The UFC came out with their video game "UFC 2009: Undisputed," two months ago under the publisher THQ. The thing has sold an absolute ton of copies, over 1 million in the first month. Can there be 2 MMA games? Dana White said that he went to EA Sports with the idea of a kick ass UFC game, and the EA people said not a chance, and told Dana that MMA was not a sport. Well with the huge success of Undisputed the same naysayers from EA wanted to cash in on MMA.
You don't see another company trying to challenge Madden anymore. That's a lost cause. The NBA has Live and 2k, NHL also has two. Is MMA popular enough to sell 2 games? It comes down to game play, rosters, and year-to-year changes.
The UFC and THQ signed a multi-year contract, therefore if EA comes out with a game of their own, you won't see any of the UFC stars. Not exactly sure how the likes of Tito Ortiz, Andrei Arlovski, Tim Sylvia, and Fabricio Werdum shake out, considering they are no longer in the UFC but are all in the current game, making up 4 of the 80+ fighters.
I have come up with the roster EA would need to be able to compete with the UFC game. Some of these guys may fight in the UFC, but were not in the last game for whatever the reason.
If you're an MMA fan tell me you wouldn't buy this game... (fighter by weight class)
1. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Alistair Overeem
3. Brett Rogers
4. Josh Barnett
5. Alek Emelianenko
6. Paul Buentello
7. Gilbert Yvel
8. Pedro Rizzo
9. Jeff Monson
10. Kimbo Slice
11. Roy Nelson
12. Ben Rothwell
13. Randy Couture*
14. Babalu Sobral
15. Antonio Rogerio Noguiera
16. Vladimir Matyushenko
17. Ricardo Arona
18. Murilio Bustamante
19. Gegard Mousasi
20. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
21. Vitor Belfort
22. Robbie Lawler
23. Jorge Santiago
24. Melvin Manhoef
25. Ronaldo Souza
26. Matt Lindland
27. Cung Le
28. Paulo Fiho
29. Kazuo Misaki
30. Denis Kang*
31. Chael Sonnen*
32. Frank Shamrock
33. Nick Diaz
34. Jake Shields
35. Jay Hieron
36. Brock Larson
37. Marius Zaromskis
38. Hayato "Mach" Sakurai
39. Jason High
40. Frank Trigg*
41. Nick Thompson
42. Carlos Condit*
43. Joe Riggs
44. Shinya Aoki
45. Joachim Hansen
46. Eddie Alverez
47. Tatsuya Kawajiri
48. Josh Thomson
49. JZ Calvancante
50. Gilbert Melendez
51. Jaime Varner
52. Vitor Ribeiro
53. Mitsuhiro Ishida
54. Takanori Gomi
55. Satoru Kitaoka
56. Donald Cerrone
57. Mike Brown
58. Urijah Faber
59. Jose Aldo
60. Leonard Garcia
*in UFC now, not in game
There's 60 guys right there without any filler, those are top of the line fighters, minus Kimbo but he gives you name recognition.
Gina Carano and Cyborg Santos? Put them in as a woman match? I wouldn't go any further past the two of them.
Also what could help them generate sales and compete/surpass the UFC/THQ model is have unlockable legends... a la the WWF games.
Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock, Frank if he's not already in, Tank Abbott, Dan Severn, Kevin Randleman, Sakuraba, Mark Hunt, Kimo (He is alive.), Phil Baroni (a legend in his own mind), Bas Rutten, a young Ricco Rodriguez, and whoever else.
In the end, it might be tough without the UFC name, but if they market it right and the game play is a step better, I think they can compete.
-Keefe
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