s a unique communicator to say the east with a polarizing personality. I’m sure that there are bigger pains in the backside that UFC officials have to deal with other than Diaz.”

On financial planning: “Any company can provide the proper financial tools to a talent whether they be a WWE performer or a UFC fighter but no one can make these men and women be responsible with their cash and fulfill their financial and moral obligations. So, one way to address that matter is to recruit and sign athletes who come into an organization with some level of structure and the intellect to help them make better decisions. Honestly, those values start at home when the individuals were kids which is always why I liked to learn about the talent’s family when I could. Is there a fool proof way to address this matter? Absolutely not. That’s why there are so many sad stories that we hear from every walk of life where one has found success in athletics or entertainment or any other field one can name and have squandered their money and turned their back on their obligations because of ignorance, irresponsibility and being so egocentric that the world was only about one thing, them.”

On unions preventing financial mistakes: “Some critics decry that if these men and women were not independent contractors that these issues would be significantly lessened and to that I call BS. Look at all walks of society where men and women are members of unions, are fulltime, regular employees and they still can’t be forced to spend their monies wisely, to pay their taxes, and to prepare for their future.”

You can read the full blog by clicking here.

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