DrPhilG wrote: » Signing to fight Dos Anjos was the first time. He chose to chase the lightweight belt instead of defending the featherweight one. That time was somewhat acceptable though given that he had a shot at history. This is his second time failing to defend the featherweight belt except this time it is for a completely meaningless fight.
Devastator wrote: » Aldo/Edgar is not the co-main. So there is going to be another title fight...keeping with the bellator theme it could be Tank Abbott Vs Miesha Tate :pac::pac: Seriously now....Lawlor v Conduit rematch? Tate v Holm/RR(I think they'll want to keep RR for a separate ppv IF she comes back). RDA v Alvarez?
TimRiggins wrote: » No it wasn't. McGregor was taking a fight in a time space that the only two contenders for a belt couldn't fight him. That isn't refusing to defend your belt, It's trying to make history. It wasn't somewhat acceptable, It's completely acceptable for a man to try and hold two belts at the same time. Its a meaningless fight for everyone except for Conor. He wants to fight Nate again. Granted, I'd like to see him fight Frankie, he brings in the numbers, and what are the UFC going to do? Tell him he can't fight Nate? What if he refuses to fight anyone then? UFC 200 goes down the ****ter and struggles to do 800k+ PPV buys. As I said, I would have liked to see him fight Frankie, but I think its commendable that he basically is taking the toughest fight he can, against the only guy in the UFC to beat him. You post here regularly enough, you're a knowledgeable guy on the sport. Surprised at your reaction to be honest.
Swashbuckler wrote: » 100% RDA will be added to 200 and fight the winner of Ferguson v Khabib. Nice little backup for the UFC if Diaz gets injured then Conor slots in for the 155 belt vs RDA.
TimRiggins wrote: » Doubtful. If RDA is going to fight anyone at 200 it'll probably be Eddie Alvarez. End of April is probably just cutting it abit short of the winner of that one.
Swashbuckler wrote: » I really don't understand how people don't get why lads are pissed off that the FW champ is fit and healthy and is fighting two divisions up on a card where two guys are fighting for an interim belt in his division. Don't get me wrong I get why it's happening but I think if he's fit and healthy then defend the belt or drop it. This whole interim title thing is nonsense.
Gamebred wrote: » Nobody gave a rats ass about the 145 division before Conor came along now people like you are crying for it to be defended like its going on a year or something.
TimRiggins wrote: » No it wasn't. McGregor was taking a fight in a time space that the only two contenders for a belt couldn't fight him.
TimRiggins wrote: » Its a meaningless fight for everyone except for Conor. He wants to fight Nate again. I think its commendable that he basically is taking the toughest fight he can, against the only guy in the UFC to beat him. You post here regularly enough, you're a knowledgeable guy on the sport. Surprised at your reaction to be honest.
DrPhilG wrote: » I can't find the exact details, but as far as I remember when the rumours of RDA started, both Edgar and Aldo were campaigning for the fight. Edgar picked up an injury later that meant he couldn't step up at 196. Aldo was not fit but if he had been booked for a rematch he could have been. When McGregor signed on the dotted line to face RDA, there were options for him to defend at FW. He chose to fight for the LW title instead, which as I say is perfectly understandable. I think it's commendable that he wants to avenge a defeat. But I think he should earn that rematch. Not just demand it because he knows he has a lot of clout. He is taking the fight because of his ego. The UFC are agreeing to it because it is a money maker. Neither of those things mean that the fight makes sense for the sport.
TimRiggins wrote: » Whatever about Frankie, No way could Aldo have competed, wouldn't have been medically cleared, and AFAIK Frankie tore his MRI in early-mid January so you can't say he refused the fight.
TimRiggins wrote: » Yeah, well cutting Jared Rosholt doesn't make sense for the sport either, but the UFC is a ratings driven organisation. It wouldn't suprise me in the slightest if McGregor is planning on getting the Diaz fight back and then fight Frankie in MSG
darced wrote: » This post has been deleted.
DrPhilG wrote: » Arguing this point is futile. Whether Aldo or Edgar were able to fight is moot. Holloway, Mendes, someone would have stepped up to face Conor for the belt at FW. But I don't deny that he made the right choice to take on RDA.
DrPhilG wrote: » An interim title is being created, not due to injury, but because the champion wouldn't be arsed defending his belt. And then that interim title fight has to sit further down the card to a non title fight, with no realistic title implications, which involves the very same champion who wouldn't be arsed!
DrPhilG wrote: » A UFC is not a bucket list item, like you just tick it off when it's achieved and move on to something else. Every champion should defend their title. And by the time Conor next defends the title it will be going on a year.
evil_seed wrote: » McGregor has been quoted as saying something along the lines of "I'll be a fighting champion" Well that's just not happening. The RDA fight can be excused as he wanted the 10lbs heavier belt. He is allowed that one IMO as he was the champ below and eventhough it's rare in UFC, it's been done in boxing plenty of times and strikeforce. But to now not defend it having already lost at 170 is inexcusable with 2 legit no1 contenders available and now fighting each other on the same card. It's a joke at this stage and there is no integrity in these "titles" the fighters hold anymore
Gamebred wrote: » If its a ''joke'' why dont you and the rest of the people slating the main event vote with your feet and not watch it? of course you wont you'll support the match making by tuning in.
Gamebred wrote: » So what? what difference is a few months to your life when he defends it? stop crying about it and deal with the fact UFC dont care about anything other than maximizing profits,title fights are fairytale stuff offer the fighters a title fight or a fight for 15 million and lets see what they pick.
Utopia Parkway wrote: » Do people actually care about the belts? I think history has shown that people care about big fights between big characters. The belts are just a prop. UFC know this too. If a big fight happens to be for a belt it's a nice bonus but I don't think having a belt on the line means a damn thing for PPV sales. It's the characters involved that sell the fights.
Devastator wrote: » I just want to check, so you're upset at McGregor for wanting to avenge a loss but you think he should have fought Holloway or Mendes(giving them chance to avenge a loss) for the belt who he had already, pretty convincingly enough, beaten?
DrPhilG wrote: » Stop being facetious. I'm saying that a champion should always defend his belt if he is fit and able an there are legitimate contenders. Mendes was beaten, but he would have been a legitimate contender as his previous loss was at short notice. Holloway would have been a legitimate contender because he is on a tear in the division and his previous McGregor fight was years ago. Those fights being rematches is irrelevant. The fact is there were deserving contenders and he chose not to fight them. And in that instance I agree, which you seem to have conveniently forgotten.
