Interim belts are designed to keep a division moving while the champion sits out due to injury. There have been plenty of legitimate cases where an interim title was necessary in order to keep things moving in the absence of a champion. Throughout UFC history there have been plenty of legitimate cases where an interim […]
Interim belts are designed to keep a division moving while the champion sits out due to injury. There have been plenty of legitimate cases where an interim title was necessary in order to keep things moving in the absence of a champion.
Throughout UFC history there have been plenty of legitimate cases where an interim title was necessary in order to keep things moving in the absence of a champion.
However, during a down year for pay-per-view (PPV) sales in 2017, the concept of an interim belt has also been needlessly applied to boost lagging PPVs, or to move on from an uninjured yet still inactive title holder.
We broke down the seven most pointless title bouts in UFC history, and the results may surprise you. Check them out:
7. Tony Ferguson vs Kevin Lee – UFC 216
If Conor McGregor weren’t holding up the otherwise supremely talented UFC lightweight arena, no one would complain about this main event fight at next week’s (Sat., October 7, 2017) UFC 216 being for the lightweight belt.
However, the fact that this weight class even needs an interim belt is a joke. McGregor left the division in a complete logjam while pursuing and eventually earning a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather. That sabbatical did no one any favors except McGregor himself, who hasn’t defended the belt since winning it from Eddie Alvarez back at UFC 205 last November.
The worst part is, there’s zero guarantee that the winner of this interim belt will actually face McGregor upon his return. With talks of a Nate Diaz trilogy gaining traction, the interim titleholder could be stuck not fighting for the actual strap for quite some time.
Not to mention, the real interim title fight probably should have been Ferguson vs Nurmagomedov, the two rightful heirs to the lightweight throne, but Nurmagomedov’s spotty track record and inactivity forced the UFC’s hand into finding a capable dance partner.
Interim belts are designed to keep a division moving while the champion sits out due to injury. There have been plenty of legitimate cases where an interim title was necessary in order to keep things moving in the absence of a champion. Throughout UFC history there have been plenty of legitimate cases where an interim […]
Interim belts are designed to keep a division moving while the champion sits out due to injury. There have been plenty of legitimate cases where an interim title was necessary in order to keep things moving in the absence of a champion.
Throughout UFC history there have been plenty of legitimate cases where an interim title was necessary in order to keep things moving in the absence of a champion.
However, during a down year for pay-per-view (PPV) sales in 2017, the concept of an interim belt has also been needlessly applied to boost lagging PPVs, or to move on from an uninjured yet still inactive title holder.
We broke down the seven most pointless title bouts in UFC history, and the results may surprise you. Check them out:
7. Tony Ferguson vs Kevin Lee – UFC 216
If Conor McGregor weren’t holding up the otherwise supremely talented UFC lightweight arena, no one would complain about this main event fight at next week’s (Sat., October 7, 2017) UFC 216 being for the lightweight belt.
However, the fact that this weight class even needs an interim belt is a joke. McGregor left the division in a complete logjam while pursuing and eventually earning a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather. That sabbatical did no one any favors except McGregor himself, who hasn’t defended the belt since winning it from Eddie Alvarez back at UFC 205 last November.
The worst part is, there’s zero guarantee that the winner of this interim belt will actually face McGregor upon his return. With talks of a Nate Diaz trilogy gaining traction, the interim titleholder could be stuck not fighting for the actual strap for quite some time.
Not to mention, the real interim title fight probably should have been Ferguson vs Nurmagomedov, the two rightful heirs to the lightweight throne, but Nurmagomedov’s spotty track record and inactivity forced the UFC’s hand into finding a capable dance partner.
With less than a week left until UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier and former champion Jon Jones finally have their long-awaited rematch at Saturday’s (July 29, 2017) UFC 214 from Anaheim, California, the trash talk between the two rivals – who’ve been at each other’s throats since their infamous press conference brawl way back […]
With less than a week left until UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier and former champion Jon Jones finally have their long-awaited rematch at Saturday’s (July 29, 2017) UFC 214 from Anaheim, California, the trash talk between the two rivals – who’ve been at each other’s throats since their infamous press conference brawl way back in 2014 – is ramping up for one last push for a fight that has experienced never-ending re-bookings and roadblocks.
