Five Points: A Plan to Create Stars in the UFC: The Heroes (Part 3 of 5)

By Michael Ford

As the UFC seeks to make stars, some will be viewed as Heroes, and others as Heels. Here are five candidates for fame as fight fan favorites.

The first piece in this series focused on crucial components for stardom, while the second piece concentrated on the mechanisms by which stars are made. This piece and the one that follows it will focus on candidates for stardom – some will be viewed as Heroes, others as Heels.

1. Jon Jones

This is the obvious choice. The future is now for the young fighter, the spot has been vacated, and what happens in the next 12 months will determine whether he realizes his potential, and becomes the UFC’s signature star. He has already delivered the kinds of performances in the Octagon that have left fans breathless, and put together a collection of highlights unlike any other. All that he has lacked is the spotlight that comes from millions of eyes fixated on him, wondering what will happen next. Many athletes can’t handle the spotlight, and either on or off the field of play, prove unworthy of the accolades and adoration of fans. That will be the dominant subplot for Jon Jones. Will the microscope of fan scrutiny uncover blemishes and flaws in his character? Will be falter under the pressure of carrying the UFC brand on his back? Or will he rise to the occasion, and prove himself to be every bit the superhero that the UFC Marketing Machine wants us to believe he is?

Of course, we first have to deal with the elephant in the room: Jon Jones’ perceived “cockiness” and “fakeness.” This has been a growing meme over the last year, in part growing out of his feud with Rashad Evans, where he said All the Right Things regarding viewing the former Jackson’s fighter as a mentor and a friend, and seemed to embody the classic Greg Jackson ethos of “No Jackson-on-Jackson Violence.” Even when he was on the verge of winning the Light Heavyweight Championship, both fighters claimed that their friendship came first. Yet it was Jones who seemed to indicate that he was saying All the Right Things out of respect for Evans and Jackson, but didn’t really have a problem fighting Rashad, if it came down to it. That set off a series of interviews and back and forth comments that led to Evans accusing Jones of being a fraud, and leaving the Greg Jackson camp. As the year progressed, the Jones-Evans feud became a sore spot for everyone involved, as each time Jones fought Evans was floated as the next contender, yet each time, some rationale arose which led to the fight being scrapped. However on Twitter and across other media, the two continued their war of words, with Jones “fakeness” being the most common refrain.

On a certain level, Evans is and was right. Jon Jones is carefully managed, and seems to labor at the back and forth of trash-talk because he wants to project respect for his opponents, whereas Evans seems quite comfortable saying whatever he feels at a given moment, even if it ends up rubbing fans the wrong way. It also helps Evans that he has never been considered a fan favorite, and he surely realizes that whatever he says will be scrutinized and criticized by people who are predisposed towards not liking him, so he has stopped caring about catering to them. Jones, however, seems genuinely baffled by fans’ dislike of him, and perhaps even a little hurt. He wants to be liked, and feels like he is doing his best to show his best face. But that’s part of the problem.

Fans like consistency and authenticity, even as they tip their hats to class and humility. Worse than brashness and arrogance is brashness and arrogance behind a façade of humility and decency. Jon Jones is very confident in his abilities, and has every right to be. However, up until this point, the false apologetics about that confidence has led many fans to believe that behind the front of humility lies a fighter with no respect for his opponents, but who says All the Right Things, because that’s how a champion is expected to carry himself. If Jon Jones were to admit that he strives for perfection, but often falls short, even though he sincerely wants to be the best representative of the sport that he can be, that would humanize him. That would be authentic and real. And it would make him relatable to people who are in awe of his athletic gifts, and the effortlessness which he puts those gifts to use in doling out violence. In short, it would give fans a reason to pull for him, because even if Jon Jones the Fighter is a guy who is running roughshod over the sport, Jon Jones the Man might be a guy we genuinely want to see succeed. That’s the Heroes Journey, and that’s something to cheer for.

2. Urijah Faber

This is a bit of a cop-out, because in a lot of ways, Urijah Faber has already proven to be That Dude; he just hasn’t done it on the largest stage possible. He was very clearly the face of World Extreme Cagefighting, and in many ways, the face of the Versus network. Urijah Faber’s Featherweight title defense against Jens Pulver drew higher ratings on the network than even the UFC’s offerings. And now that he is on the larger UFC stage, he has a chance to become one of the faces of the UFC.

