The in-octagon stuff is good, the rest not so much
I'll get the bad stuff out of the way and then move onto the good part. Navigating menus, in all modes it seems, is what I would describe as sluggish. Maybe I've played too many other games but I'm used to a bit more fluidity in navigating. Things seems to take a second longer than they should in moving between things. There are also numerous menus for e-mail in Career mode in which have to be "Backed" way more than necessary.
The load times are also a little long, not really too long but when combined with an overly long save mode, it just seems a little ridiculous. I know for a fact that when something gets saved I see at least 4 different messages about the progress and not just that it's this or that percentage, just what tasks are being done. There's just no need.
While Create-a-Fighter mode is nice to have, long load times for the almost every element, along with the aforementioned multiple menus, make it considerably less enjoyable. I don't necessarily agree with Gamespot's assessement that it is simplistic compared to other modes in comparable games. My biggest problem is the load times and redundant menus.
The outside ring elements of Career Mode need refinement. It seems to be way too simplistic. Improving your base stats is a matter of selecting the appropriate thing you want to work on and then hitting a button or two to confirm you selection. Sure you can spar but what I really want is an opportunity to slip into a training mode type of situation where you could practice specific things rather than just playing a shortened round; not to say that is a bad thing. It's a shame that this part of the game is like this.
That said, there are good things to the game, namely the in-ring action. The entire experience, from prefight setup to in-ring introductions to the actual fight, is authentic to the UFC and its programming. I cannot say enough good things about it. They've got Bruce Buffer doing in-ring introductions and Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg doing commentary. True some of the commentary becomes repetitive but this is a fighting game based on something with commentary; there's only so many lines that can get recorded.
I'll admit I wasn't so sure of the game's control mechanics when I first heard of them. However now that I've played for a while I can understand why the developers did things the way they did. I've gotten used to striking system but the grappling system still eludes me. It'll take time to get used to it and I can see the developers why the developers did things the way they did.
With all of that said, the aforementioned problems stop me from giving this game a higher score. I want to but the problems are just too annoying and ever present. However the developers nailed the in-ring experience and because of that I would be among the first in line were they to make another game like this. It's a good first showing for the 360 and PS3 for a UFC game. All they need to do is refine the out-of-ring elements, streamline them and reduce load times. The game's almost there but not quite