| Yes marketing is what has brought the UFC and MMA | | | | average fighter. |
| to what it is today but it has also has given us false or | | | | As UFC middleweight champion, Franklin beat Evan |
| misleading expectations about certain fighters. It might | | | | Tanner at UFC 53: Heavy Hitters, Nathan Quarry at |
| not be their fault but MMA organizations, forums, blogs | | | | UFC 56: Full Force, and David Loiseau at UFC 58: USA |
| have given fighters better creditability than then | | | | vs Canada. Franklin had problems with Loiseau and |
| actually deserve. | | | | Tanner and Quarry who were C+ plus level fighters at |
| Below are the top 5 mixed martial arts fighters that | | | | best. Franklin never faced real top level competition in |
| are overrated. | | | | his career and once he did he was exposed. |
| 5) Chris Leben | | | | Franklin’s lack of skill has been revealed and the |
| One fighter that has benefited from the Ultimate | | | | UFC can no longer protect him as more and more |
| Fighter reality series has been Chris Leben. He is a | | | | people are realizing that he is overrated as a fighter. |
| heavy puncher but has little skills to back up his MMA | | | | 2) TUF Cast members |
| game. He was marketing and overhyped so much that | | | | Many of the fighters that come out of the TUF series |
| when he fought Anderson Silva he was the online | | | | are below average fighters but have good marketing |
| betting favourite in most of the sports books. | | | | value. Also the UFC gets these fighters into the show |
| That was until reality set in. | | | | for a cheap price and since the fighters have some |
| Over hyped, very much so. | | | | sort of marketability they are put into the UFC events. |
| 4) Jorge Gurgel | | | | TUF alumni are given higher-profile spots than more |
| Gurgel got a 7 fight UFC contact strictly on the basis | | | | deserving competitors. |
| he was Rich Franklin’s friend. Gurgel was criticized | | | | More and more UFC events have TUF fighters in the |
| throughout his seven-fight run in the UFC for not | | | | shows and most of these fighter should not be fighting |
| displaying Jiu-Jitsu in his fights. He is a black belt in | | | | or are way overrated. Just because people see them |
| Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu who trains with Rich Franklin. | | | | on the TUF show they automatically think they are |
| Everytime he fought Joe Rogan would talk about how | | | | good fighters. |
| he has so much skill and how his grappling game was | | | | Many of the cast members have no business being in |
| so good. And every time Gurgel would lose to below | | | | the UFC yet they continue to be. It's apparent the UFC |
| average fighters. | | | | has invested a lot of TV time in these fighters, but |
| 3) Rich Franklin | | | | there has to at least be some semblance of |
| Despite his popularity Franklin has never been the | | | | competition. |
| fighter the hype has made him out to be. Yes he was | | | | 1) Kimbo Slice |
| UFC middleweight champion but he fought in a very | | | | No fighter is more overhyped than Kimbo Slice. He |
| weak division and he never fought a top ten fighter. | | | | was protected in EliteXC and while on the TUF show |
| As champion he fought subpar fighters and the UFC | | | | he was marketing in every commercial and clip they |
| marketed him as a world beater when in fact he is an | | | | could squeeze him in. |