Hot Take Paddy vs Gaethje for the Vacant LW Title?

[fendertach]

Thoughts? With Ilia announcing he's stepping away you know damn well Dana is licking his lips at the thought of promoting Paddy vs Gaethje from interim belt to the newly vacant LW title.

 

[fortheo]

I think the ufc probably already had an idea of what was going on with ilia when they made the paddy and gaethje fight an interim title. I doubt they strip illia, at least not within the next few months

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

We can only hope for Justin via bowel-releasing KO

 

[Pequeño Corey]

LOL Paddy about the be the undisputed champion just like that

 

[KO Shotz]

Ilia coming back. Hence the meaning interim fight between Gaethje & Paddy...

 

[fendertach]

Ilia coming back. Hence the meaning interim fight between Gaethje & Paddy...

Ilia gave no time-line. He's taking an indefinite leave and will 100% vacate or be stripped.

 

[Bowel-forged Stool]

We can only hope for Justin via bowel-releasing KO

And there I was!

 

[KO Shotz]

Ilia gave no time-line. He's taking an indefinite leave and will 100% vacate or be stripped.

He's just ducking a fight with Arman & waiting for the stars to align with Paddy

 

[JKS]

If Ilia is out indefinitely it's all good. Let Gatehje and Paddy settle it and then fight Arman for the undisputed LW title and we'll have a legit LW champion.

The whole Ilia reign, if you even wanna call it that lol was pretty worthless. A FW moved up to challenge for the vacant belt, won and then is taking time off not defending.

 

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

Paddy better not disappoint and start calling out Islam for a champ v champ fight after this...

 

[sdpdude9]

Meh, I actually think this is one of the situations where interim titles actually make sense. To me, interim champion is supposed to be acting champion in the case of extended absence. That’s supposed to mean defending it, keeping the division moving in the meantime. It’s pointless how they just immediately promote or unify.

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

LOL Paddy about the be the undisputed champion just like that

 

[MRT]

Ilia said he is not fighting in Q1, hence the interim title. There is no need to worry about stripping him just yet. It is obnoxious how quickly some fans want to move on from a legit champ to a paper champ.

Given that ilia last fought in late June, then it is fair to say that he should be stripped if he will not be back in Q2. A year seems like the longest period that an undisputed title should not be contested when there is a good reason.

I would argue that neither Paddy nor Justin deserved a shot at Ilia for the belt...and that them having to fight each other for an interim is actually quite good...but the idea that the winner would be elevated to undisputed in preposterous. If they didn't even deserve a shot at Ilia, then clearly they don't deserve the title for this fight.

The interim title means nothing anyway...it is *supposed* to mean that your next fight will be for the real title. Well, if the real champ will still be out, let's make the winner's next fight for the real title...by fighting Arman, the rightful #1 contender in the first place.

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

Just do it! AND NEW UNDISPUTED CHAMPION DA BADDY the haters gonna rage hard.

Then you can do Paddy vs Arman in the abu dabi card. Or Paddy vs BMF if dana still punishing Arman.

 

[rjmbrd]

I think the uf probably already had a idea of what was going on with ilia when they made the paddy and gartjje fight am interim title. I doubt they strip illia, at least not within the next few months

So far as I understand (just reading the headlines / Illia's post) I would agree. Topuria tells the UFC he's going into an ugly custody battle, needs 6 months to deal with it before he can book a fight and have a camp. Don't see how him now offering this information publicly changes anything.

 

[El Fernas]

Wasnt this already for the Interim?

 

[JKS]

Ilia said he is not fighting in Q1, hence the interim title. There is no need to worry about stripping him just yet. It is obnoxious how quickly some fans want to move on from a legit champ to a paper champ.

Given that ilia last fought in late June, then it is fair to say that he should be stripped if he will not be back in Q2. A year seems like the longest period that an undisputed title should not be contested when there is a good reason.

I would argue that neither Paddy nor Justin deserved a shot at Ilia for the belt...and that them having to fight each other for an interim is actually quite good...but the idea that the winner would be elevated to undisputed in preposterous. If they didn't even deserve a shot at Ilia, then clearly they don't deserve the title for this fight.

The interim title means nothing anyway...it is *supposed* to mean that your next fight will be for the real title. Well, if the real champ will still be out, let's make the winner's next fight for the real title...by fighting Arman, the rightful #1 contender in the first place.

How legit of a champ is he?? He won the "vacant" belt when Islam dropped it. Between Paddy and Justin, that interim belt means pretty much just as much if he's inactive. Ilia has zero history at LW aside his fight with Charles, at the least those guys have more foundation at LW. If those guys get promoted to LW champ I'd consider them more legit than Ilia at the current.

And you're talking about Justin or Paddy not deserving a shot?? This is the guy who got a LW shot with almost no history at LW from a division down.

Paddy/Justin vs Arman and you got your legit LW champ. Let the kid sit out and the if doesn't wanna fight, take his belt by the summer.

 

[kkthx]

We can only hope for Justin via bowel-releasing KO

now that is what I call a vivid description of an event

 

[TRYHARD 2001]

We'll see how these domestic violence allegations go with Ilia, I guess. The UFC , specifically Dan White, have always made it clear from the start that they have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to violence against women. In the words of DFW himself:


White was also asked if, like the NFL, the UFC planned on strengthening its stance against domestic violence.

“We’ve been like that since day 1, anyway,” said White. “Obviously, when you’re dealing with human beings, there’s going to be things where guys are going to test positive for all different types of drugs. Guys are going to do stupid things. Guys are going to say stupid things in social media. There’s going to be all these things that happen. We have a record, a track record of getting rid of many people that have done bad things.
“We’ve been human beings in letting these guys, other guys make up for what they’ve done and come back. There’s one thing that you never bounce back from and that’s putting your hands on a woman. Been that way in the UFC since we started here. You don’t bounce back from putting your hands on a woman.”

 

[swarrrm]