But there’s one major obstacle in his path: Dominick Cruz, who has already thwarted Faber’s title challenge once, and if he does it again, he’ll put Faber into the type of divisional limbo that Rich Franklin and Kenny Florian found themselves. Having just escaped that limbo at Featherweight, Faber would face an uncertain path that would severely limit his chance to be seen as the face of the sub-155 weight classes. Those three divisions (including Flyweight, which is due to debut in March), are new kids on the block in the UFC, and fans have not yet embraced them or their stars. Jose Aldo might be on the verge of something special, but likely has a much higher ceiling for stardom in his native Brazil, as his personality isn’t as easily accessible to American audiences, and the language barrier has yet to be overcome. Urijah Faber, however, has the total package, and a charisma that transcends his small size. “The California Kid” has a unique ability to assert respect for the so-called “little guys” in the UFC without coming off as having a chip on his shoulder, or a Napoleon Complex. His athleticism, and exciting blend of varied striking, wrestling, and submission acumen not only embodies all aspects of MMA, it allows him to be a symbol of the promise of the sub-lightweights, entertainment wise. Plus, as the face of Team Alpha Male, Faber’s star power helps his protégés Joseph Benavidez and Chad Mendes stand out in the UFC landscape, and become well-known names in their own right.

Faber’s star power will be put on full display over thirteen weeks this Spring, as he and his nemesis Cruz will coach against each other on FX’s retooled version of The Ultimate Fighter. Not only will Urijah have to contend with the possibility of not coming off well in front of the reality show cameras, but he will also have his training camp chronicled in unprecedented detail leading up to the most important fight of his UFC career. Those 13 weeks will be make or break in many ways, as the lead-up and fight to follow could either cement Faber as one of the UFC signature stars, and a bona fide headliner, or relegate him to second-tier “name fighter” who the UFC would likely use to build stars off of. The gulf between Gold and Silver in this contest is immense.

3. Junior Dos Santos

As the UFC World Heavyweight Champion, “Cigano” is already in a prominent role. And after being featured on Fox in a title fight that was viewed by nearly 9 million people in the US, and coming out on top, the Champ has secured some measure of attachment to the national consciousness. Yet the biggest factor in JDS’ potential ascension to stardom will be his native Brazil, where his fight was viewed by nearly 20 million people. In the months between now and his first title defense, Dos Santos, whose cheerful disposition belies his great capacity for violence in the cage, must ride the wave of his title win, and let the Brazilian media transform him into a darling. If he can achieve a sponsorship with a Brazilian soccer club that is similar to that of his friend Anderson Silva and Corinthians, as well as make other appearances akin to the one that was highlighted on UFC Primetime alongside his pop star friend at a concert, then he can return to the States as an international superstar, someone who is carried by the faith of an entire nation.

But here in the U.S., JDS also needs to have a sustained effort put behind the idea that he is the Top Dog at Heavyweight. There will be a lot of heavyweights joining the UFC over the next year, and the man that they’re all gunning for is Junior Dos Santos. Whether they fly him in, or pump in a satellite feed, it’s important that every big time heavyweight fight of note feature Dos Santos offering respectful words that acknowledge and welcome his newfound role as the man to beat. Fighters from all over the world are gunning for him, but he is the World Champion, and he should be expected to repel every challenge.

4. Cain Velasquez

The other side of that “UFC on Fox” coin was Cain Velasquez, who was positioned as the best heavyweight in the world, the spiritual heir to Fedor Emelianenko, and the man who would be a symbol of success for the Mexican people. Yet after having watched him lose in such emphatic fashion, our temptation is to write Cain off. However, this loss has merely enriched the narrative, because America loves an underdog story.

For many mainstream fans, Velasquez was introduced to them through the UFC Primetime special that preceded UFC’s debut on Fox. He was already the champion, and had already arrived. His story of triumph over adversity was heartwarming, but it was already over. The fight against Junior Dos Santos was the denouement, the cherry on top of an achievement already attained on the back of hard work, strength of character, and discipline. Yet for the fans who watched his previous Primetime series appearance, Velasquez took that core American success story into a fight against Brock Lesnar, who stood as almost his perfect foil: gigantic, loud, outspoken, White, ignorant, rich, and a former professional wrestler. When Cain conquered Lesnar, he went from underdog to Top Dog, and that’s where his narrative faltered.

