People who think that a champ must defend the belt once a year

[Buri]

Defend within a year or you lose the belt. Other sports that have annual world championships don't care if the last champion is there (maybe from a financial perspective). Injured? Too bad. Schedule your first defense in 4 months to give yourself time if an injury occurs. There's a reason few sports have repeat champions at annual events. Those that can defend such annual titles are truly great.
I have no delusions that MMA is far harder on one's body and riskier to one's health than say tennis or shot put, so number of title defenses is more important to me than number of years as champ.

 

[Lint]

If you add a rule that ANY champion's FIRST FIGHT has to be against a top contender, I will agree with it.

No recently crowned champion should be able to duck the division right after getting the belt. No fucking one!

This guys knows it and have a nice ass, congrats!

Damn Right @Oooxente the man has held 2 titles, in 2 divisions, in 2 fight different fight promotions, and as defended nothing and his bosses aren't curious to see if he can defend a belt? We know he can get one that's the easy part every real fight fan knows the work is defending one UFC 217 proved that...

To add insult on top of injury he kinda rocket-climbed one division, became the champion, and them immediately fought the other division's champion.

Serious question: would have rather see a fighter fight more often and less "prepared" for his opponent (this would be applicable to both fighters, so even)?
Or
Have matches made months in advance for fighters to prep for?

If you know you are fighting a wrestler, you would train different. The only problem I see is that the champ can't prepare as much as any number of challengers.
Thoughts?

For me they should have not much time, you can't change yourself that much on a short time span. I'd go with 6 weeks prior announcement, but I think these times are all made on a "let's see who's being talked about" more than anything, and that can change from one month to another. (Also makes it more even if someone has to replace other in short notice)

 

[Paynebringer]

This guys knows it and have a nice ass, congrats!



To add insult on top of injury he kinda rocket-climbed one division, became the champion, and them immediately fought the other division's champion.

A Magic carpet ride courtesy of the UFC...

 

[Snake Eyeball]

wah wah conor, what about the other champs have they been defending? oh wait nobody cares its all about conor.

You’re a stupid bitch

 

[soulsstealer]

You’re a stupid bitch

this is a forum try addind some more than insults next time

 

[Gilday]

Cain, Anderson, Cruz, GSP, Aldo etc have all Sat on the belts for a year at a time.

They were injured, what's Conor's excuse?

 

[fightfan84]

Cain, Anderson, Cruz, GSP, Aldo etc have all Sat on the belts for a year at a time.

Not while being healthy and able to fight. You do understand the differnce in that don' you

 

[CerebralKnievel]

Just to add:
If I'm not mistaken Aldo was an interim champ that got promoted. (Was it? That was a long time ago, and maybe it was Barao, not Aldo)
McGregor got the interim belt before fighting Aldo as well.

Aldo was the first and only FW champ. Definitely not an interim.

 

[cmw43]

Not while being healthy and able to fight. You do understand the differnce in that don' you

You think if they'd been offered 100 million for a boxing match with Dana's backing they would have declined to defend their UFC titles?

 

[Lint]

Aldo was the first and only FW champ. Definitely not an interim.

Oh yeah, you're right, that was when UFC bought WEC!

Was it Barao who was an interim champion that got promoted without having to fight the former champion?

 

[CerebralKnievel]

Oh yeah, you're right, that was when UFC bought WEC!

Was it Barao who was an interim champion that got promoted without having to fight the former champion?

Yeah, Barao wound up stepping in to fight Faber before Faber - Cruz II was first supposed to take place (when Cruz began his string of successive ACL injuries).

 

[fightfan84]

You think if they'd been offered 100 million for a boxing match with Dana's backing they would have declined to defend their UFC titles?

what about his other belt he never defended? what about now the boxing fight has been over with for a while and nothing is announced. You can always make excuses for the guy but that's what they are, excuses. Hes done some awesome things I agree, being a decent worthy champion isn't one of them