Do you consider Petr Yan a legit champ?

[CBohl]

He didn't have the most difficult road to the title.


I think Aljo and Marlon have had tougher fights.
His best win is probably Jose Aldo.
I think a win over Aljo makes him actually legit.

Thoughts?

 

[Fioretti]

He's essentially champ by default, but still a legitimate fighter.

 

[sampuncher]

Ehhhh, I know exactly what you mean.

He won the belt at the end of the day so hes champ but I think if Henry was still in the division he wouldn't be champ personally.

 

[Deleted member 546119]

 

[SeattleFightFan]

Of course.

Sometimes right time right place helps more than other times. Such is life.

But shit, since we're making up criteria willy-nilly, do you consider yourself a "legit fan"? Why or why not?

 

[Jose Beehive]

I will give him the credit he probably deserves if he beats Aljo, no paper champ though dudes a badass.

 

[Zebra Cheeks]

He didn't have the most difficult road to the title.


I think Aljo and Marlon have had tougher fights.
His best win is probably Jose Aldo.
I think a win over Aljo makes him actually legit.

Thoughts?

You’re using a mentality that’s gone by the wayside. “You’re not champ until you defend the belt”. Yan will be around for a long time, champion or not. I don’t feel his wrestling and ground game has been proven

 

[AmericanUppercut]

I see what you mean, but he got the belt.
So he is the Champ.
It's the system we buy into and agree upon.

 

[TJ177]

Is this a legit thread?

Thoughts?

 

[LHWBelt]

He's earned it, he's beaten a lot of top guys. He needs to fight Sterling though. There's a few other guys he needs to take out too. Cejudo for sure if he comes back. Moraes maybe if he gets back in the win column and maybe Sandhagen.

Honestly aside from Adesanya there isn't any dominant looking male champs at the moment imo. That's probably a good thing though as shown by flyweight title fight.

 

[FrankDux]

Yes. Next question.

 

[Morning Star]

Not until he beats Sterling. Him fighting Aldo for the belt was a joke, especially coming off a win against old ass Faber.

 

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

Does he have a belt from fighting UFC.... pretty legit.

 

[The Chosen]

Why wouldn’t we?

 

[GodKingCovington]

He didn't have the most difficult road to the title.


I think Aljo and Marlon have had tougher fights.
His best win is probably Jose Aldo.
I think a win over Aljo makes him actually legit.

Thoughts?

The division is kind of barren after the GOAT retired.

 

[Fahcough]

He's legit champ according the GSP rule.
Bisping skipped the contender line and was place holder.

 

[Bangkok ready d1]

Yes and aldo arguably won against the guy you said had tougher fights. Next question

 

[hksony]

Yan was a fan favorite before the Aldo Fight. Its not his fault that henry was retired. After the Sterling Fight it will be very clear.

 

[TempleoftheDog]

At the end of the day the answer is yes.

 

[HHJ]

Yes. Cejudo gave the title up.
The sport moves on.