Cruz may have a broken hand and is possibly medically suspended until Dec. 30th
set up Demetrious Johnson vs. Brian Bowles, and there's your #1 contender
NO
the only one who has earned a shot at the title is BOWLES
UFC 132 should have been his shot, not Faber's. Faber had done nothing at 135 to warrant a title shot. He was a poster boy that sold tickets, and had a win over Cruz. He lost. Get over it.
caposa - Cruz may have a broken hand and is possibly medically suspended until Dec. 30th
set up Demetrious Johnson vs. Brian Bowles, and there's your #1 contender
Good fight for the fans, bad fight for both guys, IMO. Brian shouldn't have to prove himself yet again...but if there is an injury to Cruz then I get it. He should stay busy. I'd rathing see him fight Pickett in that case though. I think Bowles would beat Demetrius fairly easily. Bowles would gain very little -- he's already the best 135'er without the title. He would lose plenty if he lost. Demetrius should beat another top 5 guy and IF he wins be the next guy in line, or let him go rule 125lbs if they ever bring that division in.
Bowles has beat Page and Mizugaki since being FINISHED BY CRUZ..
Faber would beat Page and he finished Mizugaki
Bowles looked like e didn't even want to finish the Mizugaki fight, his corner were yelling at him in between rounds saying fuck the hand be a champion here!!
Faber fought 4 fucking rounds with broken hands against Mike Brown!!
If Faber who already beat Cruz and lost a very close decision doesn't deserve a shot then Bowles doesn't 
Bowles is not the best 135er without the title. Benavidez is.
Bowles/Johnson is the natural fight to make if Cruz is going to be out for a while.
Morgz - Good fight for the fans, bad fight for both guys, IMO. Brian shouldn't have to prove himself yet again...but if there is an injury to Cruz then I get it. He should stay busy. I'd rathing see him fight Pickett in that case though. I think Bowles would beat Demetrius fairly easily. Bowles would gain very little -- he's already the best 135'er without the title. He would lose plenty if he lost. Demetrius should beat another top 5 guy and IF he wins be the next guy in line, or let him go rule 125lbs if they ever bring that division in.I don't think a number 1 contender fight would be too much to ask for
Mighty Mouse has gone on a very impressive run lately with wins over Damacio Page, Nick Pace, Kid Yamamoto. and Miguel Torres.. I think he would be more than deserving of a title shot right now, I feel like that list of names is just as, if not MORE impressive than Bowles two recent wins over Page and Mizugaki
You would be killing two birds with one stone. Bowles needs another fight to stay busy and it would be another top 5 opponent for Johnson. Plus you would determine the true number 1 contender.
I think it makes sense and I'm willing to bet that it happens this fall
Benavidez is the one stuck in limbo after losing to Cruz twice, set up Pickett/Benavidez to keep both guys facing top competition
Faber vs. Scott Jorgensen or Renan Barao sounds good too
I think Benavidez is more deserving than Demetrius. Again, it's just my opinion. But if Cruz is hurt, and Joseph gets by Wineland, then maybe Bowles vs Benavidez is in order.
Put Demitrius against Pickett for future contendor spot
Morgz - I think Benavidez is more deserving than Demetrius. Again, it's just my opinion. But if Cruz is hurt, and Joseph gets by Wineland, then maybe Bowles vs Benavidez is in order.
Put Demitrius against Pickett for future contendor spot
Benavidez just had a shot and Cruz has tossed him aside easily twice. No thanks.
No need to bring up the split decision either, that fight wasn't close.
caposa - Cruz may have a broken hand and is possibly medically suspended until Dec. 30th
set up Demetrious Johnson vs. Brian Bowles, and there's your #1 contender
I agree
caposa -Morgz - Good fight for the fans, bad fight for both guys, IMO. Brian shouldn't have to prove himself yet again...but if there is an injury to Cruz then I get it. He should stay busy. I'd rathing see him fight Pickett in that case though. I think Bowles would beat Demetrius fairly easily. Bowles would gain very little -- he's already the best 135'er without the title. He would lose plenty if he lost. Demetrius should beat another top 5 guy and IF he wins be the next guy in line, or let him go rule 125lbs if they ever bring that division in.
