UFC / WEC Merger Key For Continued International Expansion

UFC would love a piece of the Pacquiao pie. via assets.sbnation.com

The big story of the week centres around the little guys. As much as Cain Velasquez' win over Brock Lesnar last Saturday had everyone talking for the first few days afterwards, the long awaited news of WEC and UFC officially merging and bringing the Featherweight and Bantamweight classes to the big stage will generate weeks of discussion.

Most media, fans and especially fighters directly effected by the news are in agreement: this is really good news. The negatives of the decision are so few and far between and the positives completely outweigh and eclipse them. The fighters will get more exposure and better pay days, and with the UFC branding better sponsorship opportunities. The fans will get to see some of the best fights in MMA if the WEC's reputation for great match making and consistency continues into the UFC sub-155lb divisions. And the media hopes this means they can award more superlatives then criticism for strength of cards, the injection of new characters and personalities and a representation of MMA at its highest level achieved typically by the more technical, lighter weight combatants.

What hasn't been discussed is the possible international implications of including these two new classes. While UFC has trumped Boxing with easily recognisable talent and has managed to cultivate an interesting and entertaining Heavyweight division, Boxing still retains interest with its smaller fighters and especially so with Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao, and formerly Oscar De La Hoya who despite their physical stature are Pay Per View behemoths. Even Ricky Hatton who wasn't as 'big' internationally was easily Boxing's biggest draw on UK soil and helped bring in respectable domestic PPV numbers via Sky Box Office.

Not only are these Boxers lighter weight fighters, but they are sub-155lbs fighters. They also hold appeal among different demographics - some race based, some culturally and nationally based, but not exclusively so. Pacquiao is popular worldwide and almost deified in his native Philippines, De la Hoya among the Hispanic and non-Hispanic US market and even Hatton had some Mexican based fans for the style he brought to the table in addition to the obvious UK base. It shouldn't surprise anyone if UFC wants a slice of that action and may be looking for their new Featherweight and Bantamweight classes to get it.

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