Khabib vs Tony. the difference.

[old school 2]

I guess I just don't see roughly 1 year as THAT big a deal in a scenario like this one where there's a clear #1 contender. Maybe in other divisions you make an interim fight, but you didn't need to in this one. You do Tony vs Khabib in the fall, and still make these other great fights. You could still have Max vs Dustin as a main event (so it's 5 rounds) but with no belt on the line. It would still be a great fight, right?

I agree with you but Tony should still be active.

 

[old school 2]

LMAO the UFC does what they want. They can say it "guarantees" you the next shot, but most of us don't believe a word of that. They can invent any reason, at any time to conveniently make it untenable for you to unify and then they strip you and put someone else in that they deem more marketable, etc.

And the fact is that Tony shouldn't NEED to win another fight vs a tough opponent like Max to fight for the real belt. There's NO NEED to have an interim title! Khabib is suspended, SO WHAT??? Everyone knows he's the champ. The right thing to do was Tony vs Khabib in the fall, no interim title fight needed. Not with Tony, not with Dustin, not with Max. It's stupid, and the UFC cost us the fight we all want to see.

Furthermore, we want to see Tony fight Khabib next. Had he fought Max and won, he still likely would have taken a lot of damage. Everyone kind of has a good idea how that fight would go. Likely a 5 round war, and with Tony at 35 we want to see him fight Khabib BEFORE his decline starts. A brutal 5 round war with a killer like Max isn't what we need for Tony right before he fights Khabib ffs. Tony has already earned his shot, putting him through ANOTHER meat grinder is pointless.

The fact that this fight has been booked and cancelled soooo many times in the past, I hate to miss seeing both of these two until November only to see that fight canceled. Tony should give us some fights in the mean time and if Khabib doesn’t eventually fight then strip him. Rose is out 13 months between her last and upcoming fight. 13 months is a good time to strip a champion if they still refuse to fight.

 

[mkess101]

The fact that this fight has been booked and cancelled soooo many times in the past, I hate to miss seeing both of these two until November only to see that fight canceled. Tony should give us some fights in the mean time and if Khabib doesn’t eventually fight then strip him. Rose is out 13 months between her last and upcoming fight. 13 months is a good time to strip a champion if they still refuse to fight.

But you have other great LW fights to make between now and November so that the division isn't "held up". You schedule those two in November, and you do a mini 4 man tourney with the other 4 to determine next up (if Conor decides he wants in, his $ situation obviously gives him the ability to not fight at all if he chooses). But say Conor is game. You do Conor vs Al and Max vs Dustin in April. Then you schedule the winners for right around the same time as Khabib/Tony. You could even do them on the same card (although if Conor won and was in the title eliminator they'd likely make that a separate ppv). But let's say for the sake of argument Al beat Conor and Max beat Dustin. You schedule Al vs Max as the co-main for Tony vs Khabib. If either Tony or Khabib are unable to fight, you slide whoever was more impressive between Al and Max into that championship fight. If all goes as planned, winner of Khabib/Tony vs winner of 4 man tourney in early 2020. I should be matchmaker for the UFC!

Personally, waiting a bit to see the best fight the best is way worth it to me. It's not like you don't make the other fights in that division.

 

[old school 2]

But you have other great LW fights to make between now and November so that the division isn't "held up". You schedule those two in November, and you do a mini 4 man tourney with the other 4 to determine next up (if Conor decides he wants in, his $ situation obviously gives him the ability to not fight at all if he chooses). But say Conor is game. You do Conor vs Al and Max vs Dustin in April. Then you schedule the winners for right around the same time as Khabib/Tony. You could even do them on the same card (although if Conor won and was in the title eliminator they'd likely make that a separate ppv). But let's say for the sake of argument Al beat Conor and Max beat Dustin. You schedule Al vs Max as the co-main for Tony vs Khabib. If either Tony or Khabib are unable to fight, you slide whoever was more impressive between Al and Max into that championship fight. If all goes as planned, winner of Khabib/Tony vs winner of 4 man tourney in early 2020. I should be matchmaker for the UFC!

Personally, waiting a bit to see the best fight the best is way worth it to me. It's not like you don't make the other fights in that division.

Not a bad proposition.