If Cormier wasn't really a champion, were Barao, Dillashaw, or is Holloway?

[Joker Jiujitsu]

A lot of people seem to believe that what Jon Jones said during the pre-fight hype, that "Daniel Cormier was never really Light Heavyweight Champion" is true, even though Jones has since gone back on these words himself and stayed DC is a true champion in every sense of the word.

To those who still insist Cormier was never the champ, what about Renan Barao? He never beat Cruz for the title. He was interim champion, and Cruz was forced to vacate due to injury, but he came back and won fights while Barao lost his "title".

What about Dillashaw? He beat Barao, but if he was never champion, then Dillashaw lost his shot at being the "real" champ when he lost via decision to Cruz.

And that leads us to Max Holloway, who never beat the "real" Featherweight Champ, Conor McGregor (in fact, he has a loss to him) and only beat someone who Conor beat for the belt.

If Brock wouldn't have beaten Mir in the rematch, was he still the UFC HW Champ? Is anyone after Frank Shamrock vacated the LHW title really a champion? Or when BJ vacated the Welterweight Title until GSP or Hughes beat him? Was Robbie Lawler the WW Champ since GSP retired and he only beat the guy GSP already beat?

 

[Arm Barbarian]

Jon changed his tune as the fight got closer and said DC was a good champion, who represented the belt well.

 

[Bobby Boulders]

This should be fun.

 

[Medical Marijuana Man]

They were all legit champs

 

[bully4me]

A lot of people seem to believe that what Jon Jones said during the pre-fight hype, that "Daniel Cormier was never really Light Heavyweight Champion" is true, even though Jones has since gone back on these words himself and stayed DC is a true champion in every sense of the word.

To those who still insist Cormier was never the champ, what about Renan Barao? He never beat Cruz for the title. He was interim champion, and Cruz was forced to vacate due to injury, but he came back and won fights while Barao lost his "title".

What about Dillashaw? He beat Barao, but if he was never champion, then Dillashaw lost his shot at being the "real" champ when he lost via decision to Cruz.

And that leads us to Max Holloway, who never beat the "real" Featherweight Champ, Conor McGregor (in fact, he has a loss to him) and only beat someone who Conor beat for the belt.

If Brock wouldn't have beaten Mir in the rematch, was he still the UFC HW Champ? Is anyone after Frank Shamrock vacated the LHW title really a champion? Or when BJ vacated the Welterweight Title until GSP or Hughes beat him? Was Robbie Lawler the WW Champ since GSP retired and he only beat the guy GSP already beat?

You could say the same for all who were injured, left, we're suspended or any reason then ended up coming back and winning the belt back. IMO if a fighter leaves for whatever reason, can't, won't, or is unable to fight the they are not the championsl any more . Whoever is there competition and competing makes it to the top and wins the belt, especially if it's been defended IS the Chmapion. End of story.

 

[MEATAXE**]

yeah they were all real champs.

I think Cormier gets shit because Jones had already beat him when he was stripped, also doesnt help that he just his head kicked smooth off by Jones.

 

[MMA__Analyst]

Jones had to beat DC to get the belt so of course DC was champion.
TJ had to beat barao for the belt so of course TJ was champion.
and etc...

 

[Fedor>Cain]

Paper champs.

 

[McGrubie]

Idk. Calm down

 

[Alex]

Is Bisping really a champion?
Fuck it... I still can't believe it.

 

[IBeLurkin]

A lot of people seem to believe that what Jon Jones said during the pre-fight hype, that "Daniel Cormier was never really Light Heavyweight Champion" is true, even though Jones has since gone back on these words himself and stayed DC is a true champion in every sense of the word.

To those who still insist Cormier was never the champ, what about Renan Barao? He never beat Cruz for the title. He was interim champion, and Cruz was forced to vacate due to injury, but he came back and won fights while Barao lost his "title".

What about Dillashaw? He beat Barao, but if he was never champion, then Dillashaw lost his shot at being the "real" champ when he lost via decision to Cruz.

And that leads us to Max Holloway, who never beat the "real" Featherweight Champ, Conor McGregor (in fact, he has a loss to him) and only beat someone who Conor beat for the belt.