All of the confusion caused by Cormier’s withdrawal from UFC 196 last April to Jones’ highly-publicized USADA test failure just days before the rescheduled fight at UFC 200 that July suggest “Bones” is at a disadvantage with only one fight since their first match-up at 2015’s UFC 182 compared to Cormier’s four. But the supremely talented and too-frequently troubled MMA legend revealed he actually believes that to will work out in his favor during an interview on FOX Sports 1’s “Undisputed” (via MMA Junkie), as “DC” just hasn’t evolved during those four fights:
“My last fight against Ovince Saint Preux, a lot of people said it wasn’t very impressive after a year layoff, but I did enough to win the fight and I felt like I really didn’t show much,” Jones said. “He’s been extremely active and I see that he has made almost zero progression in the last two years. I’m glad he feels he has the upper hand in the striking division.”
Joshua Dahl for USA TODAY Sports
The layoff, while it has supposedly revealed Cormier’s lack of evolution, has also helped him refresh his own mindset and re-evaluate what he needed to while adding new, never-before-seen wrinkles to his own game:
“(The layoff) given me time to just kind of reevaluate myself, my personal life and my career. I’ve been able to add things to my game that I didn’t have before. I feel totally rejuvenated and ready to go.”
It’s no surprise to see the onetime pound-for-pound leader call the self-imposed absence ‘good,’ but Jones believes that those doubting him will be wrong because he’s come back from a similar span of time away from the cage and gotten his raised raised against the world’s best before:
“I’ve done it once before – my last fight I took a year off,” Jones said. “This time it’s one fight in two years. The reason I know why I’m going to win this fight is because I have an inner belief that this is my era, that this is what I was put on the earth to do. I feel like I’m gifted and talented and extremely hard working. It really stems from a really deep level of self belief.”
Jayne Kamin-Oncea for USA TODAY Sports
Yet Jones’ self-belief inside the octagon has never even been close to his problem – no, that has been actually making it to the cage in recent years after a slew of legal troubles, drug test failures, and overall nefarious-looking decisions simply kept him from being able to do what he is best at. His in-cage performance, of course, is arguably the best overall body of work in MMA history, so legal troubles and the like aside, “Bones” proclaimed true fight fans know this, and regardless of what mistakes he’s made, Cormier won’t be a true champion until he beats him:
“The people at home know who the real guy is in this division. I think Daniel looks for ways around trying to validate himself as a champion. I think to the true fight fans, they know whether Jon is an angel or a bad guy or whatever, he’s a badass. Until you beat (me), no one will really look at him as the baddest dude of his era.”
We’ve pretty much seen it all over in terms of trash talk regarding Jon Jones’ three-year-old rivalry with UFC light heavyweight champion. But somehow, some way, Jones keeps coming up with new ways to troll his longtime rival. Shortly after “Bones” and “DC” continued their war of words in a heated exchange online, Jones hopped […]
We’ve pretty much seen it all over in terms of trash talk regarding Jon Jones’ three-year-old rivalry with UFC light heavyweight champion.
But somehow, some way, Jones keeps coming up with new ways to troll his longtime rival.
Shortly after “Bones” and “DC” continued their war of words in a heated exchange online, Jones hopped back on social media to stick it to the champ he feels has his belt again. This time, Cormier’s infamous UFC 210 scale fail this April, where he held on to the towel used to cover him up in order to make weight in a pinch.
The scene was criticized by many, as it was perceived Cormier, who began his illustrious MMA career as a heavyweight, was viewed as being overweight but able to prop up his body slightly enough in order to tip the scales in his favor. Check it out:
But no matter if it was questionable or not, Cormier made weight according to the still-learning New York State Athletic Commission’s judgment, and got the job done at UFC 210 by submitting Anthony “Rumble” Johnson for a second time.
That earned him the long-awaited rematch with Jones a fight that has been scheduled for both UFC 196 and UFC 200 only to fall apart due to an injury from Cormier and a failed USADA drug test just three days before the fight was set for the main event of the UFC’s historical bicentennial pay-per-view – an event that ultimately fell flat thanks in no small part to the last-minute main event change.
Jones won’t let Cormier get away with it, however, as he posed in a similar position on Twitter today while noting that his hard work was paying off and he was on track to make weight for their awaited rematch at July 29’s UFC 214:
The gloves are off for the UFC 214 main event, and truth be told, they have been ever since Jones and Cormier threw down in their now-infamous media day brawl before their originally scheduled match-up at UFC 178 back in 2014.
The rivalry could have beens solved for good many times since then, but Jones’ well-documented struggles outside the cage have lead to multiple delays, and are the main reason why fans and media members alike head into UFC 214 with the most cautious of optimism – and a heavy dose of skepticism.
We’ve never doubted Jones’ ability to generate an entertaining trash talk battle on social media, and obviously his fighting skills are among the best to ever fight in a cage. The issue with him, especially as of late, has been getting him to the cage without yet anohter slip-up.
