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- Jun 16, 2014
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One thing I haven't seen discussed much that really should be highlighted are the risks that Bellator is currently running by allowing three incumbent champions fighters to chase titles outside of their weight classes.
Bader, the LHW champion, is likely to win the HW Grand Prix.
MacDonald, the WW champion, could win the MW title next month.
Caldwell, the BW champion, is clearly being prepped for a FW title fight.
I'm not predicting that all three of these individuals will succeed. For example, I favour Mousasi over Rory, due to size and style. Although, that said, Rory winning is certainly possible, despite some people on the forum having a fetish for Moose. The point is that Bellator, by following the UFC's recent fascination with weight-class jumping, is looking at utter chaos. In principle, of Bellator's seven men's divisions, six of the titles could be held by just three men.
If someone becomes a champ-champ, either (i) they keep both belts, in which case the realities of how long it takes to prepare for a fight and then recover mean that two divisions will slow to a crawl or (ii) they vacate one of the belts, thus ensuring that whoever becomes the new champion in that division lacks legitimacy.
Either way, that is hardly a good outcome for Bellator. They have a lot of TV shows to fill out, and need title defences to headline them. They also need viewers to take their champions seriously if they are to really make progress as a company.
This smacks of the short-termism that has been the hallmark of WME decision-making over in Las Vegas.
Bader, the LHW champion, is likely to win the HW Grand Prix.
MacDonald, the WW champion, could win the MW title next month.
Caldwell, the BW champion, is clearly being prepped for a FW title fight.
I'm not predicting that all three of these individuals will succeed. For example, I favour Mousasi over Rory, due to size and style. Although, that said, Rory winning is certainly possible, despite some people on the forum having a fetish for Moose. The point is that Bellator, by following the UFC's recent fascination with weight-class jumping, is looking at utter chaos. In principle, of Bellator's seven men's divisions, six of the titles could be held by just three men.
If someone becomes a champ-champ, either (i) they keep both belts, in which case the realities of how long it takes to prepare for a fight and then recover mean that two divisions will slow to a crawl or (ii) they vacate one of the belts, thus ensuring that whoever becomes the new champion in that division lacks legitimacy.
Either way, that is hardly a good outcome for Bellator. They have a lot of TV shows to fill out, and need title defences to headline them. They also need viewers to take their champions seriously if they are to really make progress as a company.
This smacks of the short-termism that has been the hallmark of WME decision-making over in Las Vegas.