Michael Bisping vs. Georges St. Pierre for the UFC middleweight championship was announced on March 1st, 2017. The initial surge of excitement in the MMA community from the announcement quickly gave way to indifference and annoyance however.
Bisping vs. GSP is not trending in the direction the UFC wants it too. Many of the metrics by which fight promoters use to judge the public’s interest (internet searches etc.) are showing that the promotion may have misjudged how well this bout will do.
In another era this bout may have done better. In the current climate however, many fans are more upset than excited. Needless to say, that is not the reaction the UFC was hoping for.
Here are six reasons why Michael Bisping vs. GSP is tanking, and badly.
6. No Fight Date Announced
The fight was announced on March 1st, 2017. Now, GSP is saying the bout can take place “anytime after October”. Meaning at the very minimum, this bout is going to take place 7 months after it was announced. Modern MMA fans aren’t accustomed to waiting that long.
Considering how often fights are made and cancelled, fans are having trouble getting invested in a bout which takes place so far into the future. A lot can happen in 7 months: ACLs can tear, bones can break, and USADA tests can yield surprising results. There is no guarantee this fight ever takes place, fans get that, and that’s why they are not into it.
Every day, week, or month this bout gets pushed back is more time the middleweight division spends clogged up, with no upward movement possible for other contenders.
Had this bout been scheduled for the summer, as Dana White was hoping, the anticipation would be significantly higher. Instead fans are left knowing the bout may never take place, and if it does they will be waiting many months for it.