If Brock wouldn't have beaten Mir in the rematch, was he still the UFC HW Champ? Is anyone after Frank Shamrock vacated the LHW title really a champion? Or when BJ vacated the Welterweight Title until GSP or Hughes beat him? Was Robbie Lawler the WW Champ since GSP retired and he only beat the guy GSP already beat?

Big difference in the examples you give here...

What was DC's first fight before "winning" the title?

Losing to Jones.

What happened as soon as Jones came back?

DC lost to Jones.

So....who was the real champ the whole time??

Cruz was out for injury...Jones because of suspensions. Jones could have beaten DC at any time if allowed to with the shape he was in. Jones was ALWAYS the best 205lb fighter on the planet. Cruz wasn't while he was hobbled with injuries.

As for Holloway, the "champ" (I use that term loosely, considering Conor never defended) ran to another division immediately. How was ANY featherweight supposed to gain the title if the "champ" refuses to defend the title? Yeah, Holloway is the champ because Conor clearly isn't a FW champ, he ran away from the division as fast as possible.

As for your other questions, yes, obviously when a championship is vacated, the top contenders fight for it. Are you new to this??

 

[Lawblaw]

They were all champs. Except maybe Barao.

 

[Joker Jiujitsu]

Big difference in the examples you give here...

What was DC's first fight before "winning" the title?

Losing to Jones.

What happened as soon as Jones came back?

DC lost to Jones.

So....who was the real champ the whole time??

Cruz was out for injury...Jones because of suspensions. Jones could have beaten DC at any time if allowed to with the shape he was in. Jones was ALWAYS the best 205lb fighter on the planet. Cruz wasn't while he was hobbled with injuries.

As for Holloway, the "champ" (I use that term loosely, considering Conor never defended) ran to another division immediately. How was ANY featherweight supposed to gain the title if the "champ" refuses to defend the title? Yeah, Holloway is the champ because Conor clearly isn't a FW champ, he ran away from the division as fast as possible.

As for your other questions, yes, obviously when a championship is vacated, the top contenders fight for it. Are you new to this??

Jones couldn't fight though. How is a medical suspension different than being suspended because of clomiphene or because of cocaine?

Are you new to this?

 

[Irishwhiskey119]

Interim means 2nd best.

 

[MuyThaiElbows]

DC's fights with Rumble & Gus were true title defenses and they weren't scrubs.

 

[IBeLurkin]

Jones couldn't fight though. How is a medical suspension different than being suspended because of clomiphene or because of cocaine?

Are you new to this?

Lol, yeah, I'm super new to this.

Explain to me how DC isn't the perfect example of an interim champ.

 

[Joker Jiujitsu]

Lol, yeah, I'm super new to this.

Explain to me how DC isn't the perfect example of an interim champ.

I've never seen there only be an interim champion. When Barnett got stripped of the Heavyweight Title after beating Randy and then Ricco beat Randy, he wasn't interim champion.

When Tito lost to Frank Shamrock for the Light Heavyweight Title and Frank retired, when Tito beat Wand, he wasn't an interim champion.

When BJ Penn beat Matt Hughes and then left the UFC, after Hughes beat GSP, he wasn't an interim champion. They were all considered the actual champion.

Seriously, it's cool to admit you're new to this.

Interim implies temporary or controversy. In all instances that the UFC has had an interim champion, there was another actual champion. Barao and Cruz, Carwin and Lesnar, Condit and GSP, etc.

This is different. Jones was stripped of the title. There was no other LHW Champ. Cormier beat Rumble, who Jones never faced, for the title. He then beat Gustafsson, who was Jones's toughest opponent, then he beat Rumble again after he earned a rematch by smashing Bader and Glover. How is that different than Barao? He never beat Cruz. He lost to a guy on two occasions who Cruz went on to beat.

 

[TheAmericanGazelle]

This really isn't complicated.

DC was the legitimate champion as a function of Jones being stripped and DC winning title fights.
DC was never the best fighter in the division.

Simple as that.

 

[DoopidyDawesome]

DC was a legit champ while Jones was out of competition and Holloway is probably never going to get a rematch with Conor so he's legit as well. I just don't see Conor cutting to 145 again without making Floyd money.

 

[HwoarangStyle]

Every single one of them were/are real champions.