Other than to work the marks they serve no real purpose and often are hotly debated to the point fans are left with a sour taste. As much as some of you want to cry over card quality on paper, there are at least 10 contenders in each weight class and it's simply a matter of choosing the best fight; based on tons of variables. It's unfair to promise things to the fighters when you know full well you'll abandon those plans in a heartbeat if more money presents itself. This sport moves too quickly and fans need to smarten up to this practice so the UFC cuts it out.
Variety of factors, in no order: -What you've done recently -What you've done in your career -Rivalries -Will it sell -Do the fans want it -Do the fighters want it
Yeah, just look at WW for example. Woodley vs MacDonald is supposedly for the #1 contender Lawler vs Brown is supposedly for the #1 contender spot. You can't just make two fights for the #1 contender position like this. Fighters and fans get lied to and the UFC uses the #1 contender promise as a marketing ploy to generate interest in fights. They need to get rid of this practice. Just pick whoever they want for that spot instead of acting like fighters are actually fighting for it in a particular fight.
So basically guys like Fitch-not a big draw/no rivalry/didnt do anything"spectacular" recently Okami-fans didn't clamor for it/not a big draw/no rivalry Shields-fans didn't clamor for it/not a big draw/most recent fight was a close dec to kampmaan/no rivalry Edgar-not a big draw/no rivalry/fans weren't clamoring for it Weidman-only had 9 fights/not a big draw/fans didn't want it / silva didn't want it Hendricks-no rivalry/didnt sell as well as previous gsp fight Would never sniff a title shot because when they DID fight for titles the majority of your criteria Will it sell Do the fans want it Rivalries Doesn't apply Pretty stupid idea Really stupid idea
Because sometime this eliminates other contenders. Also in division suck as WW or LW its better just to have the most impressive fighter for the title