This is what needs to change in this game for EA UFC 6.

So here are my credentials just in case you question anything I'm about to say. But I am human and I am biased. So there's that.

I've been playing MMA games since the original UFC on Dreamcast, then UFC throwdown on Gamecube, then every MMA game since Undisputed 2009. I've also been a competitive gamer in other game types (RTS, MMOs, MOBAs).

I started in BJJ in 2006. Muay Thai/Kickboxing/MMA in 2008. Competed as an amateur in MMA, Muay Thai, and Kickboxing. Placed in several SoCal BJJ tournaments. Currently a Muay Thai instructor.

In terms of the game itself from a combat sports practitioner mindset:

The Frostbite engine is garbage. Not every strike that lands needs an animation that can't be broken. Sometimes a body kick lands in RL that does damage, but doesn't cause the person to **bleep**. Same thing with head strikes, though the head will move if struck, it sometimes wouldn't be significant. The fact that these animations are tied to a strike loses the dynamic of intense fighting inside the pocket, as well as being able to counter from the outside. Also, the grappling is obviously lacking, there are WAY more possible positions to get into, but configuring the human body into a video game for MMA has always been a challenge. The submission system took several steps back. The mini-game with the analog sticks is about as close as we can get to real life submissions. However, the 2009 method of button mashing is also realistic in that someone can just try and power out of a submission rather than technique out of it.

I know that Undisputed 2009 put a bad taste in the mouths of competitive players due to the flash KOs, but that's part of MMA. Because it's a video game, they were trying to make it an eSport, so they didn't want someone who was more skilled to necessarily lose to flash KO, so we have the systems we have had since 2010, basically just an energy bar. I've said this before, there's no way a human being under 170 lbs can eat an Edson Barboza flying knee and not at the very least be knocked down semi-concussed. EA has yet to make the game an eSport, so who cares if you get flash KOd after dominating for 4 rounds, that's the beauty of the sport.

TLDR:

1. Strike response animations should not be absolute and make the game feel more like Street Fighter than a sports game.
2. Grappling positions and submissions need work.
3. Flash KOs need to be more frequent based on the strikes and the individual.

In terms of the game from a gamers perspective:

The ranked system is garbage. Being forced into playing a weight class is not fun. I didn't pay money to play flyweight ranked. Instead of one ranking division, make one for each weight class. If somebody doesn't want to play ranked Flyweight, why make them. In Street Fighter, you are not forced to play Ken. You play what you want. In the weight class ranked system, if anyone uses a 5 star fighter, they are not allowed to rank up.

For higher end ranked play, if they still want to utilize the stupid forced weight class thing, at least allow a draft system like they do in MOBAs. IE: Before the fight, have the players agree on a weight class, and each fighter gets to pick 2 fighters that NEITHER player are allowed to play as. This will eliminate the 14 year old incels who always play Ilia, Max, Sean O'Malley, and Pereira. They do this in competitive MOBAs and Rainbow Six Seige.

Finally, have your overall ranking tied to the overall score of the fighters you chose. If you win fights with an overall average of 90, you should be ranking higher than a similar player with a similar record with an overall average of 95.

By the way, the 5 star system is garbage. Go back to 100 scale. Every other sports game uses it and it's much easier. And besides, they already use the 100 scale for attributes. Just make it simple:

IE: Overall: 95. Striking: 97 Grappling 90. Health: 92. EA does the same thing with sports teams, like in NHL, they have overall, offense, defense, and goalie.

TLDR:

1. Ranked should be by weight class. 5 star fighters grant no rank up points.
2. For higher end rankings, you can do the current setup, but with a draft so players can't just spam 5 star OP fighters.
3. Go to 100 scale for fighter overall ratings.

Honorable mentions:

1. Glory Mode. Stand and bang in a ring with limited clinching, get some glory fighters in there, it's not that expensive.
2. Bring back pride mode. I have no idea why this hasn't come back. Could you imagine how much more popular this game would be watching people on Twitch getting soccer kicked?

I know there's other issues with the game I haven't mentioned. These are just the big ones that stand out.

For those of you that may disagree with my stance on flash KOs, remember, when Undisputed 2009 came out, the BIGGEST request was for an MMA game to finally institute flash KOs. Funny thing is, the math was perfect, flash KOs in the 2009 game only occurred if you made a mistake, and in MMA, making a mistake is easy. That's the sport. Flash KOs are a cornerstone of the sport, and the fact that this game doesn't allow you to flash KO somebody is quite frankly embarrassing. I get it that it's a video game, but once again, there's elements in other sports that don't translate well in video games, rarely are those elements taken out because a gamer doesn't want to lose. Quite frankly, I feel like having more flash KOs will keep people playing because there is always a chance you can win.