MMA is definitely at a point where some superstars need to emerge. not just stars, but superstars.
im a firm believer that the local downturn in the UFCs popularity (I say local, because I believe it is growing world wide) is due in large part to the decline of the stars we all gor into MMA with. Chuck, randy, GSP, scary anderson, tito, rampage, hughes, franklyn, shamrock, even lesnar, forest, chael, shogun, wandy, fedor.... all retired, or very out of the spotlight. and whos taken those places? bones and rousey, and then there is a pretty steep drop off.
most of the time when i ask my casual friends if they want to come watch the fights, they ask whos fighting, and then say they've never heard of them.
getting some stars in the ufc is badly needed. and it takes time to grow that new generation of stars.
just look at this poster and tell me if the current champs even come close.
and the chuck/rampage era > machida era by a long way