Benavidez is the one stuck in limbo after losing to Cruz twice, set up Pickett/Benavidez to keep both guys facing top competition
Didn't read this before making my last post. Benavidez vs Pickett would also be good. I guess I'm just not quite as impressed with Demetrius as some of you are. I was up until the Torres fight. He looked good, but not champion good. I thought Torres won the fight, but then again I'm partial to a BJJ game, and Torres was stellar off his back.
I also thought Torres won that but have still been very impressed with Johnson. I was hoping the WEC was gonna pick him up when he was 5-0 after seeing highlights of him on Inside MMA, so I have been a fan for a while. Any combination of those match ups would be good in my opinion, I just dont think Bowles should leap frog over Johnson after a somewhat close fight with Mizugaki.
Fair enough. I wouldn't consider it leap frogging over someone you are already ahead of, but I think we just disagree here. Demetrius definately does not suck, and has proven to be a top 5 (top 3?) guy for sure. I'm also partial to Bowles maybe in the same way you are to Demetrius.
edit: I think it's also safe to say pretty much everyone agrees that Cruz-Faber 3 is a bad idea.
1 reason not to: There are many tough, tough guys in that weight class and I don't want to see them fight again.
In the distant future, if Cruz and Faber drub out all other competition which is unlikely, then have the rubber-rubber match. For now the feud is anemic.
Urijah isnt asking for a rematch for a very good reason...
He knows if he loses that essentially ends the upside of his career. I doubt he can cut to 125.
Obviously, if he loses to someone else at 135 that could also hurt but he'll always have that 1-1 argument against cruz he can always work back to.
If you take that away he's essentially done.
MMALOGIC - Urijah isnt asking for a rematch for a very good reason...
He knows if he loses that essentially ends the upside of his career. I doubt he can cut to 125.
Obviously, if he loses to someone else at 135 that could also hurt but he'll always have that 1-1 argument against cruz he can always work back to.
If you take that away he's essentially done.
Wat? He keeps losing title shots and keeps getting more, he's a made man...Let's send him to SF to fight the Coenen/Tate winner.
LONG LIVE UNDESERVED FABER TITLE SHOTS!!!!!
the dickensian aspect imo
How on earth does cruz break a hand throwing pillows? He has absolutely no power and on top of that his hand breaks...
The judges should be awarding points to his opponents for every punch Dominick lands because his hand incurs more damage than the other guys chin.
JeffersonDArcyChoke - If you think Cruz vs Faber is on par with Shamrock vs Ortiz; I simply don't believe you.
Faber will not be the star UFC wants him to be.
Sorry.
0-4 in title fights.
This would be like giving Wandy a title fight each time our cause "The Axe Murderer" would be such a star with the belt.
Guess what?
In a real sport, Leben retires Wandy (or should) and Faber never becomes the butt chinned king of putting butts in seats like a mini GSP.
He is 32. It won't get easier for him.
The UFC forgets to mention how Mike Brown beat his ass TWICE.
And.....
...../Thread. ^
jjj2121 - Faber loses title decisively to Brown
- beats clearly faded Jens Pulver
Faber loses rematch decisively to Brown
- beats noncontender Raphael Assuncao
Faber loses title match decisively to Aldo, drops to 135
- beats noncontender Mizugeki
- beats noncontender Wineland
Faber loses title match decisively to Cruz
Enough.
I know! He isn't a rock, and the belt isn't a wall.
No matter how many times they THROW him at a title shot, he still isn't gonna get it.
Barao is getting overlooked a bit here. Dude has won 26 straight fights. At this point he should he should be ahead of Pickett and maybe even Torres in the running.