Media F Edwards: Belal may deserve Leon fight, but the fight game isn't fair

[World eater]

Casual takes should be reserved for Reddit or Twitter. Here, we should at least pretend that this is a sport. Belal is next, Leon already had an easy title defense against that american nerd virgin.

 

[Harlekin]

Belal is 3 years older, smaller and landed nothing significant in their first fight.
Belal had problems with an injured and 1 armed old Burns

Edwards beat Usman twice and Colby

 

[JKS]

Casual takes should be reserved for Reddit or Twitter. Here, we should at least pretend that this is a sport. Belal is next, Leon already had an easy title defense against that american nerd virgin.

I don't think this is a casual take at all. I think it's pretty honest and the reality of the business and that's exactly what Fabian is saying. Like it or not, no one wants to see the Belal fight and it's the reason why the fight hasn't been booked. And for Leon, it's not a big fight at all for the reasons mentioned. They want bigger fights.

People talk about this not being a "sport" for those reasons, I don't think this applies, particularly in this case. If it comes down to the best fighting the best and if Leon fights Shavkat or Khamzat before Belal, which are more dangerous fights, he is fighting the best. Belal would be nothing more than a rudimentary title defense that he would easily win.

 

[World eater]

I don't think this is a casual take at all. I think it's pretty honest and the reality of the business and that's exactly what Fabian is saying. Like it or not, no one wants to see the Belal fight and it's the reason why the fight hasn't been booked. And for Leon, it's not a big fight at all for the reasons mentioned. They want bigger fights.

People talk about this not being a "sport" for those reasons, I don't think this applies, particularly in this case. If it comes down to the best fighting the best and if Leon fights Shavkat or Khamzat before Belal, which are more dangerous fights, he is fighting the best. Belal would be nothing more than a rudimentary title defense that he would easily win.

Right. You mean just like a couple years ago when Leon couldn’t get a TS because he was boring and Usman had bigger fights rematching Colby and Mas? Oh the irony. The Edwards family should know better because Leon was in the same position Belal is now. Every prospect will be a more interesting fight than Belal, but if anyone has earned it it’s him.

 

[JKS]

Right. You mean just like a couple years ago when Leon couldn’t get a TS because he was boring and Usman had bigger fights rematching Colby and Mas? Oh the irony. The Edwards family should know better because Leon was in the same position Belal is now. Every prospect will be a more interesting fight than Belal, but if anyone has earned it it’s him.

Listen man, like I said this is just the reality of the sport. Leon may have been in the same position, but now he's not and these guys are going to look after themselves and do what's best for their careers.

The thing about this whole scenario that really can't be bad on Leon is that if he takes other fights, he's talking more difficult fights. If he books Shavkat or Khamzat next, those are more dangerous fights. It's one thing to fight an easier opponent that's a bigger fights like Usman did with Masvidal 2, but Leon would be taking a harder fight vs an opponent that deserves it just as much.

Does Belal really deserve it more than Shavkat??

 

[AmonTobin]

Now that Jack beat Gilbert the way he did, I think UFC will put him ahead of Belal. The fight game is unfair to the guys that don't have model good looks, or exciting fights.
I have to admit I'm becoming keen on the idea of better performances against same competition carrying a fighter further than simply stringing decision wins together.
Ie: Belal-Burns (decision) < JDM-Burns finish. Belal's win streak doesn't impress as much when comparing him to guys like Shavkat, JDM, even Machado Garry.

 

[Zanmato]

Edwards is not fan friendly. He will never really be the A side of a fight (and if he is it will be a lower case 'a') so he needs fights booked with a more marketable opponent. Very few people outside of a few forum purists are really clamouring
to see him Vs Belal

if you want purity of title, introduce mandatory challengers a la boxing otherwise let the guys chase exciting matchups

 

[Mike]

This isn't a meritocracy. Best case scenario is when the best fighter is also a great finisher, so they organically get a shot. guys like Belal show there is a level of boring you can reach where they will basically make you win 20 in a row. And ne has no fans so it's not like anyone is gonna pressure the ufc to give him a shot.

At a certain point it's their own fault to a degree for knowing how the game works and adamantly refusing to be entertaining.

 

[Motivated BJ Penn]

Just give Shavkat the shot.

 

[World eater]

Does Belal really deserve it more than Shavkat??

Yes. He took out Wonderboy, Luque, Brady and Burns in a row. If that doesn’t get you a title shot, then why fight at all? Maybe the UFC should just stop signing fighters like Belal. I wouldn’t mind, to be perfectly honest. Belal is boring me to tears. But so is Leon and so was Colby.
Maybe things improve after Shavkat gets the belt.

 

[JKS]

Yes. He took out Wonderboy, Luque, Brady and Burns in a row. If that doesn’t get you a title shot, then why fight at all? Maybe the UFC should just stop signing fighters like Belal. I wouldn’t mind, to be perfectly honest. Belal is boring me to tears. But so is Leon and so was Colby.
Maybe things improve after Shavkat gets the belt.

He deserves shot based on wins and merit, sure. But sometimes, you need more. The title shot system isn't perfect and you have these circumstances of guys who deserve the fight not getting it. But for the most part it works. Most of the title shots are fair and go to the right guy.

 

[World eater]

Most of the title shots are fair and go to the right guy.

Most is a tricky word. 70% would qualify as most, but is it fair?
Colby getting a TS against Leon was not fair. Vera getting a TS against O’malley was not the right guy. Erceg getting it against Pantoya? Stipe getting it against Jones? There are many, many examples. I get what you are saying, but I don’t agree with it. Most other orgs don’t do it this way, maybe the UFC just makes too much money to care about fairness and meritocracy. So a bunch of fighters are forced to be internet clowns to attract casual views and create fake drama.

Anyway, nice talking to you even if we don’t agree.

 

[DoctorStoppage]

Edwards got one lucky KO and thinks he’s some sort of fan favorite now or can call his own shots. Leon is just another point fighter

 

[StonedLemur]

Because Muhammad is the cure for insomnia…….boring

I get where you're coming from, but that doesn't negate the fact that he earned his shot sir.

 

[StonedLemur]

I'm not denying that he hasn't earned his shot , I just don't care to see him fight

Lol fair enough sir.

 

[JKS]

Most is a tricky word. 70% would qualify as most, but is it fair?
Colby getting a TS against Leon was not fair. Vera getting a TS against O’malley was not the right guy. Erceg getting it against Pantoya? Stipe getting it against Jones? There are many, many examples. I get what you are saying, but I don’t agree with it. Most other orgs don’t do it this way, maybe the UFC just makes too much money to care about fairness and meritocracy. So a bunch of fighters are forced to be internet clowns to attract casual views and create fake drama.

Anyway, nice talking to you even if we don’t agree.

If we look through the title shots in the past 5 years, I would say there are certainly more than 70% that were fair title shots.

But again, this is prize fighting and what is fair, is a loose term.

 

[Dorkman]

Can't really blame them for not wanting it. Moderate risk, low rewards. That being said getting to a point where Leon might just have to accept it and get it out of the way