Is teammates refusing to fight each other bad for the sport?

[Me&MrJones]

Like Cormier not facing Velasquez, Barboza not wanting to fight Alvarez, RDA and Dariush and the biggest one, Faber and Dillashaw.

It's an individual sport so why can't these fighters put their friendships aside and fight?

 

[CerebralKnievel]

Not at all. It's a part of what substantiates personalities, and different personalities are a large part of what cultivates viewer interest.

 

[Platinum]

Harder to fight w/ full savage-mode when you care about the person you're bout to punch in the face i guess

 

[Soul On Ice]

It isn't a problem, plenty of fighters and fights out there for anyone who doesn't want to face a team mate.

 

[The Beast Within]

it's childish

 

[Me&MrJones]

It isn't a problem, plenty of fighters and fights out there for anyone who doesn't want to face a team mate.

So let's assume Alvarez stays champion and Barboza keeps winning too, but they'll never fight because they're friends.

 

[PeterTheGreat]

Its not weird at all or bad at all. Some guys are more friends than just training partners.

Look at ATT. Lawler and Woodley are going to fight for the belt. At the same time when Will Brooks was asked if he'd fight Poirier he said never.

Some guys just train, others are friends. Things change when a chunk of Gold and a much higher pay is on the line, but as far as a regular fight, they'd just rather not do it.

 

[screaminleeman]

Strictly IMO. It is only "potentially bad" if it is 2 or more of the top 4 or 5 ranked MMA fighters in a WC all reside on the same team.

Why would anyone give a rats rectum about two fighters not ranked in the top (say 5 or so) not fighting one another as a result of being teammates? IMO that becomes totally irrelevant.

The closest thing I recall to this kind of log jam was the WW division when Koscheck, Fitch and Swick were all ranked top 10 (30% of the ranked WC) and not allowed to fight one another.

 

[Methodan]

It's not a problem unless there is a belt involved. I mean if your teammate got the belt, then you should fight him, if you have the opportunity.

 

[essie]

It can be a little awkward but the roster is deep enough at this point. I wouldn't fight my best friend for any amount of monies.

 

[Stavon]

There bunch of factors that play into fighting teammates know each other end strengths and weaknesses plus how can you trust the coaches not telling your gamplan plus prob can't train at a different gym with the expanses

 

[Wardum]

hey if you don't want that paycheck, somebody else will willingly take it

 

[Crimson Glory]

I would say yes tbh.

It means top guys aren't fighting eachother, therefore, when one becomes champ or two become top contenders at the same time, the fights aren't getting made.

How is that in anyway good for the sport?

 

[Zach Jerome]

So let's assume Alvarez stays champion and Barboza keeps winning too, but they'll never fight because they're friends.

Alvarez aint staying champ for long

 

[Elvis.]

I totally agree with teammates who don't want to fight each other.

 

[grimballer]

Like Cormier not facing Velasquez, Barboza not wanting to fight Alvarez, RDA and Dariush and the biggest one, Faber and Dillashaw.

It's an individual sport so why can't these fighters put their friendships aside and fight?

It's not like it's gonna create tension in the gym or anything like that

 

[Soul On Ice]

So let's assume Alvarez stays champion and Barboza keeps winning too, but they'll never fight because they're friends.

Then that's on Barboza and only affects him negatively, as a fan I don't care as both will still have other great fighters to go against, I don't currently see a division weak enough and with 2 team mates at the top of it for it to be a problem.

The DC/Cain thing was almost a problem but then DC fixed that by moving to LHW...Proving that it isn't a problem, too many fighters and too many options for guys today to worry about this kind of thing.

 

[grimballer]

I would say yes tbh.

It means top guys aren't fighting eachother, therefore, when one becomes champ or two become top contenders at the same time, the fights aren't getting made.

How is that in anyway good for the sport?

Usually top guys from the same gym will not fight in same weight class.

Dc moved to lhw mostly cause Cain was the champ

Anderson didn't wanna challenge for lhw belt cause mschida was top contender in lhw

 

[Lanx]

Look at ATT. Lawler and Woodley are going to fight for the belt.

This is like saying one McDonalds employee from NY is gonna fight one McDonalds employee from Cali. They are both Team McDonalds but it's not like they've ever seen each other anyway.

Ruthless
"Like I don't think he's been down there for two years and he was rarely down there before so I don't really look at him as a teammate."

 

[awymore]

I see it as more helpful than harmful. It fighters in the same gym know they are going to have to be fighting each other, are they going to be as helpful about training each other? I wouldn't think so.