Did you read Adam Swift’s post on MMA Payout: “UFC 83 Review: Breaking Kayfabe“
I interpreted GSP’s comments regarding him and Serra as “saying things just to hype up the fight” as an easy way to squash any animosity. I never really thought that they had intentionally built up some fictional hostility, partially because the development of their issues was very reasonable, and partially because it never manifested as anything close to some WWE type drama. What did you think? Did you think that GSP’s initial display of integrity but eventually saying that he underestimated/overlooked Serra was staged in order to establish a basis for some future theatrical ill will?
I’m not suggesting that these theatrics don’t occur, I just don’t think this was an example of them. You can count on Tito Ortiz building this sort of hyperbolic antagonism every time. What were some other extreme examples?
Which brings me to another issue with Swift’s post. He indicates that the reason Ortiz/Shamrock and Liddell/Ortiz did so well as opposed to A. Silva/Henderson, was because of the off stage/cage antics, or at least story building. I’m not suggesting that building a story, especially a dramatic one, doesn’t help peak interest, but I think using these as examples overlooks the incredible name recognition that these fighters had at the time, especially compared to Silva/Henderson.
