Elephant in the room: next LW champ is a paper champ

[DebtCollectorMMA]

First of all, great fight, great matchup, and looking forward to it. But let's be honest, the winner will be considered a paper champ until they defend against Gaethje or Poirier (or Conor if he leaves Poirier stiff in impressive, devastating fashion).

Not to mention the LW division is the laughing stock of the UFC since Khabib vacated and left the division dead in the water. Nobody will take that belt seriously with Khabib retiring on top at the young age of 32. It's the second best belt. The DWP belt. Tony bless.

 

[Slatersan]

 

[Dionysian]

Winner vs winner (Charles/Chandler and Dustin/Conor) should be considered legit champ IMO. And this is from a Khabib fan. Division has to move on now.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

Winner vs winner (Charles/Chandler and Dustin/Conor) should be considered legit champ IMO. And this is from a Khabib fan. Division has to move on now.

Yeah, this.

 

[Draxton]

Even Khabib was a paper champ for winning the title off 11th ranked Al at the time. Obviously Khabib was/is legit, but at the time… yikes. Anyone who doesn’t get the belt by beating an existing champ will always be a paper champ until defending against top competitors.

Oh, Conor only needs a split decision to get his title fight. Nothing spectacular needed.

 

[Through The Looking Glass]

by this logic

Jan is a paper champ.

Yan is a paper champ too.

 

[0-2]

Even Khabib was a paper champ for winning the title off 11th ranked Al at the time. Obviously Khabib was/is legit, but at the time… yikes. Anyone who doesn’t get the belt by beating an existing champ will always be a paper champ until defending against top competitors.

Oh, Conor only needs a split decision to get his title fight. Nothing spectacular needed.

Meh. I never considered Conor to be the best LW in the world with a 1-0 LW record at the time. He took the belt, paraded around with it, and refused to defend it.

 

[GordoBarraBJJ]

Charles has earned it.

Chandler - maybe you have a case.

As far as I know wasn't dustin supposed to fight for the title with Charles but declined.

 

[HHJ]

The LW div is in a great place right now with awesome competitive matches...so of course somebody gotta come in and shove flaming barb wire bats up their own back passage,about this.

 

[Pitier of Fools]

There are a bunch of paper champs now. The lineal title has ended at light heavyweight, lightweight, bantamweight, and featherweight. Flyweight too, but nobody cares about flyweight.

 

[Peli]

First of all, great fight, great matchup, and looking forward to it. But let's be honest, the winner will be considered a paper champ until they defend against Gaethje or Poirier (or Conor if he leaves Poirier stiff in impressive, devastating fashion).

Not to mention the LW division is the laughing stock of the UFC since Khabib vacated and left the division dead in the water. Nobody will take that belt seriously with Khabib retiring on top at the young age of 32. It's the second best belt. The DWP belt. Tony bless.

We all pretty much acknowledge. The winner of the belt is a paper champ until they defend the title.

 

[ignorant MMA fan]

Fortunately for me, I don't obsess over the champions validity, so I'm free to enjoy the violence.

 

[HHJ]

NO ONE SHOULD ENJOY THIS MATCHUP.

SUCK IT DRY

Joe Rogan: Im here with the ...well..PAPER champ ____________! How does it feel to have won NOTHING?

It feels neutral Joe. I am trying to not enjoy this victory right now,and I hope none of you are either.

 

[TempleoftheDog]

There are a bunch of paper champs now. The lineal title has ended at light heavyweight, lightweight, bantamweight, and featherweight. Flyweight too, but nobody cares about flyweight.

You missed WW, and MW.

Personally when someone retires I just move on. What other choice is there? I suppose I could just stop watching the sport. But, that seems a little crazy.

 

[HHJ]

Charles has earned it.

Chandler - maybe you have a case.

As far as I know wasn't dustin supposed to fight for the title with Charles but declined.

Yes he went for the money fight to rematch Conor.

 

[HHJ]

Personally when someone retires I just move on.

Exactly. But god forbid people with no lives move on from anyting lol

 

[eiyuu]

Does that mean that when GSP vacated the WW title, every titleholder since then has been a paper champ?

Or that when Frank Shamrock vacated the then MW (later LHW) title every title holder since then has been a paper champ?

 

[No Skill Gap]

Cool then the WW champ is a paper champ now and forever because - GSP

And Jan-Reyes, which obviously became Jan, is a paper champ because - Jon Jones

and the FW champ could be construed as such considering McGregor blasted the division then left never to return...

But I think most people move on

 

[HHJ]

lol all you have to do is retire with the belt and you are forever champion.

You could become eternal champion by getting into a car accident lol

 

[MigitAs]