Ray Longo Says UFC Fight Cards Are Weaker — Jon Anik Agrees Ahead of UFC 327

Veteran coach Ray Longo says UFC fight cards have lost some of their spark. He spoke about the change on the Jon Anik and Kenny Florian podcast, and UFC commentator Jon Anik agreed parts of Longo’s point.

Longo: Fans are not as glued to cards

Longo, who has coached fighters such as Matt Serra, Chris Weidman and Aljamain Sterling, said he no longer feels the same pull to watch every fight. He recalled a time when fans would watch fights all night, even at parties or weddings. Now, he said, he often does not know which fights to watch and does not recognize many fighters’ names.

He also pointed to specific shows he thinks are weaker. Longo criticized the matchups on the “White House” card and said some recent cards are “a little weaker” and “just not captivating.”

Name value still draws attention

Longo noted that cards with big names still get fans’ interest. He used the example of a Netflix card that includes Gina Carano and Ronda Rousey. He also mentioned names such as Nate Diaz, Mike Perry and Francis Ngannou, saying those fighters have drawing power even if the fights are uncertain.

Longo recalled a former feature that helped fans decide which fights mattered. He said a show called “Care/Don’t Care” used to go over fights, and he misses that kind of guidance. He added that in the past he would be “glued from prelims to the last fight,” even if the show ran late. Now he often watches only the fights that seem really big.

Jon Anik responds: ebb and flow, but hope for UFC 327

Jon Anik, the UFC’s lead commentator, agreed with some of Longo’s points. He said there is “ebb and flow” in the quality of cards and that the last few weeks have not been great.

Anik pointed to last weekend’s UFC Fight Night 270 and said the promotion is not talking about the co-main event. He did, however, call out Christian Leroy Duncan’s win over Roman Dolidze as a result that maybe deserves some attention, even if it did not seem largely compelling.

Looking ahead, Anik said he is excited for UFC 327 in a few weeks. He promised the promotion will put its best foot forward for that event and said he expects a strong show.

Notable fighters and recent result

Longo and Anik mentioned several fighters and cards while discussing the issue. Below is a brief table with the recent result that was discussed on the podcast.

Longo’s comments reflect a wider conversation among coaches, media and fans about how the UFC builds cards. Both he and Anik agree that name fighters still matter, but they say some recent lineups have not been as compelling as past shows.