Media Topuria Pulls Back Says He ONLY wants 3 Fighters For NEXT Fight - Wants to Defend Title Once Then Go For LW Belt

[Pequeño Corey]

Free title shot without having to fight any LWs and your belt is safe.

In MMA anything can happen, so the calculus is:

Go up a class, make money, free title shot, more than a 0% chance to win LW belt > stay in division with 0% chance of winning LW belt.

High percent chance of getting your head punted off like Volk did. Prizefighting 101: make the most amount of money for the easiest, safest fights where possible. What I’m getting at is that Islam is not an easy fight. He’s top p4p and he’s bigger than Topuria. It’s just a terrible idea to fight that guy when you could fight guys like Ortega and Mosvar. I get moving up when there’s a paper champ, but Islam is anything but.

 

[The Siege]

High percent chance of getting your head punted off like Volk did. Prizefighting 101: make the most amount of money for the easiest, safest fights where possible. What I’m getting at is that Islam is not an easy fight. He’s top p4p and he’s bigger than Topuria. It’s just a terrible idea to fight that guy when you could fight guys like Ortega and Mosvar. I get moving up when there’s a paper champ, but Islam is anything but.

I get what you are saying, but disagree.

There is always a chance of getting your block knocked off in any division, does it change slightly based on the type of fighters in the division? Sure. But he isn't moving up 4 weight classes to fight Periera. It's a 10 lb difference and FW and LW have seen the most movement between divisions historically.

Almost every single fighter on the roster would sign to get a free TS at the class above.

 

[Cooliox]

Not this again. Please defend in your own division, at least 4 or 5 times, then challenge the Champ a class above. FW and LW are stacked with great fighters and they all deserve a shot at the belt.

Please defend it at least 10 times like the Greats did


But man... the UFC did really do this to themselves. They made this new recipe for success to push their main guy Conor - There's no need to defend the belt against all comers: just move up and win another belt and go down as GOAT status

Not that it is easy to accomplish, but it definitely is easier than 10 title defenses

 

[MRT]

NO to the double-champ aspirations after only one defense...enough with that bullshit already.

 

[The Siege]

Please defend it at least 10 times like the Greats did


But man... the UFC did really do this to themselves. They made this new recipe for success to push their main guy Conor - There's no need to defend the belt against all comers: just move up and win another belt and go down as GOAT status

Not that it is easy to accomplish, but it definitely is easier than 10 title defenses

Unfortunately, I think it will be a while until we see a 10+ defense run again. And when it does happen, the fighter will be worthy of being among the greats. There are more fighters today and they are more skilled. It takes champs longer to get to the belt, so they get there with plenty of fight mileage on them. It's just straight up harder these days.

The closest one was Izzy from the modern champs and even he went up after like two defenses.

The incentive to go for a second belt is too big for fighters to ignore and yes, it is the UFC that set the precedent.