It May Be Time For Knuckles To Vacate Or Be Stripped...

[datfnguy]

According to reports Whittaker may be out until somewhere between June to October. I gotta say if this is the case it may make sense to strip him. I understand the seriousness of his injury, but you gotta figure he won the belt in July 2017 and it is yet to be defended. That's more than 700 days by June 1 and 2 full years if it makes it to July. Dom was really injured too and he vacated his belt (even if coaxed/ forced by the UFC) because he new he was going to be holding up the devision and as such costing the UFC money.

https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2019/2/...el-adesanya-kelvin-gastelum-yoel-romero-fight

 

[Kenny Powerth]

You have a point.

 

[JayPettryMMA]

Whittaker last fought on June 9th, 2018, and was attempting to defend his title. It was not his fault that his opponent missed weight and turned it into a non-title fight. If he comes back in June 2019, that's a year off which is about as long as I'd want between defenses, but if it's longer, an interim might be in order.

 

[TheToqueville]

According to reports Whittaker may be out until somewhere between June to October. I gotta say if this is the case it may make sense to strip him. I understand the seriousness of his injury, but you gotta figure he won the belt in July 2017 and it is yet to be defended. That's more than 700 days by June 1 and 2 full years if it makes it to July. Dom was really injured too and he vacated his belt (even if coaxed/ forced by the UFC) because he new he was going to be holding up the devision and as such costing the UFC money.

https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2019/2/...el-adesanya-kelvin-gastelum-yoel-romero-fight

Sooooo now it's Whittaker's fault that he fought a cheater who tried ducking his real weight class and couldnt make weight?

 

[PastOfPrime]

Whittaker last fought at UFC 225 (June 2018) there are a lot of "champions" who have sit out longer without even being injured and hasnt been stripped.
Its not his fault that Romero missed weight Rob did his job.

 

[Mga223]

Whittaker last fought on June 9th, 2018, and was attempting to defend his title. It was not his fault that his opponent missed weight and turned it into a non-title fight. If he comes back in June 2019, that's a year off which is about as long as I'd want between defenses, but if it's longer, an interim might be in order.

This.

BTW you forgot to close the thread.

Thanks.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Sorry playboy, Bobby beat Yoel twice.

 

[WeedLordBonerHitler]

According to reports Whittaker may be out until somewhere between June to October. I gotta say if this is the case it may make sense to strip him. I understand the seriousness of his injury, but you gotta figure he won the belt in July 2017 and it is yet to be defended. That's more than 700 days by June 1 and 2 full years if it makes it to July. Dom was really injured too and he vacated his belt (even if coaxed/ forced by the UFC) because he new he was going to be holding up the devision and as such costing the UFC money.

https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2019/2/...el-adesanya-kelvin-gastelum-yoel-romero-fight

What would really be fair is make an interim belt and anyone who beats Romero for the interim belt can come fight Whittaker. Nobody deserves that belt unless they can survive and beat Romero.

 

[Chivas GDL]

oMG just do it already and make Israel vs Gordelum for the undisputed belt.

Go comment fights on the desk with Cruz Mr hernia

 

[0verlord]

Rob "defended" his title vs Yoel in June last year (beat him twice).
Kelvin is the 4th ranked MW.
Nope no valid reason the title should belong to anyone else at the moment.

 

[HHJ]

 

[mooseman17]

Was this one of those Yoel beat Rob type of threads disguised as a threat about him being stripped?

 

[datfnguy]

Whittaker last fought on June 9th, 2018, and was attempting to defend his title. It was not his fault that his opponent missed weight and turned it into a non-title fight. If he comes back in June 2019, that's a year off which is about as long as I'd want between defenses, but if it's longer, an interim might be in order.

I'm not talking about fault, I'm talking about actuality. We haven't seen the MW belt contested in more than a year. It's not his fault that he's injured (again) and it wasn't Dom's fault that he kept getting injured. It wasn't Tony's fault that he messed up his leg, but he was still stripped of the IC and bumped back down in the title race.
Behind all else this is a business and as such you have to do what is necessary to keep it moving forward.

 

[datfnguy]

Sooooo now it's Whittaker's fault that he fought a cheater who tried ducking his real weight class and couldnt make weight?

It's not about fault. But he did pull out of a fight before that one too. You do realize you are clinging to a fight that happened 11 months after he won the belt right?

 

[FreddieRoachsVoice]

Dwelling on the footnote that Whittaker's last fight wasn't technically a "defense" and ignoring the main fact that he once again beat the single most dangerous fighter in the division in his last fight is ridiculous and incredibly petty. The "belt" doesn't actually mean anything and taking it from Whittaker now would just make it mean even less.

Level of competition > belts and meaningless stats any day hence why no one cares about Demetrius Johnson's "record" because more than half of his defenses were against complete cans

 

[YOLOGOGOPLATA]

I think this is the perfect opportunity for an interim belt between Gastelum and Adesanya. I don’t like interim belts but the champ has had health trouble. We need that cliche “contingency plan”

Plus the fans need fun fights and then JBG needs regular sacrifices... both of those are infinitely more importantly than a silly belt

 

[Mortal Wombat]

Cant believe he didnt fight Kelvin. Royally fuct up the division and my Sunday.

 

[Gambit MMA]

if he doesnt defend by june just do an interim title fight. gastelum vs someone. looks like israel even tho he shouldn't get that chance. jacare, or the romero/costa winner deserve it. especially if costa wins. beating romero makes him #1 contender and in front of every1

 

[datfnguy]

I think you guys are all missing the point. You are all ignoring where I said I understand the seriousness of his injury and agree it's not his fault. I just don't feel sorry for this people. I think it's time they UFC becomes more like boxing and post mandatory defence periods and if they are missed the belt is vacated.
If we want to play the game of fault Whittaker has now pulled out before each scheduled title defence he agreed to and is on pace to fight once a year or less. His treatment and care for his body is not the UFC's, the fan's, the sponsors or his coaches responsibility IT's his fault.
Feel free to flame the above comment but know that I have said many times I don't care about these fighters beyond their ability to entertain me. The took a job and I'm only interested in them when they are doing that job. If they can't do it sub someone else in.

 

[datfnguy]

What would really be fair is make an interim belt and anyone who beats Romero for the interim belt can come fight Whittaker. Nobody deserves that belt unless they can survive and beat Romero.

Romero (and I'm a huge fan) can't be the IC because he fucked up and came in over weight and excluded himself for title contention.