Do you think he’ll be able to make it Anaheim and settle the score with “DC” once and for all?
Heading into next week’s (Sat., July 29, 2017) stacked and awaited UFC 214 from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, a polarizing MMA legend has returned to the official UFC rankings. This week’s list features the return of former pound-for-pound great Jon Jones, the longtime light heavyweight champion who only lost the belt because of his […]
Heading into next week’s (Sat., July 29, 2017) stacked and awaited UFC 214 from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, a polarizing MMA legend has returned to the official UFC rankings.
This week’s list features the return of former pound-for-pound great Jon Jones, the longtime light heavyweight champion who only lost the belt because of his outside-the-cage troubles and will face arch rival Daniel Cormier in a highly anticipated – and oft-rescheduled – rematch in the UFC 214 main event.
“Bones” is widely regarded as arguably the best mixed martial artist of all-time, and his torrid run as champion from 2011-2015 where he finished a slew of former champions and legends in their own right, ranks as quite possibly the best stretch any UFC fighter has displayed in the octagon. The streak included a unanimous decision win over Cormier in January 2015, and it was thought their highly-publicized rivalry had been put to bed.
But “DC” then went on to capitalize on “Bones’” next, and perhaps, greatest transgression when he was involved in a hit-and-run automobile accident in Albuquerque, New Mexico that left a 25-year-old pregnant woman with a broken arm in April 2015, going on to take his place and submit Anthony “Rumble” Johnson in the UFC 187 headliner to win the title that May.
With Jones sorting out legal issues, he was stripped of the title, and Cormier went on to defend the now-official belt against Alexander Gustafsson in a “Fight of the Year” contender at UFC 192, outlasted Anderson Silva at last summer’s UFC 200 when Jones was forced out of their rematch just days prior because of a USADA drug test, and finally submitted “Rumble” again at April’s UFC 210 from New York.
“Bones,” meanwhile, has only fought once since their original bout, beating late replacement Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 196 last April when Cormier was forced out of that scheduled rematch with a groin injury.
Joshua Dahl for USA TODAY Sports
Obviously, it’s been a long and winding road full of speed bumps for Cormier and Jones to finally face off once again, and the MMA world is cautiously awaiting that the fight will finally happen after three years of the rivalry – even with less than two weeks away.
Prior to the bout, however, Jones has regained a spot on the rankings, coming in at No. 7 on the pound-for-pound list and taking the No. 1 spot at light heavyweight over from Gustafsson. Jones bumped a host of top-ranked and active UFC fighters including champions Tyron Woodley, Michael Bisping, Amanda Nunes, and Robert Whittaker down a notch. There’s no doubt that a healthy, dependable Jones would rank above those fighters if he were actively defending the belt; there’s a case to be made he would still be above new pound-for-pound leader Demetrious Johnson if that were the case.
It’s not, however, and Jones simply needs to prove he can make it to a fight to stay on these rankings, as he’s shown time and again the actual fighting isn’t the hard part. What do you think of his ranking? Is it right too low, or too high given his outside-the-octagon run-ins with law enforcement and repeated substance abuse issues?
Check out the fully updated rankings via UFC.com here:
POUND-FOR-POUND 1 Demetrious Johnson 2 Conor McGregor 3 Daniel Cormier 4 Stipe Miocic 5 Max Holloway 6 Cody Garbrandt 7 Jon Jones *NR 8 Joanna Jedrzejczyk -1 9 Tyron Woodley -1 10 Dominick Cruz -1 11 Michael Bisping -1 12 Jose Aldo -1 13 Amanda Nunes -1 14 Robert Whittaker -1 15 TJ Dillashaw -1
