The goal is to win. You have to go back almost 20 years to get to the Vale Tudo "it goes until someone dies" system. It's a sport now. Boxing doesn't have some absurd rule where only finishing counts. Either does kickboxing. Either does bjj. Lots of high level guys go in and win on positional control. It's a 100% valid way to win. If it wasn't........ it wouldn't be part of the rules.
You can't duck a division that isn't your natural division ffs. GSP had already been talking about taking time off before the Hendricks fight happened. He won, controversial or not, and he had no obligation to give him an immediate rematch. GSP NEVER tried to duck someone in his own division.
The ufc was vocal about having a hard time getting Silva to sign to fight Sonnen or Weidman. Silva fought at lhw, but never for a belt. Wanted no part of a bigger elite fighter in Jones. Nobody gives him shit for this but everybody says GSP ducked Silva. Completely hypocritical.