MMA General Discussion and Fight Announcements 7.0

[m9]

The ESPN article mentions Fight Pass staying around for now but who knows what the plans are long-term. UFC will obviously make sure the fights are available everywhere so I'm not worried about it. More so just curious if I'll have to re-up my Fight Pass subscription or if they'll just put these events on TSN.

Yeah, it's really early to tell. It's interesting that this ESPN+ news dropped, but the rest is speculation. I just hope the fights aren't spread across 5 platforms - I would love to have them all in one place.

 

[m9]

Except you already agreed earlier in this thread that would be the case:

I would tend to agree but GSP has been saying for many, many years that LW is always viewed as an option for him. I think the only reason he ever moved up to MW was because Michael Bisping became the champ. If he isn't the champ, he never makes that move and perhaps returns at LW. He's also said he has no desire to return to WW, there's nothing there for him.



You could be right. I guess we'll see once they sign their next contract. The $450M they were seeking may have been their way to get out of the PPV model but ooesn't seem like they'll be getting that number in any contract they sign.

I agreed that Conor would be next for GSP after a Diaz fight, yes. I don't think a fight with Diaz is necessary for that to happen though.

If GSP wants to move to 155lbs, that's even more reason for me to want this Diaz fight to be at 170lbs. It will be 5 years since he's even made the cut to 170lbs. Why not make sure he can safely make that weight again before going from 185 to 155 lbs? Again, I just don't get it but I don't think we'll agree on this one.

 

[Peter Griffin]

I agreed that Conor would be next for GSP after a Diaz fight, yes. I don't think a fight with Diaz is necessary for that to happen though.

Which is pretty much what I said originally.

If GSP wants to move to 155lbs, that's even more reason for me to want this Diaz fight to be at 170lbs. It will be 5 years since he's even made the cut to 170lbs. Why not make sure he can safely make that weight again before going from 185 to 155 lbs? Again, I just don't get it but I don't think we'll agree on this one.

If anything I view a GSP/Diaz fight at 155lbs as GSP's and the UFC's way of gauging how a move to 155 would look in order to have him accept a title fight there. Having them fight at 170 is pointless if GSP's ultimate desire is to claim three belts. Sure they could easily just give him a title fight at 155 and nobody would complain, but from the sounds of it this fight with Diaz will be a 3 round fight and that sounds like the perfect way for GSP to not only gauge how he'll feel at 155 but also potentially cash in on a Diaz fight at the same time.

 

[m9]

Which is pretty much what I said originally.

If anything I view a GSP/Diaz fight at 155lbs as GSP's and the UFC's way of gauging how a move to 155 would look in order to have him accept a title fight there. Having them fight at 170 is pointless if GSP's ultimate desire is to claim three belts. Sure they could easily just give him a title fight at 155 and nobody would complain, but from the sounds of it this fight with Diaz will be a 3 round fight and that sounds like the perfect way for GSP to not only gauge how he'll feel at 155 but also potentially cash in on a Diaz fight at the same time.

But in defending this fight you have to bring up even worse things - the fact that this fight will be 3 rounds is brutal. Everyone makes a bunch of money and I'll be watching, but this is about the least interesting option out there for either Nate or GSP.

 

[Peter Griffin]

I don't think the fight makes much sense at all from an entertainment standpoint but I can understand why both fighters and the UFC is interested in. It will make money. And like it or not, the UFC is basically in the business of what sells.

 

[Avs_19]

Another great fight for UFC 227......

 

[MaxV]

Niiice.

 

[Neutrinos]

If/when GSP beats Nate, he'll face Khabib next for the title

The UFC would then hope GSP beats Khabib and they can set up the biggest fight in history - GSP vs McGregor

Losing badly to GSP doesn't hurt McGregor's image as badly as it would if he were to lose to Khabib

 

[m9]

Sounds like Alvarez v Poirer 2 is a go for the UFC on Fox in Calgary on July 28th.

Alvarez v Poirer
Joanna v Tecia Torres
Jose Aldo v Jeremy Stephens

Pretty solid top of the card.

