Media Merab doesn't want to fight Umar

[Joinho10]

I cant be the only one that thinks it's weird that the fight made sense for him on short notice till the doctor told him he can't fight but now when he is recovered and can fight it doesn't make sense. Weird.

 

[HuskySamoan]

I hear you but I have interest in seeing Umar get up the rankings as fast as possible so we see him fight the best so if that means a chito fight where he wipes the floor with chito in a round im down for it. If Umar beats Chito it opens up for so many big fights.

Islam, Khabib and Usman got some of the easiest fights possible to reach a title shot consistently. I'd rather see him in matchups that are compelling personally, its not so much about the title picture. But I get you too.

 

[Noraaq]

So how does Umar move up if everybody ahead of him in the rankings uses this excuse? The ranking system favors flawed fighters because they get more opportunity as notable fighters are more willing to fight them.

 

[HHJ]

So how does Umar move up if everybody ahead of him in the rankings uses this excuse? The ranking system favors flawed fighters because they get more opportunity as notable fighters are more willing to fight them.

Like Islam did.

 

[pv3Hpv3p]

That's generally true but I don't believe Merab is ducking Umar. The #1 guy usually doesn't fight outside the top 5.

#1 guy usually happy to fight for a title, too

 

[Sticko]

O'malley - Yan (inb4 top 11 is so much different than top 10 )

Okay but everyone wants to fight O'Malley so it's not the same. And the fact Yan took the fight doesn't mean anyone "expected" him to.

 

[matrixremaster]

Islam, Khabib and Usman got some of the easiest fights possible to reach a title shot consistently. I'd rather see him in matchups that are compelling personally, its not so much about the title picture. But I get you too.

Islam and Khabib were also ducked like the plague on the way up and had to go on massive winning streaks to get their TS.

Same looks to be happening with Umar.

Sad to see Merab not take this. That's probably the hardest fight for Umar in the division. Unlike a lot of fans around here I want to see the fighters I support fight the best guys because I actually believe in them.

 

[HuskySamoan]

Islam and Khabib were also ducked like the plague on the way up and had to go on massive winning streaks to get their TS.

Same looks to be happening with Umar.

Sad to see Merab not take this. That's probably the hardest fight for Umar in the division. Unlike a lot of fans around here I want to see the fighters I support fight the best guys because I actually believe in them.

I don't know about it being the hardest fight for Umar, but it's definitely one that's hard. Islam and Khabib were for sure avoided, I didn't say it was their fault, just disappointing.

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

this guy is getting kinda ridiculous now. i hear more about the guys Merab doesn't want to fight more than the guys he WILL fight.

 

[HCS]

If he's going to insist on being Aljo's bodyguard it might be in his best interest to knock off Umar before he leapfrogs Merab and batters Whitney.

 

[Thesnake101]

So how does Umar move up if everybody ahead of him in the rankings uses this excuse? The ranking system favors flawed fighters because they get more opportunity as notable fighters are more willing to fight them.

Fighting someone that's ranked lower than the top 3?

You guys are acting like Merab isn't on a huge streak where he took on pretty much everyone he could including Aldo and Petr, he's not scared of Umar, lol.

The Sandhagen fight should be next if Merab doesn't fight the Sterling/Cejudo winner. Don't think Cory matches up well with him at all, but maybe he'll surprise us.

 

[fortheo]

There is no shortage of opponents for Merab. Many people want to fight him. I would have liked to have seen him against Umar, but this was always wishful thinking from Umar and fans of Umar. From a neutral standpoint, I never really thought it would happen as Umar's next fight.

 

[Adamant__]

Dang this was like a dream fight. Says Umar is rank 11 so it doesn't make sense. They offered him Umar in May but his hand was hurt and he fought Petr with a hurt hand but didn't want the quick turn around. Says he's ready to fight but against someone who makes sense, give him Sandhagen.

It's better this way. He has a good chance to beat Umar and ruin him as well. Let him ruin Cory instead.

He's digging his own grave here tho. I know Dana is fuming. UFC is gonna do him in.

 

[HuskySamoan]

It's better this way. He has a good chance to beat Umar and ruin him as well. Let him ruin Cory instead.

He's digging his own grave here tho. I know Dana is fuming. UFC is gonna do him in.

Beating a 26 year old doesn't ruin them. Umar is on the precipice of contention, it's time for hard fights. He doesn't need to beat up Pedro Munhoz lmao.

 

[Luvhawky]

There is no reason for Merab to fight Umar. #1 vs #11?

When has the number 1 contender ever been expected to fight a super dangerous guy from outside the top 10? Feed Merab Sandhagen.

When the number 1 contender doesn't want to fight for the title...

 

[brackis1]

Maybe I'm old fashioned at this point but if someone is ranked at number 1 and refusing to fight the champion then other choices need to be made instead of this rank squatting BS. Now if Henry wins then the problem is fixed altogether.

lol "rank squatting"
Guy fought 7 weeks ago.

Now OMalley on the other hand....

 

[Luvhawky]

No dude, if Aljo wins on Saturday Aljo will likely face Sean O'Malley next and if he wins again he intends to move up to FW which would clear a path for Merab.

If Cejudo wins on Saturday he also wants to fight O'Malley next but Merab will fight Cejudo.

Merab and Sandhagen want to fight each other so assuming O'Malley gets the next shot why not put Merab-Sandhagen on the same card?

But if Cejudo wasn't fighting for the title, Merab wouldn't want that shot. He doesn't want to fight for the title untl Aljo loses or vacates. Both scenarios are undetermined.

 

[fortheo]

I hear you but I have interest in seeing Umar get up the rankings as fast as possible so we see him fight the best so if that means a chito fight where he wipes the floor with chito in a round im down for it. If Umar beats Chito it opens up for so many big fights.

Chito is the gateway to getting all the fights that Umar and umar fans want.

 

[HuskySamoan]

There is no shortage of opponents for Merab. Many people want to fight him. I would have liked to have seen him against Umar, but this was always wishful thinking from Umar and fans of Umar. From a neutral standpoint, I never really thought it would happen as Umar's next fight.

Well Cejudo, Petr, Aljo and O'Malley are non options for Merab at the time being. Cruz is pretty much retired and Pedro Munhoz is like 37 and 1-2-1 in his last 4, Simon just lost pretty badly. I'd argue there's entirely a shortage of opponents for Merab, as it stands right now. It's basically Sandhagen, Yadong or Umar.

 

[fortheo]

Well Cejudo, Petr, Aljo and O'Malley are non options for Merab at the time being. Cruz is pretty much retired and Pedro Munhoz is like 37 and 1-2-1 in his last 4, Simon just lost pretty badly. I'd argue there's entirely a shortage of opponents for Merab, as it stands right now. It's basically Sandhagen, Yadong or Umar.

Font would be willing to fight him too, so would munhoz. Regardless of what you think about these guys, pretty much anyone in the rankings other than the 4 guys you mentioned would be willing to fight for that number 1 spot against merab, and they're all ranked higher than umar. I'm not saying that they'd be the best fights, I'm just saying that merab has plenty of options and Umar is really the worst option for him.