UFC Fighter Bias

I have started to notice the longer I am on this site that there is a severe UFC fighter bias.  If a guy hasn't been in the UFC his whole career a majority of you seem to think that they suck.  I am curious as to why that is.  Obviously there are guys in the UFC that have no business being there and there are guys outside of the UFC that are successful. 

 It reminds me of when WEC was brought into the UFC fold a majority of the MMA community of the thought they had no business being there and that the UFC fighters would walk thru them, well how has that worked out.

Just because a guy is not in the UFC does not mean he is not a top level fighter and would get massacred by the almighty UFC guys.

What does everyone else think about this bias towards guys in the UFC over fighters in other ORGS?

It depends on the fighters and organizations in question. Japanese fighters are easily the biggest recipients of the bias. The real reason there is so much bias against people outside of the UFC is because the fighters that ARE good aren't facing a steady stream of good opponents. They get the occasional great fight, but the talent-pools in other organizations aren't deep enough to make sure every fight somebody gets is against a world-class opponent. 

To bring a specific example of why people distrust the skill of fighters outside of the UFC. Luke Rockhold is the current champion over at Strikeforce. He looked very hittable in his last fight, against a guy who could no longer cut it in the UFC. There are plenty of examples of things like this. 

That said, there are really good fighters that get overlooked simply because they aren't in the UFC, and they shouldn't. At the same time, we shouldn't assume they deserve any more than to be put up against upper-mid-tier fighters in the UFC, because until they DO prove themselves in the deepest organization in MMA, they can't legitimately claim to be greatest in the world.

Can you please give some examples of non-UFC fighters who you think people on this site are biased against?

@Blackwork I've heard Shinya Aoki "sucks" because he hasn't fought in the UFC.

Guilty.  Sorry I just can't get into guys like Hector Lombard and Eddie Alvarez or really any Bellator champion.  So I tend to be biased against them and not include them as high as others do in rankings and such.  

I like watching Aoki fight, and don't think he "sucks." That said, Melendez humiliated him. And I think Gil would be about average in terms of contenders in the UFC. As to these other organizations, some of what people think is bias is really folks just recognizing that they are big fish in small ponds.

they can be currently in UFC but people denigrate their skill set because they have been in other orgs and performed well.  But It is rather apparent that guys that have always been gatekeepers in UFC get more credit than guys that have traveled the world fighting and winning.  

Gil is a great example. Overeem another example.  Aoki another.  Diaz another (now in UFC, but large bias because hehasnt been in UFC).  

I guess what I am wondering is the bias that comes towards guys that are coming into the UFC or are even outside of the organization even.  just because you toil around in mediocrity in the UFC does not mean that you can beat guys coming in from other orgs.

If a fighter is THAT good he will be in the UFC.
Simple as that.

hence the reason Jay Hieron isn't there.

Melendez, Mousasi, Aoki, Marquardt, Alvarez, Chandler, Askren, Lombard, Diaz, Overeem, Fedor ....

@Justyn not that easy

People outside the UFC can be talented and can be good MMA fighters. There is no arguing that.

And then when they are ready to be in the big leagues the come to the big leagues and when they beat fighters in the big leagues the get the credit they deserve.
Melendez isn't in the UFC because he isn't that good and the UFC knows it. And he doesn't actually want to come to the UFC he would rather beat up scurbs in SF. And if he wanted to come to the UFC he wouldn't of signed a new contract with SF! 
Mousasi has an immense amount of raw talent but until he really buckles down and gets serious with his training (which it looks like he is starting to do) he isn't a top guy. 
Aoki beats up fighters that aren't even relevant anymore. And even though he beats them impressively is there really anyone that can say they think he could beat say Benson Henderson? Frankie Edgar? Gray Maynard? Clay Guida?
 Alveraz has quite the hype train going himself but hasn't beat anyone other then Roger Huerta (who lets be honest isn't all that great anyone) and also lost to Aoki pretty quickly AND just lost his belt to a fighter who clearly isn't a complete Mixed Martial Artist yet.
Chandler is still very young and hasn't beat anyone all that impressive (with the exclusion of Eddie) and like i just said isn't a fully developed MMA fighter yet. 
Askren got handed a decision of Hieron in a fight that he did not win and again is not a fully developed fighter he has is wrestling and little bits of striking and BJJ
 Lombard is basically the weakest strong guy right now. Ya he has a massive win streak but all against sub par to par fighters. 
Diaz and Overeem are both in the UFC now.
Fedor is a joke who would rather crush cans then fight in the big leagues.

When you really look at it it is that easy.

There is a fighter bias for the UFC fighters and I am guilty. With that being said, I don't agree with what justynbomar said about those fighters. I believe Gilbert Melendez can be a top 10 talent in the UFC, I believe Mousasi can be top 10 AT MIDDLEWEIGHT, I love Aoki but I think his striking would be his downfall in the UFC, I think Alvarez wouldn't last with top 10 opponents either, Ben Askren's got top 10 wrestling at welterweight ON THE PLANET and I think Hector Lombard is all hype.

To be honest, we don't know until they fight in the UFC.

@ justyn sorry stopped reading after this "Melendez isn't in the UFC because he isn't that good"

i really don't know if you're a troll, a little kid, or just a very pitiful person or all at once but i won't be reading your posts anymore makes no sense to me !!!!

@Anik Gil Martinez is already a top 5 fighter who is at #2 in most peoples rankings (mine included) also to @Justyn Gilbert is not in the UFC because the UFC won't let him make the jump right now. They need at least a couple marquee fighters/champions to remain in Strikeforce if they're serious about keeping it running. Fighters like Rafael Cavalcante, Gegard Mousasi, King Mo, Josh Barnett, Tim Kennedy, Robbie Lawler, Luke Rockhold (I believe he's the weakest of this bunch but he's marketable),  and Daniel Cormier are all top fighters, and will at some point all be fighting in the UFC. Imo, anyone of those fighters I named (with the exception of maybe Rockhold) have the ability and talent to compete with and defeat men in the top ten in their respective divisions. And in actuality now that I think about it, I would put Cormier, Barnett and Mousasi already in the top ten in their weight classes.

* Edited at 01.25.2012, 9:51 PM ET *

Who the **** is Gil Martinez?

@Dakej Um...Gilbert Martinez the Strikeforce Lightweight Champion and consensus #2 Lightweight in the world...:(  My bad I guess I just assumed that referring to him as the #2 LW in the world and the Strikeforce LW Champ that everyone would know who Gil Martinez is. Oh well I guess that's what I get for assuming lol, I'm used to making a ass out of myself, however I apologize for making one and of U as well:)

* Edited at 01.25.2012, 10:09 PM ET *

LMFAO I WANNA MAKE A COMMENT GRAND PRIX JUST TO ENTER RORSCHACH'S COMMENT!

"@Dakej Um...Gilbert Martinez the Strikeforce Lightweight Champion and consensus #2 Lightweight in the world...:( "

@Anik Wow you really had to bring the SOP into this didn't you...

@FresnoMMA It's SAP.

And can I change my avatar and sig now? I really wanna make my sig rorschach's comment.

Funny thing is I was just about to write you a comment, your avatar is truly starting to irritate me, it reminds me of a troll avatar.  So yes, please do :)
And my bad that's what I meant lol