EXCLUSIVE: UFC Veteran Sean Pierson Says UFC Rankings Mean Nothing
Sean Pierson says UFC's rankings have lost meaning.
On Fightful MMA's podcast while discussing George St-Pierre's potential opponents, Pierson made the comment that he does not remember who's in the top ten at Welterweight because "nobody cares" about the rankings. Pierson told host "Showdown Joe" Ferraro hype was what propelled people up the rankings.
"The problem is: the rankings of fighters are biased. As a fighter, how do I up my rankings, say I'm ranked twentieth but I want to move into the top 10, if I'm not calling out top ten guys or the UFC is not giving me fights that move me up the rankings, how do I move up? I could have a six fight win streak and be ranked twentieth because if I fought guys who were all underneath me in ranking, I haven't moved up. So to me, the ranking of fighters, its not a true sport, it's sports entertainment," said Pierson.
As an example, Pierson would say he wanted to see the unranked Gavin Tucker fight more than some people who would be considered higher up the ladder. For Pierson, he sees himself and the viewership going towards the spectacle aspect.
"The more entertaining you are, the more opportunity you have to move yourself up those rankings, the more UFC wants to put you up in those rankings because they want you in the big money fights.The rankings don't matter because it's about who you want to see fight," said Pierson.
He said the majority of fans subscribed to this philosophy and only hardcore fans are interested in technique centered bouts.
Pierson appears weekly on Wednesday on Fightful MMA's podcast.
