Fighters Using Rankings To Determine Who They Want To Fight - WHY?

[Deleted member 585708]

This has been happening ever since the UFC introduced the rankings system, but why are #10-15 ranked fighters like Gregor Gillespie insisting that they will only fight higher ranked fighters?

Dana White and the UFC have never been consistent in using the rankings as determinants when it comes to big fights, PPV appearances, or even title shots. They have, without any hint of irony, linked Conor McGregor to a possible lightweight title shot off the back of two crushing losses, and frequently put unranked fighters in key positions if they're considered to be exciting or stand out in some other way (undefeated usually does it).

As it stands, Greg Hardy and Alexey Oleinik will feature on the PPV portion of UFC 270. Neither are ranked fighters.

At UFC 271, Vinc Pichel will fight Mark Madsen on the PPV portion. Neither are ranked fighters.

Khamzat Chimaev is being discussed as being one fight away from a title shot; he's only just entered the rankings and is #11.

I'm not criticising these calls, because we know they exist, we know they're real, and we know as long as Dana White is in charge of the UFC, fighters will get preferential treatment if they tick a few critical but subjective boxes. BUT WE ALSO KNOW that one of those critical but subjective boxes isn't people like Gregor Gillespie pissing himself off one fight removed from a devastating KO loss because he doesn't want to just fight and create moments, he wants to fight someone with a higher number.

Why?

Those numbers don't mean as much as they think you mean, and if you happened to destroy a popular up-and-comer in the mean time, it wouldn't be long before you'd find yourself elevated up the rankings anyway. Holding out for a fight with Dan Hooker on a decent Fight Night card ain't it, brother. You won't get a title shot after it, you won't be guaranteed to get on a PPV, you might move up two places in the rankings, is it really worth stalling your own career for?

 

[TITS]

This has been happening ever since the UFC introduced the rankings system, but why are #10-15 ranked fighters like Gregor Gillespie insisting that they will only fight higher ranked fighters?

Dana White and the UFC have never been consistent in using the rankings as determinants when it comes to big fights, PPV appearances, or even title shots. They have, without any hint of irony, linked Conor McGregor to a possible lightweight title shot off the back of two crushing losses, and frequently put unranked fighters in key positions if they're considered to be exciting or stand out in some other way (undefeated usually does it).

As it stands, Greg Hardy and Alexey Oleinik will feature on the PPV portion of UFC 270. Neither are ranked fighters.

At UFC 271, Vinc Pichel will fight Mark Madsen on the PPV portion. Neither are ranked fighters.

Khamzat Chimaev is being discussed as being one fight away from a title shot; he's only just entered the rankings and is #11.

I'm not criticising these calls, because we know they exist, we know they're real, and we know as long as Dana White is in charge of the UFC, fighters will get preferential treatment if they tick a few critical but subjective boxes. BUT WE ALSO KNOW that one of those critical but subjective boxes isn't people like Gregor Gillespie pissing himself off one fight removed from a devastating KO loss because he doesn't want to just fight and create moments, he wants to fight someone with a higher number.

Why?

Those numbers don't mean as much as they think you mean, and if you happened to destroy a popular up-and-comer in the mean time, it wouldn't be long before you'd find yourself elevated up the rankings anyway. Holding out for a fight with Dan Hooker on a decent Fight Night card ain't it, brother. You won't get a title shot after it, you won't be guaranteed to get on a PPV, you might move up two places in the rankings, is it really worth stalling your own career for?

Did you copy and paste this?

 

[NGute87]

Because ultimately; its their job to be the best.
You can't be the best without beating the best. The only way to get there in a timely fashion is to call out ranked guys.

 

[Otto!]

They have to look after their careers, because no one else will do that for them. Having said that, a guy willing to fight anyone, no matter if they’re ranked or not, will earn a lot of favour with the fans, and hopefully with the organization.

 

[HaulParris]

I agree that rankings are meaningless in UFC

 

[Black Paladin]

"Let me bang fives, bro."

 

[markys00]

Ur points are as meaningless as the ranking system (at least what u claim them to be)

 

[markys00]

I disagree with just about everything u said, but I noticed most fighters and sherdoggers forget.... U can't have two fighters both fighting someone ranked higher than each other. If everyone had that mentality there would be no fights at all

 

[wwkirk]

This has been happening ever since the UFC introduced the rankings system, but why are #10-15 ranked fighters like Gregor Gillespie insisting that they will only fight higher ranked fighters?

Dana White and the UFC have never been consistent in using the rankings as determinants when it comes to big fights, PPV appearances, or even title shots. They have, without any hint of irony, linked Conor McGregor to a possible lightweight title shot off the back of two crushing losses, and frequently put unranked fighters in key positions if they're considered to be exciting or stand out in some other way (undefeated usually does it).

