UFC announced Tony/Khabib will NOT be for the REAL belt at UFC 223. Press conference this FRIDAY.

[Dbreiden83080]

Just still holding out hope they can cut a deal. Unless they are willing to open up the cash register and completely empty it you know who is clearly not coming back.

 

[MM808]

Does it really matter? Even if he’s stripped Conor will face the winner and anyone with common sense will recognise T-Ferg as being a legit LW champ if he loses here.

Yes it does. Why go through the trouble of giving him the interim belt then? Please explain the role of an interim champ to me. 100% sure it is a temporary title that is immediately unified with the real belt.

 

[TouchButtDork]

Translation: "Colon said he might come back later in the year"

 

[Money509]

Everyone knows ferguson has the real belt.

 

[Money509]

LOL imagine to be the guy who has to defend his interim title

Conor is the one with an interim title.

 

[JayJayFrench]

 

[The Young Wolf]

It's weird how so many people who call themselves MMA fans are more interested in seeing the fights that make the most revenue than seeing the best fight the best and a system based on merit.

Who the is “best” is completely subjective.

If you think Tony and khabib are the best then be happy because they are fighting pretty soon.

If you think Conor is the best be happy because you will get to see him fight the better of the two perceived best.

This whole merit based system while nice in theory is completely impractical. Especially when it comes to fighters like Conor. He’s a special type of superstar and his fights raise the level of awareness for the sport as a whole and because of that he enjoys certain privileges other fighters won’t get because they don’t mean as much as he does.

If that upsets you I’m sorry to tell you but that’s the way the world works. Especially the business world. Because at the end of the day the UFC is a business and they have a bottom line and their goal is to make money

 

[jban]

Maybe they will announce it at the Press Conference. Tony is the interim champ right now. Dana said yesterday that Conor will be stripped.

 

[NotoriousMillions]

Just still holding out hope they can cut a deal. Unless they are willing to open up the cash register and completely empty it you know who is clearly not coming back.

They don't have to empty the cash register, they just have to not horde it. You're not going to get away with taking 80% of the profits off Conor anymore.

 

[Fatal Catro]

If you think Conor is the best be happy because you will get to see him fight the better of the two perceived best.

This likely will never happen.

 

[NotoriousMillions]

The fact he hasn’t fought in two years is proof of that alone. Why does he get to sit out while other champs defend their titles repeatedly?

Also, how many times has Conor defended ANY belt he has ever won? Look at pre-ufc also. I’ll wait.

It's been one year.

 

[UFC=Pride]

Conor has the number 1 bullshit belt any other fighter and Dana would be all over him to defend long ago but not his golden child.

 

[ChopToTheButt]

I'll def still be watching the fight, regardless of the belt it's for. Threads like these remind me that sherbros don't have much goin on in their lives.

I mean, there's no way they can if they can find this much energy to be so angry about which belt a completely awesome fight will be for.

I get it. Conor won't defend and should be stripped and all that, but let's really keep in perspective that who gives a shit.

Right now, there is a champ who won't defend and a man in the interim fight that just can't seem to show up to his job prepared all the time the few days a year he's required to (Khabib). Is any of that really worth pulling your hair out over?

All we can hope for is that Khabib shows up with no excuses why he can't fight again and that McGregor has to fight one of these 2 next or loses the belt by September like Dana said. That's all we can hope for so that all I'm hoping for. Those who wanna be sooooooooooo outraged, well, that's on you. Find something real to worry about.

 

[Dont Frye]

LOL imagine to be the guy who has to defend his interim title

I keep telling this forum.

Conor runs the UFC.

Just accept it, and your life will improve.

 

[The Young Wolf]

This likely will never happen.

That’s all speculation on your part. The facts point to Conor returning in September and fighting the winner of this fight in Russia.

 

[fortheo]

In what way is he being protected?

He'll fight the winner, you know the better of the 2...

He's being protected from having to face number one contenders in a regular basis because Tony will do Conor's job for him.

 

[Fatal Catro]

Translation: "Colon said he might come back later in the year"

Exactly, this is all their banking on, the idea that he might return in September, we have no reason to believe that if he returns he will defend his belt.
If he wants to take a vanity fight and fight Nate Diaz for the third fucking time the UFC will let him.

 

[llperez22]

Connor is on top of totem pole in terms of drawing power, he wants to stay there as long as possible. He isn’t itching to fight either tony or khabib

 

[MMACroatia]

Conor wins even when he's not fighting
Admit that he is the GOAT already.
Owns this game.

 

[Marginal Judo]

It is for the real belt. I don't care what the UFC brass says. If/when Conor fights and beats the winner, he will have the real belt. It isn't a title "reign" when you aren't fighting.