It's so painfully obvious how bad the UFC wants Chandler to be champion

[IronMike22]

Agreed and it's a sad dictatorship

 

[richardjohnson]

Yeah it's pretty obvious who they want to win in this case. I don't blame the UFC though, Chandler seems like a great guy and is very marketable. I'd have no issue with him being champion although I am rooting for Chuck tomorrow.

 

[blaseblah]

You sound angry.

Thing is that not everyone is wild about having 3 "African" champs, a LHW with a scrabble surname, and so on.

Weidman had a massive push, so did Rockhold... Ngannou did because he was a freakshow - they're always marketable.

What people want to see, and what media forces on them are two different things a lot of the time...

Personally I'm more of a "best fighter should be champ" type, and I don't care much for social debate - I'm just saying this as an observer.

Izzy is a potential star for the UFC. Way moreso than Whittaker was. Has charisma and has a kickboxing Silva-like fighting style. Ngannou is just a phenom. He's the first fighter to look the part of the baddest man on the planet since Brock and he viciously KOs people. Race has nothing to do with it.

Usman is the least marketable of the three. It's why he didn't get any special promotion prior to him beating Woodley while both Ngannou and Izzy got hyped up and pushed into the spotlight. He has a boring personality and until his last two fights was putting on boring fights.

 

[Buff]

Izzy is a potential star for the UFC. Way moreso than Whittaker was. Has charisma and has a kickboxing Silva-like fighting style. Ngannou is just a phenom. He's the first fighter to look the part of the baddest man on the planet since Brock and he viciously KOs people. Race has nothing to do with it.

Usman is the least marketable of the three. It's why he didn't get any special promotion prior to him beating Woodley while both Ngannou and Izzy got hyped up and pushed into the spotlight. He has a boring personality and until his last two fights was putting on boring fights.

Out of the three, Ngannou is the most obvious choice, as you say... Followed by Izzy who is at the "potential" stage, and then Usman who will likely never be a household name no matter who he beats. You hit the nail on the head there.

There is a novelty factor there though with all of them... The UFC can simply do more with an eloquent, decent looking, whitebread American champ than they can with a polarising foreigner, that's just a given... The fact that he would be the only one around makes him a seriously hot prospect.

Personally I like that Kumite style mish-mash of styles, and nationalities... Its just the way i see it on the promotion side.

 

[punkoo]

I am not surprised. Chandler is all American .... wrestling. And he is well spoken and fun to watch. Oliveira is boring to most causal fans anyway.

 

[blaseblah]

Out of the three, Ngannou is the most obvious choice, as you say... Followed by Izzy who is at the "potential" stage, and then Usman who will likely never be a household name no matter who he beats. You hit the nail on the head there.

There is a novelty factor there though with all of them... The UFC can simply do more with an eloquent, decent looking, whitebread American champ than they can with a polarising foreigner, that's just a given... The fact that he would be the only one around makes him a seriously hot prospect.

Personally I like that Kumite style mish-mash of styles, and nationalities... Its just the way i see it on the promotion side.

Stipe is the whitebread good looking American and he has nowhere near the potential of Ngannou. Granted, his voice is rough but you could give him a perfect speaking voice and it wouldn't make him as marketable as Ngannou. He just doesn't have that it factor.

 

[Buff]

Stipe is the whitebread good looking American and he has nowhere near the potential of Ngannou. Granted, his voice is rough but you could give him a perfect speaking voice and it wouldn't make him anywhere near as marketable as Ngannou. He just doesn't have that it factor.

"Stipe Miocic", that classic American name... To the casual observer he was just another square-headed Russian bro... "Michael Chandler" is a no-briner to a glancing observer.

Ngannou is a one-off, and he's needed, but he is only sellable in the ring, whereas Chandler has a lot more media/promo opportunities coming his way if he does win... He will become a big star.

 

[Guffman]

Olives doesn't even try to be marketable, couldn't learn a bit of English in 10 years? That's pathetic, he doesn't deserve the title, would be an awful champ.

So if you don't speak English you make an awful champ? GTFOH.

 

[Dan Torrance]

That 'Dana White Privilege' tho.

 

[The Podium]

After Poirier dusts McGregor again, I'm sure they'll be pushing him over either of these guys so who cares. The UFC is a business and making money is the number 1 goal. Hyping, promoting and just generally making you wanna watch the fight is their priority.

 

[King Joffery]

So if you don't speak English you make an awful champ? GTFOH.

Absolutely, its an entertainment business and he isn't even trying to do the bare minimum. You don't have to be fluent but at least get it up to Khabib standard, how hard is that?

 

[Eiger]

Language aside, Chandler is a natural in front of the camera. He could be a network television gameshow host if he wanted to be. He's an easy sell.

 

[315MMAFighter]

Just look at all the UFC video clips/promos they're cutting about him. Compare those to the ones they're cutting for Olives. I can't wait for Oliveira to "upset" this guy.

That being said, I like Chandler a lot. He's got a good head on his shoulders. I don't fault him one bit for taking advantage of anything he can in this fight game. But the last thing the UFC wants is a guy like Oliveira who doesn't speak english well, isn't very marketable in the US, winning the vacant title. But the fact is, he's probably going to win because he's legit. The cream will always rise to the top. Let's go Olives.

I hope Olives puts him fast asleep and gets the belt. Olives has been busting his ass in the UFC for way too long to let Bellators boy come and take this from him. War Olives

 

[Guffman]

Chandler wouldn't even have made the jump if the drug testing protocol wasn't relaxed as it obviously has been.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

I am not surprised. Chandler is all American .... wrestling. And he is well spoken and fun to watch. Oliveira is boring to most causal fans anyway.

I highly doubt anyone finds Oliveira boring as a fighter. The man has 2 decisions in 28 wins.

 

[315MMAFighter]

Chandler 1 cawky short man. Tall Olives puts him to sleep

 

[Megatronlee]

I can’t wait for mike to win

 

[Doughie99]

Just look at all the UFC video clips/promos they're cutting about him. Compare those to the ones they're cutting for Olives. I can't wait for Oliveira to "upset" this guy.

That being said, I like Chandler a lot. He's got a good head on his shoulders. I don't fault him one bit for taking advantage of anything he can in this fight game. But the last thing the UFC wants is a guy like Oliveira who doesn't speak english well, isn't very marketable in the US, winning the vacant title. But the fact is, he's probably going to win because he's legit. The cream will always rise to the top. Let's go Olives.

hell fucking yes.

 

[Doughie99]

If anything I felt like UFC want Chandler out of the way somewhat, so might as well throw him into a title shot even at the risk he wins.

I don’t buy the whole he is white and American angle, not considering there is almost certain to be a white American 155 champ before too long with Poirier and Gaethje way in front of Makhachev in the que.

that's a reasonable take on the whole thing.

I'd kinda like to know what Chandler's show and win money is. Because I think it's probably VERY HIGH. Nothing wrong with that...get the max you can. Fair enough.
- I think UFC went Succession Planning with Chandler....knowing full-well Khabib was exiting the scene and Conor is all washed-up and unreliable and Jones has basically checked out more or less etc, Cormier gone, they are hunting for new "stars" and splashed a major bunch of dinero on this Chandler guy. Time will tell if it works out.

 

[modulus]

Brazil is a big market and all about MMA - don't think it will hurt to have Oliveira as champ. Besides, Do Bronx is crazy talented.