This all comes down to $$$ for the UFC. They don’t care about who’s earned the shot or protecting the sanctity of the belt. It’s all about building the brand and keep the cash in their pockets rather than the fighters. Even if it means less PPV buys on a particular show.
As a fan I want to see the big fights. Pay the man!
I always thought GSP fights were mostly boring, only exciting because of his streak of winning, often in lay and pray, not always though. He’s the legend in my mind like the press seems to think he is.
Gsp deserves anything and everything he wants he'll make them stupid money again just like he always has. Gsp being champ gives the belt way more coverage and prestige than anyone else ever could anyway.
What a huge mistake... Khabib never fights anyway and is becoming increasingly difficult to work with. The fight was a win / win for the UFC. If GSP won, the strap is off Khabib and you can move the division along after GSP makes history and brings a ton of attention to the sport. If Khabib wins, his legend grows and he continues to be this undefeated destroyer of all and brings a ton of attention to the sport.
Instead, Dana “wins” and nobody gives a fuck.
And in my opinion MW hasn’t suffered AT ALL after GSP / Bisping and we got that awesome fight. I can’t believe the owners let Dana screw this up for them.
Jones right nostril -BJ Penn Forever -Jones right nostril -Nah fuck that, GSP is a once in a generation fighter, I want to see him fight the best new kids in the block. There’s nothing more exciting than that imo.
Guys like Tony and Dustin will get their chance eventually, but they’re not “transcendent” stars like GSP and never will be. GSP vs khabib would be like Jordan vs Kobe.
Tony is 10-0 at LW over the past five years. GSP is 1-0 at MW in that same time.
Crazy to think he gets to skip over Tony.
Did not look all that transcendent vs Hendricks five years ago either.
One of the GOATS for sure but to think he gets it over Tony in 2019 is crazy.
You’re missing the point, everyone including me knows that today, Tony SHOULD be the next in line and has earned a title shot. But mega fights like GSP vs Khabib don’t come around often. When you’ve got a guy who is widely considered the goat wanting to fight the guy who many consider the most dominant guy of current times, you do it. No ifs or buts about it.
Tony vs Khabib is always going to be there after, just gotta wait a little longer for it.
It’s like if GSP wanted to fight Silva back in the day and people are like, nah I’d rather have one of them fight XYZ. Like WTF, you make the fight.
Only reason not to make this fight is long term business and you are scared GSP wins and retires which makes Khabib look bad.
If they book Tony vs Khabib for the fall, this will be the fifth time this fight has been made with both of them withdrawing twice in the past.
So GSP get denied for a fight that has already fallen through for a historic number of times.
Someone here says UFC was trying to do Max vs Tony for an interim title, I guess they felt either way the winner would be an acceptable challenger for Khabib.
da Vinci 81 -I’m a gsp fan but I can see things from the UFC’s side. I also think the ufc lets champions get away with too few title defenses and taking so much time off, so if they would clamp down on that shit holding divisions up for these one off title shots wouldn’t be as big a deal as it is.
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Khabib has talked about retiring, and that he only wants a couple more UFC fights. If that’s the case, and he wants to vacate the title, and fight GSP at a catch weight, fine…go for it. If he’s only planning on a couple more fights, and wants to sit out for a few months longer than his 9 month suspension because he’s upset that his boys are suspended that long, vacate and fight GSP…fine.
Khabib is one of my favorite guys to watch, I’m a huge fan…but I’m a huge fan of seeing him fight.
I 100% agree with the UFC that they can’t hold up the 155 pound division any longer. They did it for Conor, and if Khabib got his way, it’d be at least 18 months before he fought a contender at 155…and fuck, if GSP won, he’d just vacate the belt again. Considering that a big part of how guys go from making $150K a fight to over a million is PPV points for championship fights. It’s not fair to the rest of the division.
Let’s stop pretending that the UFC is not a for-profit company and that they only have the fans in mind.
GSP vs Khabib would most definitely make money, but it’s not a good long term investment. GSP would likely win that fight, and then retire. That diminishes Khabib’s value, weakens another division, and doesn’t even create a new star the UFC can profit from in the future. Basically, without having GSP sign a multi-fight contract he would be able to go out on top and take value away from the UFC. That makes no business sense at all.
MrColdCock -This all comes down to $$$ for the UFC. They don’t care about who’s earned the shot or protecting the sanctity of the belt. It’s all about building the brand and keep the cash in their pockets rather than the fighters. Even if it means less PPV buys on a particular show.
As a fan I want to see the big fights. Pay the man!
Pay GSP whatever he wants to fight whomever he wants.
Dana has shit on GSP for his entire career. GSP has done nothing but deliver and has earned whatever he asks for.
In the era where Henry Cejudo vs TJ Dillashaw is a “super fight” I think GSP has more than earned the right to jump the queue
wiggum -MrColdCock -This all comes down to $$$ for the UFC. They don’t care about who’s earned the shot or protecting the sanctity of the belt. It’s all about building the brand and keep the cash in their pockets rather than the fighters. Even if it means less PPV buys on a particular show.
