Cases of fighters leap frogging a bad match up?

[TankAbbott4Eva]

As a Tai Tuivasa fan I was rapt to see him get the Derrick Lewis fight, it’s one I’ve wanted to see for years and I think it will be all action.

I then realised that with a win Tuivasa maybe gets a title shot and will avoid Curtis Blaydes who is a bad match up and would wrestlefuck Tai to a decision.

Are there any examples of guys who have won titles while avoiding someone dangerous in the lead up? The other one that springs to mind is Whittaker before he fought Romero first, I can’t remember when Mousasi left the UFC exactly but I was glad Rob avoided that one, I think he would struggle against Moose.

 

[Slatersan]

Conor mcgregor

 

[Get To Da Choppa]

Tito Ortiz leapfrogged the Chuck Liddell matchup and ducked him for as long as he could

 

[Luthien]

Probably Nicco Montaño who frogged right for the belt and then leapt away without a fight

 

[jeff7b9]

Masvidal got 2 title shots without fighting Colby, Burns, Luque or Leon in an actual sanctioned fight.

The only ranked WW he had faced who was still in the division when he got a title shot was Wonderboy who had whooped his ass.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Masvidal got 2 title shots without fighting Colby, Burns, or Leon in an actual sanctioned fights

He got the title shot because he was willing to step in on short notice, fly to Abu Dhabi, cut weight and save the card.

 

[Aluminati]

Conor mcgregor

He leapfrogged an entire division in the shark tank of LW MMA.

 

[sabretitan]

Lesnar vs couture
Couture vs Sylvia
Ken vs tito

 

[jeff7b9]

He got the title shot because he was willing to step in on short notice, fly to Abu Dhabi, cut weight and save the card.

He got the title shot because his popularity was thru the roof after the Askren KO and 3 piece viral video.

Between the above and the Till KO and the BMF shenanigans, Masvidal was receiving massive amounts of press and social media attention.

UFC likes money.

 

[faustian]

Stipe pulled out vs a very dangerous version of Ben Rothwell (a very tough style matchup for Stipe) and got to instead fight Arlovski a few months later for the title eliminator that got him the Werdum title fight. There was no real reason to not just reschedule the fight with Rothwell as he was ready to go, they instead had Rothwell fight Barnett the same month Stipe fought Arlovski

 

[sabretitan]

He got the title shot because he was willing to step in on short notice, fly to Abu Dhabi, cut weight and save the card.

And got beat up for it. Funny thing is he got smashed with a full camp

 

[faustian]

He got the title shot because his popularity was thru the roof after the Askren KO and 3 piece viral video.

Between the above and the Till KO and the BMF shenanigans, Masvidal was receiving massive amounts of press and social media attention.

UFC likes money.

Masvidal was the last minute plan C after Giblert Burns and Leon Scott fell through

 

[RonMachineGunJhun]

Nick did it to a title shot

 

[RonMachineGunJhun]

Not saying he didnt put in the work before hand but it was a gift to get the GSP fight

 

[jeff7b9]

Masvidal was the last minute plan C after Giblert Burns and Leon Scott fell through

That's part of the story.

They were trying to book a shot for Jorge earlier, he wanted more money and the UFC went with Leon (I think?) instead, then the fight got scrapped and they needed a replacement and Masvidal got a bump in pay which was enough for him to take the fight short notice.

 

[Sweater of AV]

And got beat up for it. Funny thing is he got smashed with a full camp

Funny thing is you completely missed the point.

 

[Sweater of AV]

He got the title shot because his popularity was thru the roof after the Askren KO and 3 piece viral video.

Between the above and the Till KO and the BMF shenanigans, Masvidal was receiving massive amounts of press and social media attention.

UFC likes money.

Yes but Masvidal being in the discussion for a title shot after beating Nate, Askren, and Till wasn't out of the ordinary. I'm not even sure why you're mentioning Burns. There was no reason for Jorge to fight him at the time. There was a money issue and he was happy to wait it out until his next fight.

He ended up getting the title shot because he stepped up. And he got paid. It was a good move for him.

 

[jeff7b9]

Yes but Masvidal being in the discussion for a title shot after beating Nate, Askren, and Till wasn't out of the ordinary. I'm not even sure why you're mentioning Burns. There was no reason for Jorge to fight him at the time. There was a money issue and he was happy to wait it out until his next fight.

He ended up getting the title shot because he stepped up. And he got paid. It was a good move for him.

Good move for everybody.

No one else would have sold more PPVs.

 

[Sausage_Carius]

Rose dodged Claudia hard when Claudia was still a problem. Practically nobody calls out anyone so when they do the fight is usually made. Claudia called out Rose. Crickets. Bad style matchup for Rose. Keep feeding her stylistically favorable opponents. Took like another... jesus christ 6 years before Rose finally has to fight another pressure fighter.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Good move for everybody.

No one else would have sold more PPVs.

Sure but he still deserved it. I still have no idea why you think he should have beaten Burns. Colby had already lost to Usman and was going to fight Tyron.

Till was ranked 3 and Askren 5 when he beat them. Then he beat Nate in a pay day for both. It was perfectly fine for Jorge to get a title shot.