Hot Take LW is a mess because UFC sidelined Arman

[PeterGriffin]

I don't think Ilia is worried about Arman, he moved up to lightweight originally to chase down Islam.

Ilia's simply chasing a guy he believes he can beat. Or he's got some weird fucking fetish for Islam, because it really makes no sense why he's got such a raging hard-on for him specifically. If Topuria wants a shot at the 170lb title... and not Islam specifically... vacate the LW strap and go fight up. There are plenty of 170lb'ers that will push Ilia's shit in, so the little guy would do well to stay in his own lane.

Ilia's been enabled enough that his entitlement is taking over. He does not deserve an immediate WW title shot and Ilia has already said he won't give Arman a shot iirc. You don't dig your heels in against a guy you know you can beat, you smack him down and be done with him. Champ stuff.

Topuria's got an easy layup in JG, but after that... it's all going to be guys who won't engage in firefights and his grappling game is going to get exposed by non-manlet sized guys.

 

[RockyLockridge]

Thinking about this more since the olympics dull right now..
2025 review of Arman.
Jan pullout ruins main event. Response is massively negative from ufc and he still feels owed a title fight.
First chance to make amends Hooker is unjured late feb for March 8 ppv Arman could have stepped up here and taken on Justin a fresh opponent and big name comain. Instead he rests on his prevous accomplishments and maybe couldnt make weight.
Second chance the UFC tries to pair him with Gamrot, he decides the rematch is beneath him.
He volenteers to backup and not fight and isnt required to step in.
Middle of september Fiziev pulls out of rio main for Oct 11, again Arman could have taken this chance to save a UFC card, a rematch with Charles after a close first fight would have been exciting. Instead he waits for his more favorable time/location/oponent of hooker qatar.
In Qatar he headbutts Hooker for some reason. He did earn a clean win over Hooker here and offered to turn around for jan.
The ufc turn him down and offer Justin the fight with paddy instead.

Looking back he could have saved himself being behind Justin if he'd have stepped up to fight him. A second win over Charles in a 5 rounder on short notice would have made him much more likely to be part of their jan ppv plans.

No, we should just forget about all this because koya from sherdog deserves the fights that he wants.

 

[Qays Stetkevich]

With bigger money for star fighters.... comes the "career management" aka Money Mayweather school of cherrypicking.
Which tends to be fight guys with name value whole they are not at their best but still have box office drawing power.

For Ilia right now, Justin Gaethje with a belt - at the White House is pretty high value and solid risk to reward ratio.

The only option that would potentially outweigh that would be fighting a guy for HIS belt (Islam) and you keep yours or could just skip the line to get it back.


Kind of winds up being a "Don't hate the player hate the game" type scenario. These guys have a limited window to make money and they have serious risks in doing so. If they take fights which make sense for them and not the fans, I don't like it; but I get it.

Paddy vs Justin Gaethje for the #5 LW in the UFC title is a double whammy because not only was this #5 v #6 for a title but it also pretty much locks in #5 for the next title shoteven though he lost to #3 &#4

Unfortunately, you are completely corret.