Brocktober in full swing, incoming Cain train
Leading up to UFC 121 on October 23, Spike TV and the UFC are running a series of promotions dubbed ‘Brocktober’. This is in addition to the ‘Primetime’ and ‘Countdown’ specials that have become a staple of major events. The UFC is certainly swinging for the fences with UFC 121. After UFC 117 was initially believed to have done 1 million pay-per-view buys, it turned out the numbers were closer to 600 000. Then UFC 119 did under 300 000 buys.
Brocktober is a bit of a silly word, but there’s no denying Brock Lesnar’s drawing power. A card with a Lesnar fight is virtually guaranteed to do 1 million buys. When you consider that there have only been 6 events that have done 1 million or more, this is a stunning feat. Lesnar brings in pro wrestling fans who only watch MMA when Lesnar is fighting plus the casual fans that are an extremely important source of revenue. Then there are the people who tune in because they despise Lesnar. Lesnar doesn’t need this kind of promotion to draw, though it certainly can bump the numbers even higher.
The biggest beneficiary of the hype machine could turn out to be Lesnar’s opponent, Cain Velasquez. He’s put together a strong winning streak and got the title shot after stopping Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. However, he’s clearly not a top draw yet. If Cain goes on to win this match or puts on a crowd pleasing performance, the aggressive promotion and marketing push could make him into a top draw for a long time. Velasquez is 28 years old, and becoming a star from this pay-per-view would give the UFC 2 major draws who are still under 30 (Georges St. Pierre is also 28 and is probably the 2nd largest draw after Lesnar). This comes at a time where it seems some major names are starting to look like they are declining in skill, drawing power, or both.
Those who have been riding the Cain train may be on the verge of a new era, indeed.
Leave a Rant
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!