WWE vs. UFC: The Show of Shows
The UFC is a legitimate fighting promotion, in which the goal for each combatant is to use his or her chosen discipline to physically defeat the other inside of a steel cage. WWE is an entertainment company, in which Superstars perform in worked matches with predetermined outcomes.
Which part of these descriptions have anything to do with the other?
The answer is, they don't. There are some similarities of course. The championship belts, the video trons, the music and the attitude are all there for both companies. The same can be said of the storylines, though the ones in WWE are usually created instead of happening organically, as they typically do in UFC.
Then there's the fan base, which is basically the same for both companies. Maybe that's what all the fuss is about; convincing either set of fans to tune in where they perhaps would not before.
The two best examples of course are Brock Lesnar's UFC fight and SummerSlam match, as well as CM Punk's imminent first fight in the Octagon. But these may not be the last two crossovers fans witness.
That's where Conor McGregor comes in. McGregor's recent rants against WWE have stirred up a storm of controversy, as he knew they would. WWE fans are upset, and the Superstars appear to be as well. Of course for every upset fan, there are at least two overly confident fans claiming that it's all a work.
Let the games begin.
It is all a game, that much is for certain. Though the popular opinion is that McGregor already has a deal in place to appear in WWE, the fact is no one really knows right now. However the fact that he took unprovoked shots at a company whose talent surely respect him, if only for his showmanship, is a bit suspect.
So if he did appear at SummerSlam, fans would likely not be very surprised.
This is what show business looks like. This is pro wrestling at its finest. This is Mike Tyson coming in like he owns the place, but Stone Cold Steve Austin sets him straight. This is how Vince McMahon and Dana White, two big fight promoters, decide to do a little business and make some money.
This is what WWE fans should love. So why don't they?
The best thing about the business is you don't always know when you're getting worked. But it's always safe to assume that you are because let's face it, pro wrestling itself is a work. From the opening match to the main event, and everything in between; it's all orchestrated to reel the audience in.
The more they buy in, the more money is made and the higher the ratings go. Everything works hand in hand, to ensure fans will keep watching. WWE didn't create this model, it's been followed for years in the business. This is the way of things.
McGregor is the perfect heel, because when he takes a shot at WWE, it seems real. It's so real that whether or not he actually meant what he said is still open for debate. He's got no reason to say it, but he does it anyway. It's incomprehensible to many that he would do it, so they justify it all by saying he's working a deal with WWE.
At the end of the day, they may very well be right.
But for those that insist on debating which company is better, the initial point remains the same: UFC is a legit fight league and WWE is not. It's like comparing a real car crash to one in a movie; both really happened and could be deadly, but only one was done under the safest circumstances possible.
So does that make the stuntman behind the wheel any less of a tough guy when he walks away from it?
Critics of WWE can say what they want. But WWE fans should not take offense to it, because that hate is coming from an odd place that has more to do with the hater's ignorance than actual fact. Pro wrestling is an art form, and shoot fighting is not. That does not mean one is better, or worse, than the other.
They're two different things, and they always have been.
McGregor's comments are not going away any time soon, and it's probably not over yet. No one really knows what's happening right now, but the truth will come out eventually. This is not the last fans will see of WWE versus UFC, and for some, that's a good thing.
After all, it's all about the show.