FLYWEIGHT Champion: Demetrious Johnson 1 Joseph Benavidez 2 Henry Cejudo 3 Ray Borg 4 Wilson Reis 5 Jussier Formiga 6 Sergio Pettis 7 Brandon Moreno 8 Ben Nguyen 9 Tim Elliott +3 10 John Moraga 11 Ian McCall 12 Dustin Ortiz -3 13 Alexandre Pantoja +1 14 Louis Smolka -1 15 Magomed Bibulatov
BANTAMWEIGHT Champion: Cody Garbrandt 1 Dominick Cruz 2 TJ Dillashaw 3 Raphael Assuncao 4 John Lineker 4 Jimmie Rivera -1 6 Bryan Caraway 7 John Dodson 8 Aljamain Sterling 9 Thomas Almeida 10 Marlon Moraes 11 Eddie Wineland 12 Pedro Munhoz 13 Rob Font 14 Matthew Lopez 15 Johnny Eduardo
FEATHERWEIGHT Champion: Max Holloway 1 Jose Aldo 2 Frankie Edgar 3 Ricardo Lamas 4 Cub Swanson 5 Chan Sung Jung 6 Yair Rodriguez 7 Jeremy Stephens 8 Brian Ortega 9 Renato Moicano 10 Dennis Bermudez 11 Dooho Choi +1 12 Darren Elkins -1 13 Mirsad Bektic 14 Renan Barao 15 Jason Knight
LIGHTWEIGHT Champion: Conor McGregor 1 Khabib Nurmagomedov 2 Tony Ferguson 3 Eddie Alvarez 4 Edson Barboza 5 Justin Gaethje +1 6 Nate Diaz -1 7 Kevin Lee 8 Dustin Poirier 9 Michael Johnson 10 Michael Chiesa 11 Al Iaquinta 12 Beneil Dariush 13 Anthony Pettis 14 Evan Dunham 15 Gilbert Melendez
WELTERWEIGHT Champion: Tyron Woodley 1 Demian Maia 2 Stephen Thompson 3 Robbie Lawler 4 Jorge Masvidal 5 Carlos Condit +1 6 Neil Magny -1 7 Donald Cerrone 8 Santiago Ponzinibbio +6 9 Colby Covington 10 Rafael Dos Anjos 11 Gunnar Nelson -3 12 Kamaru Usman 13 Dong Hyun Kim -2 14 Ryan LaFlare -1 15 Tarec Saffiedine
MIDDLEWEIGHT Champion: Michael Bisping 1 Robert Whittaker (Interim Champion) 2 Yoel Romero 3 Luke Rockhold 4 Jacare Souza 5 Chris Weidman +1 6 Anderson Silva +1 7 Derek Brunson +1 8 Kelvin Gastelum *NR 9 David Branch 10 Krzysztof Jotko 11 Vitor Belfort 12 Thales Leites 13 Tim Boetsch 14 Uriah Hall 15 Thiago Santos
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT Champion: Daniel Cormier 1 Jon Jones *NR 2 Alexander Gustafsson -1 3 Jimi Manuwa -1 4 Glover Teixeira -1 5 Volkan Oezdemir -1 6 Mauricio Rua -1 7 Corey Anderson -1 7 Ovince Saint Preux 9 Misha Cirkunov -1 10 Ilir Latifi -1 11 Rogerio Nogueira -1 12 Patrick Cummins -1 13 Gian Villante 14 Tyson Pedro -2 15 Gadzhimurad Antigulov -1
HEAVYWEIGHT Champion: Stipe Miocic 1 Alistair Overeem 2 Fabricio Werdum 3 Cain Velasquez 4 Junior Dos Santos 5 Francis Ngannou 6 Mark Hunt 7 Derrick Lewis 8 Alexander Volkov 9 Stefan Struve 10 Marcin Tybura 11 Aleksei Oleinik 12 Tim Johnson 13 Andrei Arlovski 14 Travis Browne 15 Curtis Blaydes
Looks like Daniel Cormier might be mad about another UFC poster he’s featured on. The UFC released the official poster for Cormier’s UFC 214 main event against former champion Jon Jones from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on July 29, and let’s just say the champ isn’t featured as prominently as he may like. Check […]
Looks like Daniel Cormier might be mad about another UFC poster he’s featured on.
The UFC released the official poster for Cormier’s UFC 214 main event against former champion Jon Jones from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on July 29, and let’s just say the champ isn’t featured as prominently as he may like. Check it out:
It’s a strange look to have Cormier, the champion who has defended the championship twice since his rival Jones was stripped of the belt for his disturbing hit-and-run accident that left a 25-year-old pregnant woman with a broken arm in April 2015, upside down on the poster for their anticipated rematch.
True, Jones beat “DC” at January 2015’s UFC 182, and is arguably the most dominant fighter in MMA history. But Cormier is the champion regardless of if many feel “Bones” is the rightful champ or not, and promoting it the opposite is sure to further irk Cormier.
If you’ll remember, “DC” had issues with the poster for his UFC 210 meeting with Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, where the heavy hitter was featured much larger as he loomed over a smaller image of Cormier on the official poster.
Cormier’s yet to respond, but overall, it’s simply a strange decision to put your champ upside down on an event poster, and could reflect the UFC’s view of whom they are rooting for on July 29.
Do you think the UFC should have taken a different design route, or is it a good look in your opinion?
