Everyone talking about Charles, but Ilia turned down an Arman fight

[Vigfree]

Everyone is talking about Islam or Charles ducking Ilia, but...
My opinion for a bit now has been the fight that makes the most sense is Ilia vs Arman for the #1 contender fight. Winner gets Islam.
It gives Ilia a 1-fight path to the belt.
It makes Arman work for it after missing weight.

These are the two best fights for Islam next at 155, and he fights one of them.

Apparently the UFC agreed and offered Ilia the Arman fight, and the real duck is Ilia who turned it down saying he will only fight Islam next. LOL, bro you vacated, you have no leverage.
I think Islam is totally correct here to want Ilia to take a fight first. Yes Ilia had 2 massive wins, but he defended his belt 1 time only. Now he gets to move up and fight for the 155 strap instantly? Islam has the 155 record for defenses and hasn't got his shot at 170 yet. If Ilia wins a contender fight THEN Islam beats him, people won't detract from the accomplishment the way they would if Islam beats Ilia now.
The 145er nonsense was nonstop on here after the Volk fights.

Ilia Topuria Passes On Matchup With Arman Tsarukyan: ‘He Will Not Fight For The Status Of A Contender’

Former UFC Featherweight kingpin, Ilia Topuria, has apparently refused to fight Arman Tsarukyan in a 155-pound No. 1 contender eliminator match.

www.mmamania.com

 

[Chagaev]

Arman is a bad fight for Ilia. He would get a title shot simply by waiting or fighting one of the semi-retired big names of the division.

 

[Conan the K-9]

They are Georgian and Armenian bradas, we have heard sillier excuses for not accepting fights.

 

[jko1355]

Id like Justin Gaethje vs Ilia.... thats a fun all striker fight and give the winner a shot as they are new blood for Islam.

 

[HHJ]

Arman is on punishment.

 

[HuskySamoan]

Ilia vs Arman is the worst fucking possible fight you could make. Have Ilia fight Charles and Gaethje fight Arman. Line these sucker's up and let's create contenders people actually care about. 155 has sucked for a long time.

 

[usernamee]

Arman is on punishment.

 

[michaelmichaelmichael90]

Ilia vs Arman is the worst fucking possible fight you could make. Have Ilia fight Charles and Gaethje fight Arman. Line these sucker's up and let's create contenders people actually care about. 155 has sucked for a long time.

Why is this the worst fight possible? Is it bc u think Arman will expose Illa and ground hump him? If thats the case, I get it if ur a Illa fan but thats a really good fight. I would much rather Illa vs Gaethje or Illa vs Olivia, but all 3 make total sense.

 

[Portland8242]

Yeah it never gets mentioned but I'm pretty sure they're friends. Arman is half Georgian and was born in Georgia and seems to love the place.

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

If UFC were actually competent, Ilia/Islam would already be signed and announced by now.

 

[Feaser]

Why is this the worst fight possible? Is it bc u think Arman will expose Illa and ground hump him? If thats the case, I get it if ur a Illa fan but thats a really good fight. I would much rather Illa vs Gaethje or Illa vs Olivia, but all 3 make total sense.

Those are both 2 viable contenders, either of which could justifiably fight for the title right now. Who does Islam fight while he’s waiting for his 2 best challengers to eliminate each other?

 

[ejazahmednit]

People choose who is ducking based on their fighter preference.
TBF none of these champions are ducks, they just view everything as a risk reward

 

[jeff7b9]

Why is this the worst fight possible? Is it bc u think Arman will expose Illa and ground hump him? If thats the case, I get it if ur a Illa fan but thats a really good fight. I would much rather Illa vs Gaethje or Illa vs Olivia, but all 3 make total sense.

No dog in the fight for me but that just kills off a contender in a division BADLY needing fresh contenders.

At this point I just want fights. The whole fucking top 5 and champ all ducking eachother at the same time is so dumb.

Entertain me dammit.
Smash eachothers brains in for my Saturday night enjoyment!!

 

[jeff7b9]

People choose who is ducking based on their fighter preference.
TBF none of these champions are ducks, they just view everything as a risk reward

Jones is a duck.

His division has had an interim champ for a year and a half and he just announced he needs at least another 6 months (AFTER signing), to fight the guy who he should have known was next since November 2023.

Quack motherfucking quack

 

[ejazahmednit]

Jones is a duck.

His division has had an interim champ for a year and a half and he just announced he needs at least another 6 months (AFTER signing), to fight the guy who he should have known was next since November 2023.

Quack motherfucking quack

I will make an exception about Jones
But he is also choosing risk/reward as in he sees there is a chance he loses his undefeated tag to Aspinall

 

[jeff7b9]

I will make an exception about Jones
But he is also choosing risk/reward as in he sees there is a chance he loses his undefeated tag to Aspinall

Deciding that the risk reward ratio is insufficient to justify fighting the 1.5 year reigning interim champ who has cleaned out the top 8 is a poetically eloquent way to say ducking.

 

[ejazahmednit]

Deciding that the risk reward ratio is insufficient to justify fighting the 1.5 year reigning interim champ who has cleaned out the top 8 is a poetically eloquent way to say ducking.

Im with you there
Either Jones fights late summer or just strip him and he can have his special fights or whatever he wants

 

[Vigfree]

Ilia vs Arman is the worst fucking possible fight you could make. Have Ilia fight Charles and Gaethje fight Arman. Line these sucker's up and let's create contenders people actually care about. 155 has sucked for a long time.

if you make these fights, and Ilia & Arman wins, who gets next?
Theoretically it should be Arman.
But all Ilia fans will protest

This is why Arman vs Ilia makes the most sense. And the UFC agreed. Ilia ducked that matchup.
Now I get he wants to fight Islam for the belt first (who doesn't)... but it seems like he's gonna have to fight someone at 155 first, and this was the fight to book.

 

[blunttruth]

I agree fully with the OP. Sure I would like to see Islam vs Ilia some day, but doing it now is a dead end. If ilia would beat Islam, he would most likely pull a Cejudo/Kahbib/McGregor and retire, run away, or claim there is no one left to fight. If Islam beats Ilia, then do you really expect him to then go back down and fight others in the top 10 at LW, I doubt it myself. If you like lots of frequent interesting fights, don't rush to the end game, or it is all over.

 

[Harlekin]

Maybe Islam should just stop ducking Topuria.

He only fought a 4 minute sparring match against a late replacement top15 guy