News Dana White: Stipe wasn't called & offered an interim title fight (no ducking)

[svmr_db]

Media Member: "I think a lot of people want to know if Stipe was offered to fight one of them, or if he decided he wanted to wait for Jones..."

Dana: "Stipe's not fighting for an interim title. So Jones said 'I wanna fight Stipe" I said 'You're fighting Stipe'. You have the greatest heavyweight of all time, versus the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. This is a legacy fight for both of these guys. To even call Stipe, and to ask Stipe to fight for an interim title is, you know, complete disrespect. This is a fight for two legends, legacy, two of the greatest to ever do it. The fans wanna see it, I wanna see it, and they both wanna do it."

 

[spinup]

AKA we never wanted to give Stipe a title fight but had to do it because that's the only fight Jones wanted.

 

[World eater]

Well, there it is.

Nobody shall jeopardize Jon’s goat goal.

 

[TerraRayzing]

Lmao yeah, remember when Aldo was given an interim title instead of an immediate rematch?

 

[CroCopsLHK]

I think the real question is: How does Stipe feel about this? I feel he needs an interview

 

[Unheralded Truth]

Is he calling Tom Aspinall a filthy liar?

 

[eddi]

Cant risk old stipe losing and ruin his aura before jones fights him

 

[kahymo]

what happen when Stipe break his old back in training in a few months?

rebook the fight for 2025

 

[Kohelet]

AKA we never wanted to give Stipe a title fight but had to do it because that's the only fight Jones wanted.

lol exacly

 

[g*r*b]

Is he calling Tom Aspinall a filthy liar?

Aspinall said "the UFC" told him. Do we know who the guy was? Hell, even if Tom was being fed misinformation it might not have been deliberate, said UFC guy could have jumped to conclusions. In the unholy haste to get someone in to save the card, who knows what confusion ensued.

 

[MMAProfessional]

It's whatever. I see Aspinal vs Pav as the real title. Jones vs Stipe is a normal main event retirement fight.

 

[FloydMayweatherMMA]

So are they planning to book Jon - Stipe for the real belt, then expect the winner to fight the interim champion despite the fact both of them are almost certainly gonna retire?

Why not just make Sergei - Tom for the undisputed title and let Jon fight Stipe for bragging rights?

 

[Koya]

Next level of turning the narrative upside down. classic dana

 

[Dowdy]

I think the real question is: How does Stipe feel about this? I feel he needs an interview

I have the interview right here:
Reporter - "how do you feel about this Stipe?"

Stipe - hrrrhrhrhrh hrhrh hrrhrhrhrhrhrhrhwhwhehrhrw


You heard it here first

 

[TheTickG]

I think the real question is: How does Stipe feel about this? I feel he needs an interview

He was quoted saying, "you know...itslikwdatevrer and if he wants to comeinguhgdsdg that's ... Fhuddbvdyghjsfhghj I got things to do."

 

[svmr_db]

what happen when Stipe break his old back in training in a few months?

rebook the fight for 2025

 

[SenorFranko]

"Legacy Fight"

 

[TempleoftheDog]

I literally told EVERYBODY and their dog this. I don’t for one second understand how anybody could have ever thought OTHERWISE.

HATE is one thing. STUPIDITY is a whole different thing. And being DISHONEST is the worst of the three.

If you did not know that Stipe was NOT offered the IC fight. You absolutely are 100% at least one of those things. Possibly more than one.

 

[TempleoftheDog]

AKA we never wanted to give Stipe a title fight but had to do it because that's the only fight Jones wanted.

Yes.

How do some people not understand that?

It’s beyond bizarre, now. Twilight Zone shit.

 

[Goatenstein]

I literally told EVERYBODY and their dog this. I don’t for one second understand how anybody could have ever thought OTHERWISE.

HATE is one thing. STUPIDITY is a whole different thing. And being DISHONEST is the worst of the three.

If you did not know that Stipe was NOT offered the IC fight. You absolutely are 100% at least one of those things. Possibly more than one.

Stipe ducked the interim title fight and Dana had to lie to save Stipe's reputation to make one more payday off Jones kicking his ass.