
Randy Couture is expected to be the cover athlete for EA Sports MMA according to SportsBusiness Daily (via First Cuts). The game is still a year away from releasing but this news makes it clear that he will be most recognizable name that EA obtains.
Former five-time UFC champion Randy Couture is believed to be the only fighter currently under contract to Zuffa who will appear in the EA version. “The Natural” managed to ink an exclusive deal during his 11-month courtroom fight with the UFC. Couture, who is expected to appear on the game’s cover, told SI.com he attempted to bring both sides together after falling back in favor with the UFC, but a compromise placing UFC fighters in the EA game never materialized.
The question to me is whether Couture being on the cover would be representative of the product. EA attempting to market this using the one UFC fighter they have could be construed as misleading. With UFC intimidating anyone who may want to join them by threatening lifetime bans as well as the lifetime contracts for those they already have the pickings will be thin. So the game will likely have to base itself heavily on create-a-fighter and career.
July 9, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Cool. First!!!
July 9, 2009 at 6:04 pm
"The question to me is whether Couture being on the cover would be representative of the product. EA attempting to market this using the one UFC fighter they have could be construed as misleading."
I don't see that as misleading, it's putting the most marketable fighter on the cover of a new game in order to attract more casual fans. If people can't read the title as 'MMA' rather than UFC, that's on them.
July 9, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Dana White is having a fucking bird right now lol
July 9, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Yeah. He'll probably sh*t a brick. haha
July 9, 2009 at 6:59 pm
I can hear it Dana White now "That mother f****er wants to f***kn betray me, he can go f**** himself that fkn f**got. I made that mother f***ker who he is and I'll f**k his a** up if he ever crosses my bath. Him and that monkey Tito can both go suck each others d***s
July 9, 2009 at 6:59 pm
I can hear Dana White now "That mother f****er wants to f***kn betray me, he can go f**** himself that fkn f**got. I made that mother f***ker who he is and I'll f**k his a** up if he ever crosses my bath. Him and that monkey Tito can both go suck each others d***s
July 9, 2009 at 7:00 pm
I can hear Dana White now "That mother f****er wants to f***kn betray me, he can go f**** himself that fkn f**got. I made that mother f***ker who he is and I'll f**k his a** up if he ever crosses my path. Him and that monkey Tito can both go suck each others d***s
July 9, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Are you sure that Dana didn't write that himself??? hahaha lmao! so true
July 9, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Although there are many fighters who want to one day fight in the UFC, there's also a bunch of good fighters who probably don't want to fight in the UFC, like Fedor, Ortiz, and possibly cro cop.
July 9, 2009 at 8:35 pm
None of those guys are good, try again.
Ortiz sucks, hasn't won in years against anyone good, same for Cro Cop.
Fedor keeps fighting old UFC has-beens, bah
July 9, 2009 at 9:22 pm
LOL. There are PLENTY of great fighters outside of the UFC.
July 9, 2009 at 9:32 pm
That is probably true. However most people will have never heard of them.
July 9, 2009 at 11:37 pm
I'm pretty sure EA realizes this and they'll probably add something that will separate them from UFC Undisputed. MMO-Sports RPG? Clubs? Gyms? Teams?
July 9, 2009 at 7:05 pm
There are loads of great fighters that are outside of the UFC. I can't imagine how the gameplay could challenge THQs offering because it is the amazing start to a killer franchise, but i dont think the lack of the UFC fighters will be as huge of a downside as some think it will be.
July 10, 2009 at 11:21 am
Well remember before EA came out with Skate, people thought they couldn't offer an experience different than Tony Hawk.
I agree, lack of UFC fighters won't make or break a game. I think what draws people to games this day is game play.
July 9, 2009 at 7:38 pm
THE ONLY WAY IM PLAYING, IS IF WEC FIGHTERS ARE IN THE GAME.
July 10, 2009 at 11:20 am
WEC is owned by UFC
July 10, 2009 at 1:09 am
Tito Ortiz will no doubt be in it to piss Dana off plus hes leaving the UFC anyways.
July 10, 2009 at 11:22 am
Ortiz left the UFC in 2008 and he had a no compete clause for 12 months. He will definitely sign up to be on this game for a good pay day and yeah, to piss off Dana.
July 11, 2009 at 1:19 am
only way there's a chance i buy the game is if urijah faber is in it