 

[MaxV]

If/when GSP beats Nate, he'll face Khabib next for the title

The UFC would then hope GSP beats Khabib and they can set up the biggest fight in history - GSP vs McGregor

Losing badly to GSP doesn't hurt McGregor's image as badly as it would if he were to lose to Khabib

If Khabib beats GSP his stock would skyrocket. Losing to him them wouldn’t hurt Connor.

Plus, the issues between Conor and Khabib are well publicized, it would be a HUGE draw regardless.

 

[Neutrinos]

If Khabib beats GSP his stock would skyrocket. Losing to him them wouldn’t hurt Connor.

Plus, the issues between Conor and Khabib are well publicized, it would be a HUGE draw regardless.

I don't see that happening, do you?

 

[m9]

If/when GSP beats Nate, he'll face Khabib next for the title

The UFC would then hope GSP beats Khabib and they can set up the biggest fight in history - GSP vs McGregor

Losing badly to GSP doesn't hurt McGregor's image as badly as it would if he were to lose to Khabib

Yeah, this is where I see things headed as well. I do think they will have Khabib defend his title before this, though.

Man, this 155lb division is already a mess and adding GSP and/or Diaz doesn't help.

 

[Peter Griffin]

Another great fight for UFC 227......

Looks like Yair refused this fight, along with a fight against Lamas, and now in typical Dana White fashion has been released by the UFC.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Looks like Yair refused this fight, along with a fight against Lamas, and now in typical Dana White fashion has been released by the UFC.

Sounds like Yair also refused to fight Lamas as well. This is one of those cases where you are still rising through the ranks, you've been off a year, you can't be turning down fights.

 

[m9]

Weird. Would like to see Yair's side, but seems like something that could have been easily fixed.

 

[Avs_19]

Looks like Yair refused this fight, along with a fight against Lamas, and now in typical Dana White fashion has been released by the UFC.

Well, damn. That's unfortunate. It definitely feels like one of the old school Dana White rash decisions. I'm sure he didn't like Yair's tweet but fighters turn down fights on a regular basis and nothing happens. You're going to draw the line with a 25 year old top prospect, who you were just promoting as the next Latin American superstar just a year ago?

 

[Rocko604]

Looks like Dana released Yair simply for the "Fake News" tweet. Yair wanted a tune-up fight after Edgar, which is fair enough, IMO. Putting him up against one of the two of the best in the division doesn't really help bring a prospect along, especially coming off a bad loss.

I don't think this is the last we'll see of it either. If your name isn't Conor or Nate, and you're turning down fights, your days are numbered. Looks like Dana is going back to his "f*** you my friends own the company and made me president" mentality.

 

[Neutrinos]

It looks bad on the UFC for cutting a guy who turned down a couple of fights, while at the same time keeping the guy who threw something through a bus window and cost a couple of fighters their fights

 

[Neutrinos]

Heard Sonnen talking about a possible Bisping vs Nick Diaz fight

I'd be down for that!

 

[dss97]

So why exactly is Kongo not in the Bellator Heavyweight tourney? Thought he was retired, but just found out he won tonight by KO.

 

[m9]

So why exactly is Kongo not in the Bellator Heavyweight tourney? Thought he was retired, but just found out he won tonight by KO.

Because the 8 guys in there are more marketable.

 

[I am the Liquor]

So why exactly is Kongo not in the Bellator Heavyweight tourney? Thought he was retired, but just found out he won tonight by KO.

Because he can only beat cans.

 

[dss97]

Because he can only beat cans.

Chael is in the tournament

 

[LSCII]

It looks bad on the UFC for cutting a guy who turned down a couple of fights, while at the same time keeping the guy who threw something through a bus window and cost a couple of fighters their fights

No it doesn't. Yair is simply not a big draw. Most casual fans don't know who he is, whereas everyone in the world knows who McGregor is. The UFC also isn't stupid enough to dump a guy that brings in more money than everyone else on the roster, regardless of him being a complete asshat.

 

[m9]

No it doesn't. Yair is simply not a big draw. Most casual fans don't know who he is, whereas everyone in the world knows who McGregor is. The UFC also isn't stupid enough to dump a guy that brings in more money than everyone else on the roster, regardless of him being a complete asshat.

Exactly. I wonder what year people will understand that people get treated differently based on what they can bring to the company they work for and that is perfectly okay.