15 December 2016

2016 Topps UFC NOW Breaks the Mold...Twice

A while ago Topps did something unprecedented in their UFC NOW line. They released a card for an event that hadn't occurred yet. In fact, the event still hasn't happened. That event was the announcement that Ronda Rousey would return for UFC 207.


It makes sense that Topps would be in a rush to roll out a UFC card at the slightest hint of a Rousey return to the Octagon, but to me it seems like a bit of a gamble from a credibility standpoint. Fighters drop out of events all the time, usually due to an injury sustained at training camp or maybe a failed drug test or something. There isn't really any guarantee that Rousey will actually come back for UFC 207.  But this card did have the third-highest sales of the 21 UFC NOW cards that have been released to date, with a print run that trails only two cards featuring Conor McGregor. If they waited until the actual event to print the card, there is a chance that Rousey wouldn't even appear on it, as they typically only print cards for the fight winners.

So far I have a complete set of the UFC NOW cards, so I bought one of the Rousey cards in spite of my misgivings about it. It's a decent-looking card. I just don't like that it's different from all the other cards in the set so far, which are all printed after numbered UFC events to commemorate the winners of key matchups.


Another thing that kind of bothered me recently about the Topps NOW UFC line is that Topps completely ignored UFC 206, which was last weekend. Topps had printed at least one card for each numbered UFC event from UFC 200 to UFC 205, but they didn't even acknowledge UFC 206. I asked about it on the Topps Facebook page and got ignored entirely, and when I asked on Twitter they said they'd get back to me and never did get around to giving me an answer. 16 JAN 2016 edit: This morning Topps sent me a message on Twitter, letting me know that no cards were made for UFC 206, but that they do plan to make cards for UFC 207.

It makes me wonder if they will continue to print UFC NOW cards. I don't think it is a print run thing, as the UFC print runs dwell in the same general area as the print runs for MLS, Premier League, and WWE NOW cards. It wasn't for a lack of good fights, either, as Max Holloway and Donald Cerrone had pretty good finishes to their fights, and Cub Swanson and Doo Ho Choi put on what might have been the Fight of the Year in their slugfest. It could be that they are just gearing up for UFC 207, but I was disappointed that Topps ignored the event completely. At least one fight should have received the NOW treatment.

This Rousey is a nice-looking card, and the announced print run for it was 331 copies.

4 comments:

  1. Wow that is kind of odd that they would create a Rousey card for something that didn't happen. I'm glad the baseball version doesn't anticipate callups for prospects.

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    1. It is likely that she will fight at UFC 207, but things can always come up that bump a fight from an event. I think Topps wanted to make sure that they got a Rousey card out there, and this was the best way to guarantee it. If they waited until UFC 207 actually happens, there is a good chance that Nunes wins and gets her picture on the card instead. This way Topps makes sure to get the sales of one Rousey card, with the possibility of two cards if Rousey fights and wins at UFC 207.

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  2. It sounds like they have the interns managing Twitter. It is an interesting choice for a card given that it just an announcement...seems almost like propaganda and advertising for the fight.

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    1. They probably do just have an intern on their Twitter account, or it's an extra duty they handed off to someone. I think Topps wanted to make sure they got a Rousey card put out early in the UFC NOW life cycle, and the announcement of her return was a good opportunity to jump on. Although some of the other female fighters are catching up to her with regard to price (cards and group break slots), she and Conor McGregor still are a tier above anyone else in the organization when it comes to card sales. As long as they are the ones that draw the numbers, UFC and Topps will keep milking their cash cows.

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