Ilir Latifi to Daniel Cormier: 'Defend or vacate'

LOL

The walking thumb is making demands? My god. I really hope LHW gets a surge of young talent soon. This is getting ridiculous.
 
Man, LHW is in a bad state. I know UFC rankings are built on nonsense but this is the top 5:

1 - Gus hasn't fought in over a year and just pulled out of another fight, 3-2 last 5
2 - DC beat Volkan decisively, 4-1 last 5
3 - Ilir is somehow ranked 3rd despite being on only a 2 fight win streak, 4-1 last 5
4 - Blachowicz is for some reason more surprisingly to me ranked 4th, on a 3 fight win streak but hasn't beaten any big names, 3-2 last 5
5 - Jimi Manuwa, 2-3 last 5

UFC should really put together an unofficial 6-8 man tournament to get a contender that actually has some momentum or hype behind him. I don't care to see DC fight any of these guys. DC had the right idea with Shogun, at least he has a desperately nostalgic fanbase (myself included), and some historical prestige.

When DC retires, are we going to live in a world where Ryan Bader is the true #1 LHW in the world? Terrifying.
 
The fact that guys like Latifi and Smith are contenders shows you how shit this division has become. DC would smash both on the same night back to back.
 
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"Honestly, I don't think he's going to come down any more," Latifi told ESPN. "I think he's playing around, seeing what money fights he can make. I understand that in a way, but something needs to happen at 205. There are guys who want that shot at a title or interim title.

"He says a lot of things. He's said he'll fight me. I told him to be a man of his word and do it. If he's looking for more comfortable fights, he shouldn't be champ."

"I heard Jon Jones is coming back this year. Rumors, you know?" Latifi said. "You see what he's posting on social media, you get an indication he's getting back. Let's see. I don't think Cormier fights Jon Jones again. I see Alex [Gustafsson] fighting Jon, but if not, I would love to fight Jon, too."

"Either he comes down and defends against me this year, or they have to make an interim title or force him to step down from the title," Latifi said. "It's only fair. I think what he's done for the sport is great, and he's a great champion, but it's a new time now."

http://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/...rmier-man-word-vacate-light-heavyweight-title


I have seriously never even heard of this guy before
 
Dude. You just missed a fight because of being injured... Plus. Latifi isn't even the top contender. This guy and Gus.... SMH.
 
DC defended in Feb and fought in July -- has a broken hand now. It's not like he's hasn't been active.
 
Could one of these guys shut up and actually beat a champ

How many fake belts do we have now
 
DC defended in Feb and fought in July -- has a broken hand now. It's not like he's hasn't been active.
Yup...basically LHW in the last quarter and HW in the first is what he has mentioned a fw times now.
 
No contender has a decent win streak at LHW, Cormier isn't blocking anything. The official top 10 contenders' win streak:

1 Alexander Gustafsson : 2 fights
2 Volkan Oezdemir : 0 fights
3 Ilir Latifi : 2 fights
4 Jan Blachowicz : 3 fights
5 Jimi Manuwa : 2 fights losing streak
6 Corey Anderson : 2 fights
7 Ovince Saint Preux : 1 fight
8 Glover Teixeira : 0 fights
9 Anthony Smith : 2 fights
10 Misha Cirkunov : 2 fights losing streak

Blachowicz is for some reason more surprisingly to me ranked 4th, on a 3 fight win streak but hasn't beaten any big names, 3-2 last 5

Blachowicz has wins over Latifi and Manuwa (1-1) and has the longest win streak among the contenders, but yeah, nobody is expecting him to be next in line.
 
I cringed watching this guy call out DC cage side like he was somebody deserving of a shot. Fucking Ryan Bader made you look like ass! Put 2-3 more good wins together, even at a catch weight if need be, then talk. Fucking 2 fight win streak..."I deserve a shot!" Lol
 
Jan Blachowicz has a better claim to a title shot than Latifi.
 
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