If Paddy vs Gaethje is the 319 co-main, Ilia's 1st LW defense has to be Arman... right?

[Rubios]

Just what the title says.

I'd love to see this fight. Paddy sits at #10 right now so him being the next contender would've been quite weird.

 

[MartiniSIDe]

319 is not that far away (6 weeks)

So it wouldn't be surprising that Ilia fights the winner of it. A fight vs Paddy/Gaethje sells way more than Arman.

 

[KO Shotz]

Paddy vs Gaethje isn't gonna happen now. By letting Paddy walk into the octagon to confront Ilia; it set up for everyone (including Paddy & Ilia) to talk about Paddy & Ilia fighting next.

 

[markys00]

No. Ppl seem to forget these guys fight like once or twice a year.

 

[jeff7b9]

Patty straight out said that was false.

And it seems to all track back to a fake event poster some reddit troll made.

So...

 

[r-harper-1]

Paddy couldn’t make 170 in 6 weeks

 

[Rubios]

Ilia said he could and wants to fight again this year.
And it makes sense: got almost no damage and another win pretty much gets him FOTY.

Otherwise, it's still Merab. DDP could sneak in.

If I was the UFC, I would not risk my biggest star wanting to fight again... on the winner of Paddy vs Gaethje getting hurt that little so he can be back at it this year.

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

I’d be pretty shocked if they didn’t make Paddy vs Ilia

This is 2025 UFC, they have done shit that makes way less sense for way less money/viewership

 

[burningspear]

arman always gets in his own way, it will be fun watching ilia decapitate paddy

 

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

Fake News

 

[Rubios]

I’d be pretty shocked if they didn’t make Paddy vs Ilia

This is 2025 UFC, they have done shit that makes way less sense for way less money/viewership

Sure, Dana does Dana.
I just can't figure out how they could get away with it this time.

Ok, say they make Paddy vs JG. Paddy wins, so they put him at... 4, or 3. That's a big if, but now we have a rightful 1st defense contender. Cool.

But in the meanwhile Arman takes a fight, too. And he wins it aswell. He gets... down, in the rankings?

 

[JBJ was here]

I’d be pretty shocked if they didn’t make Paddy vs Ilia

This is 2025 UFC, they have done shit that makes way less sense for way less money/viewership

The thing is that the only way that the fight makes even a little sense in that fashion is if the UFC is confident that Paddy can't beat anyone better than Chandler, because a fight against Topuria rates to end Paddy's run as a financially useful asset for the UFC. If Paddy were a milking cow, feeding him to Topuria would be shooting the cow.

 

[JKS]

Just what the title says.

I'd love to see this fight. Paddy sits at #10 right now so him being the next contender would've been quite weird.

Or it could be the winner of that fight and Arman will fight someone else.

But I think they will give it to Arman, he made weight as the back and up and Dana said that made him look better after pulling out.

 

[blunttruth]

Or it could be the winner of that fight and Arman will fight someone else.

But I think they will give it to Arman, he made weight as the back and up and Dana said that made him look better after pulling out.

Yep, Dana indicated that Arman making backup weight, "was a start", or something like that. I suspect they will offer it to Arman at a time and place of the UFC and Ilia's choosing, if, and only if, Arman goes along like a respectful contracted employee, will he get another shot at what he is asking for, and may we all se that he gets it live and in living color.

 

[nonoob]

The thing is that the only way that the fight makes even a little sense in that fashion is if the UFC is confident that Paddy can't beat anyone better than Chandler,

​

 

[USCinSC890]

These leaked event posters don't mean anything until it's official, Topuria will fight later this year so it could be anybody who fights before September realistically.

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

Sure, Dana does Dana.
I just can't figure out how they could get away with it this time.

Ok, say they make Paddy vs JG. Paddy wins, so they put him at... 4, or 3. That's a big if, but now we have a rightful 1st defense contender. Cool.

But in the meanwhile Arman takes a fight, too. And he wins it aswell. He gets... down, in the rankings?

I don't even think there would be a public backlash, people actually want to see Paddy fight Ilia and Arman has been kinda forgotten about by the average fan... there was waaaay more public backlash and it made waaay less sense for O'Malley to get an instant rematch against Merab and they made it so I don't think there would be any worry about getting away with it from them.

I don't think Paddy will fight Gaethje, I think his next fight is a TS... they're gonna make Arman win one more and get the shot after that imo.

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

The thing is that the only way that the fight makes even a little sense in that fashion is if the UFC is confident that Paddy can't beat anyone better than Chandler, because a fight against Topuria rates to end Paddy's run as a financially useful asset for the UFC. If Paddy were a milking cow, feeding him to Topuria would be shooting the cow.

Paddy will still be a star after losing to Ilia, he will probably be even bigger because that fight will probably be huge and introduce him to a lot more people

Nobody is gonna hold losing to Ilia against him, especially if he has any moments of success

 

[b00tysweat]

Paddy fights Ilia

Arman fights Gaethje

easy

 

[JBJ was here]

I don't even think there would be a public backlash, people actually want to see Paddy fight Ilia . . .

Evidence, please.

Besides, the extent of backlash depends on how the fight goes, and the fight would rate to end with Paddy's performance causing everyone to reminisce about Travis Wolford.