If Islam wins the 170 belt AND fights Shavkat, do you think he'd come back @ 155?

[Rubios]

IMHO he will stay, at least, to face Shavkat.

By then, I can see Arman (most likely) or Ilia as LW champs.

Do you think he'd go for a last dance at 155?

 

[GrantB13]

Not sure why he would. If he can hang against bigger 170ers there's not much reason to unless he performs better at 155.

 

[Skarsgard]

I think this is his GSP moment. He's going to try to snag the belt and add the final cherry to his career.

 

[joy2day]

If he lost and it was clear he was not going to be able to be champ at 170, he may go back. Not sure why he would go back if he were the champ, doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[CasualBot]

Seems to most of us he ducked Sillya the finisher for a decision winner (JDM).

At this point a UFC championship is a bit of a running joke. Quite literally.

 

[RichardHarrow]

I think this is his GSP moment. He's going to try to snag the belt and add the final cherry to his career.

It’s plausible. But I can imagine Dana has already had this convo with him and wouldn’t have allowed a TS if this was true.

 

[TriangleMonkey]

Its a belt-snatch

GSP style

 

[TheMoa]

If he get's the 170 he's not going down again.
His weight cuts are gnarly, against Moic he was wearing shades and walking slowly on the weight ins.
After the guy pack up that extra weight it's really hard to the body/mind to get back down.

The only way I can see he going back to LW is if he lose his shot at the belt. ON WW he would have to win at least a couple fights to get back there while he would get immediate shot at LW.

 

[Skarsgard]

It’s plausible. But I can imagine Dana has already had this convo with him and wouldn’t have allowed a TS if this was true.

I think that's why he vacated the belt. I doubt anyone sees JDM as a long-reigning champ, so they're not worried about that. The big worry would be about 155 being in more chaos.

 

[Rubios]

IMO, the logic behind "why fight smaller guys when he has proven he can hang with the 170ers" is flawed.

I need to see a bit more from Shavkat, and Ilia's grappling vs top opposition.

So maybe I might think that a win over Arman/Ilia @155 has more value.

That said, cutting back to 155 after putting the size to match a huge WW as Shavkat could be impossible.

 

[dildos]

He would retire after Shavkat destroys him.

But tbh Islam wouldn’t even beat JDM.

 

[Rubios]

I think this is his GSP moment. He's going to try to snag the belt and add the final cherry to his career.

I'm pretty confident because... well, he has said it several times, that he will at least fight Shavkat.

 

[Koala]

Nope
3 fights and he retires
Most likely Giacomo, Shavkat and another one
or Giacomo, Tapuria and Arman if he loses to Giacomo

 

[markys00]

Depends whether he beats shavkhat or not

 

[markys00]

I'm pretty confident because... well, he has said it several times, that he will at least fight Shavkat.

People say a lot of things. He also said he would not drop the lw belt under any circumstance

 

[HHJ]

No.

 

[RockyLockridge]

Relinquishing the title is the smartest move Islam has made lately.

If he seriously wants to pursuit the Welterweight title and defend it he will have to make a changes to his body if he wants to stay there. trying to half step to welterweight is a bad bad idea

 

[RichardHarrow]

I think that's why he vacated the belt. I doubt anyone sees JDM as a long-reigning champ, so they're not worried about that. The big worry would be about 155 being in more chaos.

Yep fair points.

 

[RockyLockridge]

It’s plausible. But I can imagine Dana has already had this convo with him and wouldn’t have allowed a TS if this was true.

dana cant make someone fight. Im sure he said the exact same thing to gsp

 

[NoSmilez]

I don't think so. He isn't much smaller than JDM.