Before Jon Jones, what was the worst example of a heavyweight champion avoiding a top contender?

Thats fair, but he's reportedly been offered 12 million and turned it down. If that doesn't do it, I don't think the number is the issue.
I hear you but reported by who? Tom. or Twitter. Unless Dana says it, just not real enough. Personally he should retire, nothing left to prove and probably won't get better as the next few years goes by.
 
It was literally Ngannou ducking Lewis. Big Frank beat Stipe in March and said in his post fight speech he wanted Jones in June. Jones wasn't available but Black Beast was and he was the #1 contender. Ngannou turned it down. They tried to set it up for July but Ngannou ducked again. They offered him the fight for August but once again Big Frank ducked. He was absolutely terrified after seeing Lewis knock out Blaydes with a single punch, something he himself couldn't do despite fighting Blaydes twice. Ngannou straight up ducked Derrick Lewis and thats a fact.

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But man, that fight was worth waiting for when it actually happened.
 
This crap didn't really happen in the past because they were all paid peanuts compared today. Additionally since McMidget showed up fighters feel like they have more control, not sure that is a completely bad thing though.

If I was Jon I wouldn't fight Tom for less than 3mil. He beats him people will say Tom wasn't that good and Jon should have fought Francis. If Tom wins people will say Jon is nothing and not the GOAT. What's in it for him?
Jon said he was making $5m for guys like Anthony Smith and Santos, probably made near $8m for Stipe and Gane cos that's what he wanted to go to HW, probably asking for $10m+ for Tom.
 
This has never happened before. Anyone who would do this before got stripped immediately and humiliated by the fans.
 
Francis Ngannou literally QUIT the UFC and fled instead of fighting Jones.

Offered the most ever at HW

He said he wanted health insurance.

That has the biggest avoidance ever.
 
This has never happened before. Anyone who would do this before got stripped immediately and humiliated by the fans.
Randy fought Brock over Nog and DC wanted Brock over Stipe.

Enjoy newb.
 
Fedor ducking Overeem

GSP ducking Anderson Silva as honorable mention
 
Royce Gracie throwing in the towel against Harold Howard.

Bobby Hoffman refused to fight Fedor for the title in RINGS, handing him the belt by default.
 
Randy fought Brock over Nog and DC wanted Brock over Stipe.

Enjoy newb.
I watched that. It’s not comparable at all. Been following the sport since pride, this is the biggest duck in history.

If DC or Randy were champ today, they would have fought Tom. Not comparable at all. Plus Jones already got his “money fight” against a non contender and STILL won’t actually defend
 
you have to respect brock because he came into the ufc with basically no mma fights and didn't duck anybody. he fought top guys from the beginning to the end
This reminds me of how Mark Hunt fought Yoshida, Wanderlei, Cro Cop, Barnett and Fedor in his first two years in MMA.
 
Fedor never fought in the UFC
The same Fedor that beat former UFC champs Nog, Mir, Sylvia, Arlovski, Coleman, Randleman, Rampage and fought in the best HW division (PrideFC) and later for Strikeforce when their HW division was arguably better than UFC at that time?
 
The same Fedor that beat former UFC champs Nog, Mir, Sylvia, Arlovski, Coleman, Randleman, Rampage and fought in the best HW division (PrideFC) and later for Strikeforce when their HW division was arguably better than UFC at that time?
It straight up was better, Kharitonov would have dusted JDS but lost to Cain. HW Cormier was a monster, Ubereem was Ubereem and Werdum ended up winning the UFC title.
 
I watched that. It’s not comparable at all. Been following the sport since pride, this is the biggest duck in history.

If DC or Randy were champ today, they would have fought Tom. Not comparable at all. Plus Jones already got his “money fight” against a non contender and STILL won’t actually defend
DC literally tried to fight a retired Brock over Stipe

What the fuck are you talking about
 



if you want jon jones to fight you, you have to turn him on like these guys done
 
The same Fedor that beat former UFC champs Nog, Mir, Sylvia, Arlovski, Coleman, Randleman, Rampage and fought in the best HW division (PrideFC) and later for Strikeforce when their HW division was arguably better than UFC at that time?
Why did you conveniently leave out Overeem or Randy
 
Not sure why it needs to be at heavyweight to count, but probably the most high profile and in my mind most well established case of ducking was Tito and Chuck. The whole reason for the interim title fight between Liddell and Randy was that Ortiz wouldn’t defend against Chuck so they wanted to get him an interim belt so that Tito would have to fight him. Didn’t quite go the way they had planned but still, Tito was doing everything in his power to avoid fighting Chuck because he knew it would go badly for him.
 
It straight up was better, Kharitonov would have dusted JDS but lost to Cain. HW Cormier was a monster, Ubereem was Ubereem and Werdum ended up winning the UFC title.
We are laughing
 
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