You see, Cain Velasquez is a blue collar guy, a hard-working fighter who validated his parents’ American Dreams by succeeding in wrestling, and later MMA, but whose “Brown Pride” tattoo is a stark reminder of all the other people with similar dreams, who emigrated to this country to give their children opportunities that didn’t exist in Mexico. That he came of age in Arizona, a state which in recent years has become notorious for anti-immigrant policies and racial profiling, just adds another layer of irony. His is a struggle against prejudice, to be great while trying not to stand out, just showing up to the gym every day, and doing his best, putting food on the table, and trying to inspire young brown kids to work as hard as he does, so that they may achieve success in their chosen endeavors, and realize their own American Dreams. Sure he can be that without the World title, but having failed so epically, and on such a large stage, Cain’s struggle to regain the belt is an attempt to make up for having let His People down. Not just his Brown People, but any people who were inspired by his story: downtrodden, struggling, but working hard to achieve the success that seemed to be more dream than likelihood. This time, the road to the title for Cain Velasquez will have more observers on it, and that Road to Redemption will have more fans staked in the outcome, with the possibility of still more getting behind him the closer he gets to the prize.

5. Ben Henderson

“Smooth” Ben Henderson looks like a superstar. With his long hair, well-toned frame, and polished cadence, he evokes the kind of athlete that mainstream sports fans are accustomed to seeing. Even when his charisma and flamboyance gives way to outspoken proclamations of faith, it fits that the otherworldly manifestations of his God-given gifts be attributed to a higher power. Though he was unfortunately posterized by the Showtime Kick, Henderson managed to persevere past it and leapfrog the man who defeated him on the way to a UFC Lightweight Title shot. Now he stands on the precipice of being crowned the number one fighter at 155 pounds, and he must travel to the Land of the Rising Sun to do it.

But sadly, like many fights that take place in the Lightweight division, this contest is not receiving its proper due and promotion. Frankie “The Answer” Edgar continues to accumulate Fight of the Year candidates and upset wins as the champion, and will likely find himself viewed as the favorite for the first time since he has attained the belt. But a narrative for the fight will be nonexistent, just a Fighting Champion defending his belt against a top contender. Even the fight that established Henderson as the top contender was criminally buried on the internet as part of the undercard of UFC on Fox, even though going into the card it was expected to be a Fight of the Year candidate which deserved to be exposed to the millions who would no doubt be watching. Just as expected, Henderson and Clay Guida put together a stellar back and forth display of heart, athleticism, and ability, and hardly anyone got to see it. Thus, at this very moment, Henderson is the Best Kept Secret in the UFC, a top-tier fighter whose rise to the top has gone largely unnoticed, and even if he were to win the championship next month, that win would be largely unseen. That is a tragedy for a fighter with so much marketability.

It would be too much to assume that a company focused on giving the Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit Interim Welterweight Championship matchup the UFC Primetime treatment it warrants would do the same for its Lightweight Championship matchup less than a month later, but the UFC has to do whatever it can to ensure that this fight doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. Given the fighters involved, it will likely be a Fight of the Year candidate, and will on its own justify the $55 price tag. And if it becomes the Coming Out Party for Ben Henderson, then Zuffa will have a potential star on their hands, one who can, if put into media circulation, talk the talk of the fight game, while endearing himself to the crossover audience who is still skeptical about MMA with his “smoothness” and devout faith. And when those fans put down their hard-earned money to see him fight, Henderson is sure to deliver inspired performances in the Octagon. “All things are possible through Christ,” indeed, and Henderson is one win away from positioning himself as a powerful messenger for that mantra.

The next twelve months are crucial for the UFC, as these five fighters all need to continue winning in order to truly realize their potential as stars. For some, like Henderson and Faber, their windows are closing, and their opportunities to achieve “the moment” hinge on one singular in-cage performance. For Jones and Dos Santos, it will be playing the media game alongside their winning ways that determines whether true superstardom is achieved. And for Cain Velasquez, the journey is much more uncertain, as he must straddle the line between Superman and Everyman along the way to recapturing the title, and putting the cap on a powerful narrative of redemption. In any event, the path towards becoming a hero is hard, and if it weren’t, we wouldn’t admire them, and enjoy cheering for them. However, it’s a lot easier to be hated, and the next piece in this series will focus on that particular brand of villain that we love to hate, and the five candidates to achieve stardom in that role.