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

We can keep disagreeing on this, and that's fine.

But I honestly can't believe you think DC was ever the real champ. He clearly was never the best LHW in the world. And that's all that really matters.
Your definition makes no sense. The champion isn't the best LHW in the world. The champion is the guy who holds the the title. There have been plenty of cases where the champion hasn't been the best in the division, and that doesn't make them illegitimate.
 
They were all champions. Champions are meant to repersent the best of the division at the time people that come up with that "oh he wasn't really a champ" bullshit just hate the person that is currently holding the belt. That being said as soon as the old champ comes back (Cruz/Jones) they should get a title shot fast to see if they can still hang.
 
The Cruz that KO'd Mizugaki in 3 minutes and change would've been a handful for them.
yup

and he did beat TJ afterwards

but he would have lost because he was injured for 2 years

2 years without defending... paper champ
 
We can keep disagreeing on this, and that's fine.

But I honestly can't believe you think DC was ever the real champ. He clearly was never the best LHW in the world. And that's all that really matters.

Many would argue Bisping isn't the best Middleweight in the world, yet he is the champion. The whole point of a champion defending the title is to prove who is the better fighter, often proving in the minds and eyes of the general public who the perceived best is. Jones had to beat DC to reclaim the title, just as someone will have to beat Bisping to claim the MW title.
 
Well TJ lost to Cruz after he'd gotten the belt and Barao had never lost to Cruz. DC had lost to Jones prior to getting his belt.
 
You're the champion if you are fighting the #1 contenders while the other guy is absent.

Beating Gus and Rumble definitely made Cormier champion. He's just not better than Jones.


For a period of time, a fairly long period, Barao was the best. Then a combination of horrific weight cuts and millage caught up to him, and we can see his 80% of the fighter he once was. At one point though, nobody could enter the Octagon at 135lbs and beat him. That's definitely a champion.
 
They all are/were champs, just not undisputed in some form.
 
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