The fear that mixed martial arts (MMA) might eventually mirror boxing’s recent embrace of spectacle-driven, “freak-show” matchmaking has already materialized. This shift isn’t occurring uniformly across the sport but is manifesting in various ways and at different paces.
Boxing has shed its pretense of exclusivity, readily adopting crossover mismatches. Jake Paul’s December 2025 bout with Anthony Joshua, a full-blown streaming event on Netflix, attracted 33 million global viewers. Similarly, Oleksandr Usyk’s upcoming defense of his WBC heavyweight title against kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven in May, set against the backdrop of the Pyramids of Giza, exemplifies the kind of extraordinary bookings that modern boxing now touts as premium entertainment rather than acknowledging their inherent absurdity.
However, MMA’s history is not as pristine as some remember. The early days of the UFC were characterized by chaotic, style-versus-style matchups, minimal rules, limited weight classes, and a “freak-show” energy that the polished modern product now disavows. The bout between Fedor Emelianenko and Hong Man Choi serves as a prime example of this entertaining, albeit unconventional, era. Therefore, the current trend is not an external contagion infecting a pure sport but rather a resurgence of MMA’s intrinsic family history.
The Evolving Business Model
What has changed is the surrounding business climate. Previously, MMA contained this inclination towards spectacle primarily at the fringes, seen in PRIDE’s unusual contests, Bellator’s nostalgic bookings, or occasional hybrid-rule experiments. Now, the incentives are greater, platforms are more extensive, and the available talent for such matchups possesses significant commercial appeal. The most striking instance is Ronda Rousey’s impending return to MMA in May to face Gina Carano, headlining Netflix’s inaugural live MMA broadcast for Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions. By March, this event also featured Francis Ngannou versus Philipe Lins and Nate Diaz’s MMA comeback. This is not the behavior of an industry shying away from spectacle; it is the behavior of a fight business actively cultivating it.
Beneath the polished press-release language lies a clear rationale: a promoter’s primary objective is not to safeguard the sport’s integrity but to generate revenue. In this context, combat sports matchmaking can resemble a gambler playing online casino slots, hoping for the right combination of symbols to hit the jackpot. Rousey. Carano. Netflix. Ngannou. Diaz. Perry. By featuring enough recognizable names, promoters aim to trigger the payout. The focus shifts from the purest sporting contest to the combination most likely to yield financial returns. Boxing has openly embraced this mentality, and MMA is increasingly adopting a similar “casino” approach, particularly outside the UFC’s direct influence.
The UFC’s Reasons to Resist
This does not necessarily doom the entire sport to become a perpetual circus. The UFC’s success hinges on promoting legitimacy, rankings, title implications, and the perceived importance of hierarchical progression. Despite Dana White’s vocal criticisms of boxing promoters, his very rants highlight the UFC’s strategic positioning as a more structured and credible alternative to boxing’s volatile market. An organization that built its empire on sporting order is unlikely to transform the Octagon into a permanent venue for novelty acts, not out of moral superiority, but because its brand is founded on a different form of control.
The challenge lies in the fact that MMA is not solely defined by the UFC. This is where the “destined” aspect of the question becomes relevant. ONE Championship has already experimented with mixed-rules bouts, such as Demetrious Johnson versus Rodtang, which many viewed as a return to the sport’s original spirit rather than a gimmick. KSW explicitly embraced pure spectacle when Eddie Hall defeated Mariusz Pudzianowski in 30 seconds last year, fueling a demand for such absurdities that Hall immediately expressed interest in fighting “the freaks of the world” instead of pursuing legitimate rankings. The market clearly demonstrates a paying audience for these types of events.
Fans Contribute to the Problem
Therefore, the pertinent question is not whether MMA will feature freak-show fights – it always will. The real question is who will control the proportion of the calendar dedicated to them. If the UFC maintains discipline, it can likely preserve the mainstream appeal of its top-tier events as more sport than stunt. However, if blockbuster Netflix-style cards continue to achieve significant viewership, if Jake Paul’s promotional strategies increasingly influence MMA, and if rival promotions discover that celebrity collisions generate attention more rapidly than fostering genuine contenders, the sport’s fringes will inevitably become more eccentric, boisterous, and boxing-like.
This evolution might not be entirely negative. Combat sports have always possessed an element of the sideshow. Fans are not passive observers in this dynamic. They may complain about freak-show fights, but they are often captivated by the promotional trailers, engaging in debates about whether an aging legend can still perform, if an underdog has a chance, whether a larger fighter will tire, or if a boxer can defend against takedowns. These discussions tap into the age-old “what if?” narrative, which sells almost as reliably as a title fight, thus perpetuating the cycle.
The Obvious Jackpot
In conclusion, MMA is not entirely destined to become a complete replica of boxing. However, significant portions of the sport are undoubtedly set to follow boxing’s current playbook due to the substantial financial incentives, the voracious appetite of platforms, and the marketability of available talent. The primary debate revolves around the extent to which the sport will be drawn into this orbit and the speed at which this will occur. Boxing has already demonstrated the consequences when promoters prioritize the potential jackpot over the integrity of the lineup. While MMA may not be at that exact point, it is close enough to hear the reels spinning.