As it stands, Greg Hardy and Alexey Oleinik will feature on the PPV portion of UFC 270. Neither are ranked fighters.

At UFC 271, Vinc Pichel will fight Mark Madsen on the PPV portion. Neither are ranked fighters.

Khamzat Chimaev is being discussed as being one fight away from a title shot; he's only just entered the rankings and is #11.

I'm not criticising these calls, because we know they exist, we know they're real, and we know as long as Dana White is in charge of the UFC, fighters will get preferential treatment if they tick a few critical but subjective boxes. BUT WE ALSO KNOW that one of those critical but subjective boxes isn't people like Gregor Gillespie pissing himself off one fight removed from a devastating KO loss because he doesn't want to just fight and create moments, he wants to fight someone with a higher number.

Why?

Those numbers don't mean as much as they think you mean, and if you happened to destroy a popular up-and-comer in the mean time, it wouldn't be long before you'd find yourself elevated up the rankings anyway. Holding out for a fight with Dan Hooker on a decent Fight Night card ain't it, brother. You won't get a title shot after it, you won't be guaranteed to get on a PPV, you might move up two places in the rankings, is it really worth stalling your own career for?

I'm sure most fighters utilize rankings arguments when they perceive some utility/advantage in doing so. I doubt many adhere to rankings absolutely in negotiations.

It's a metric, it's out there; it makes sense to invoke it when it seems useful.

 

[Deleted member 585708]

I'm sure most fighters utilize rankings arguments when they perceive some utility/advantage in doing so. I doubt many adhere to rankings absolutely in negotiations.

It's a metric, it's out there; it makes sense to invoke it when it seems useful.

All of the fighters ranked above Gillespie are far bigger names than Gillespie, so no doubt you're right.

It currently suits Gregor to seek a fight against Tony or Conor or Dustin or Chandler or Gaethje. Massive stars.

But he isn't getting those fights, and to sit out is crackers. Maybe he doesn't want to fight Damir or Alvarez who aren't ranked at all, but to rule out Gamrot and Tsarukyan makes no sense at all. Beat them and you'll be going places just as fast as beating Hooker, who is probably the only realistic fight he's getting.

 

[MCS]

For Gillespie specifically he's older, doesn't have a lot of years left in the sport, so for him it's important to move up. The downside is inactivity. So it's better to get fights than to sit out. A balance. Try to get this fight. Can't. Take the one available.

 

[G10]

I'm sure most fighters utilize rankings arguments when they perceive some utility/advantage in doing so. I doubt many adhere to rankings absolutely in negotiations.

It's a metric, it's out there; it makes sense to invoke it when it seems useful.

This. I don't think the UFC created their rankings system for any other reason than to be a talking point. If you're a fighter on a good win streak but you're perceived as boring and/or uninteresting, then of course you'll use the rankings to bolster your case to move up in the division towards a title shot. It's one of the few things you have in your favor.

Personally, I like rankings, and I think they should be used more than they are, but as I'm sure most of us know, the UFC manipulates their own rankings so they can't be trusted.

 

[nj chaaancy]

All of the fighters ranked above Gillespie are far bigger names than Gillespie, so no doubt you're right.

It currently suits Gregor to seek a fight against Tony or Conor or Dustin or Chandler or Gaethje. Massive stars.

But he isn't getting those fights, and to sit out is crackers. Maybe he doesn't want to fight Damir or Alvarez who aren't ranked at all, but to rule out Gamrot and Tsarukyan makes no sense at all. Beat them and you'll be going places just as fast as beating Hooker, who is probably the only realistic fight he's getting.

The flip side is after finishing CDF he barely moved at all. Let's say he fights Gamrot or Tsarukyan and wins impressively. He moves up a spot or two and then is in the same position, getting ducked by guys ranked higher then him. You would think that a guy who is almost always involved in fight and performance of the night would be a more desirable opponents

 

[skylolow]

It's a sport and everyone's goal is to reach the top. The easiest way to do that is to always be knocking off someone ahead of you or fighting someone that has a lot of clout. By doing that you can demand more money on the next contract. I'd say 90% of the fighters think about as basic as that.

We can bash the UFC all day long on some match making BS. But for the most part they do a pretty damn good job and a lot of fights they put on make sense. We can all point to the McGregor's of the world shit but that is a small percentage of the overall fights they make. Most title shots are earned and aren't just giving. Now if it comes down to a few deserving fighters for a title shot the UFC with out a doubt is going to go with what ever fighter has better metrics outside of just a "ranking". But it hard to fault the UFC from business standpoint to try to make the most money possible for each event. So if that means someone gets jumped in the magical rankings once in awhile so be it.