As a fan I want to see the big fights. Pay the man!
Pay GSP whatever he wants to fight whomever he wants.
Dana has shit on GSP for his entire career. GSP has done nothing but deliver and has earned whatever he asks for.
UFC has never let an inactive guy step in front of a guy on a run like Tony is on though for a title shot. GSP did great things in the past but to give it to him while 1-0 in the past five years over Tony who is 10-0 in the past five years would just be crazy.
I’d love to see Khabib vs GSP but not under all these special conditions GSP has created.
Anderson was gonna get another shot because he has been active when not injured or USADAed, fighting lesser names like Brunson and Adysanya. Hendo got his shot for the same reason, he was active, working with the promotion.
GSP has wanted everything his way for five years. He just pushed for too much special treatment.
BJ Penn Forever -wiggum -MrColdCock -This all comes down to $$$ for the UFC. They don’t care about who’s earned the shot or protecting the sanctity of the belt. It’s all about building the brand and keep the cash in their pockets rather than the fighters. Even if it means less PPV buys on a particular show.
As a fan I want to see the big fights. Pay the man!
Pay GSP whatever he wants to fight whomever he wants.
Dana has shit on GSP for his entire career. GSP has done nothing but deliver and has earned whatever he asks for.
UFC has never let an inactive guy step in front of a guy on a run like Tony is on though for a title shot. GSP did great things in the past but to give it to him while 1-0 in the past five years over Tony who is 10-0 in the past five years would just be crazy.
I’d love to see Khabib vs GSP but not under all these special conditions GSP has created.
Anderson was gonna get another shot because he has been active when not injured or USADAed, fighting lesser names like Brunson and Adysanya. Hendo got his shot for the same reason, he was active, working with the promotion.
GSP has wanted everything his way for five years. He just pushed for too much special treatment.
You can’t look at the legitimacy of Tony’s shot in isolation.
If legitimacy mattered, Tony would be fighting Dustin for the belt. Not Tony and Max. If legitimacy mattered, Conor would have fought Frankie Edgar at some point. If legitimacy mattered, Cody wouldn’t have gotten a rematch but Stipe would have.
Legitimacy only matters when it fits Dana’s agenda.
wiggum -BJ Penn Forever -wiggum -MrColdCock -This all comes down to $$$ for the UFC. They don’t care about who’s earned the shot or protecting the sanctity of the belt. It’s all about building the brand and keep the cash in their pockets rather than the fighters. Even if it means less PPV buys on a particular show.
As a fan I want to see the big fights. Pay the man!
Pay GSP whatever he wants to fight whomever he wants.
Dana has shit on GSP for his entire career. GSP has done nothing but deliver and has earned whatever he asks for.
UFC has never let an inactive guy step in front of a guy on a run like Tony is on though for a title shot. GSP did great things in the past but to give it to him while 1-0 in the past five years over Tony who is 10-0 in the past five years would just be crazy.
I’d love to see Khabib vs GSP but not under all these special conditions GSP has created.
Anderson was gonna get another shot because he has been active when not injured or USADAed, fighting lesser names like Brunson and Adysanya. Hendo got his shot for the same reason, he was active, working with the promotion.
GSP has wanted everything his way for five years. He just pushed for too much special treatment.
You can’t look at the legitimacy of Tony’s shot in isolation.
If legitimacy mattered, Tony would be fighting Dustin for the belt. Not Tony and Max. If legitimacy mattered, Conor would have fought Frankie Edgar at some point. If legitimacy mattered, Cody wouldn’t have gotten a rematch but Stipe would have.
Legitimacy only matters when it fits Dana’s agenda.
I agree legitimacy and merit only matters when it fits Dana’s agenda. No argument there.
^^That’s why I can’t “side with the UFC” even if I see an argument that Tony v. Khabib is the fight to make.
Two options that I would support:
(1) Tony v. Khabib. GSP fights Khabib if he wins.
(2) Tony v. Dustin for the REAL BELT. Khabib relinquishes the belt to fight GSP at a catch weight. Khabib goes back down to fight the new champion.
This thread has made me realise what a disaster the division is. Conor/Khabib/Dustin/Tony/Cerrone/Al all in limbo with no fights on the horizon. Not sure who’s to blame for that as i’m sure there’s issues from both sides but it fucking sucks for fans.
Honestly GSP deserves any spot he wants way more than conner. GsP in my opinion is the MMA GOAT!!! UNLIKE fedor, silva, and jones theres no questions if performance enhancement drugs played into his reign.
Jones right nostril - This thread has made me realise what a disaster the division is. Conor/Khabib/Dustin/Tony/Cerrone/Al all in limbo with no fights on the horizon. Not sure who's to blame for that as i'm sure there's issues from both sides but it fucking sucks for fans.
Its only the deepest division in the history of the UFC. Who cares that its not functioning. Just enjoy some WMMA instead.