Forget the "Madden Curse." The currently active video game cover-related curse is linked to the UFC.
With Conor McGregor submitting to Nate Diaz at UFC 196 on Saturday, and Ronda Rousey getting demolished back at UFC 193, EA Sports will be entering the release of the second title in its UFC franchise with both cover athletes coming off a loss.
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EA Sports "UFC 2" is set for release March 15 and the video game publisher will now struggle even more to capitalize on the personalities it planned to lean on. Rousey's loss was the more devastating of the two, as it severely altered promotional plans for the game, with her stepping away from the sport for a time and the sense of invincibility which made her a household name vanishing. McGregor at least still has the belt at featherweight.
It's not just McGregor and Rousey who have fallen to the new curse, however. The first EA Sports "UFC," which was released in June 2014, had Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson on the cover. Jones has battled substance abuse and pleaded guilty to hit-and-run. He was stripped of the light heavyweight title and suspended from the promotion in the process. He was even replaced as the face of the UFC mobile game. Gustafsson has lost both of his fights since having appeared on the cover.
With release of the game nearly here, EA Sports will have some work to do in the form of a roster update after the events of UFC 196. Nate Diaz is likely to get rewarded for the victory and move up from his 89 Overall Rating. McGregor, who was fighting at welterweight for the first time, should drop from the 92 he was given for that weight class. Additionally, new women's bantamweight champion Miesha Tate will need to move up from her 90 rating, while Holly Holm should see a signficant drop from the 93 she earned for beating Rousey.
Bryan Wiedey posts sports gaming news and analysis daily at Pastapadre.com, has co-founded the new site HitThePass.com, hosts the Press Row Podcast, and be reached on Twitter @Pastapadre.