Poatan accepted the immediate rematch

[dcthegod]

Ffs out of anyone, maybe in the history of the UFC, who deserves a rematch it would be IZZy. Did you guys hear the stat they kept mentioning? 20% of the main events in the last 2 years. Has been close to perfect. Whether you like him or hate him, you have to acknowledge what he’s done and that he def deserves a rematch. Based on his reign as champ AND based on the way the fight went. Personally, I thought he fought too timid and like he was delaying an inevitable result, but I have no issue with the rematch at all. He deserves it if he wants it

 

[DestinedAussie]

"It was agreat fight. I think that anyone who paid to watch got their money's worth. He des deserve (the rematch). For me, there's no problem. This is not under my control if he will fight or won't.
To me, it makes no difference. He just has to come." declared the new UFC champion.


hehehehe.
I think this is inevitable.
Not because I think Israel deserves the immediate rematch, he does not.
But it is fairly obvious that if the UFC makes him fight anyone else, Alex will lose his belt to the next contender; and that will mean this "grudge match" will probably not happen again (or will happen like Masvidal & Colby, where both guys were quite diminished, so the fight had more desperation than spark)...

Thoughts?

It depends how long Izzy spends out I think. I don't think it matters if Alex defends and loses because UFC can then do an eliminator between alex and Izzy for next shot. That said I think the UFC will want to cash in on this, and honestly it has been the most exciting fight Izzy has been in a long time.

 

[par6597]

It was a definitive finish in a fight with no controversy.

The only thing you do by awarding instant, unearned title shots is take money out of other fighters pockets.

Whittaker didn't get an instant rematch, Izzy should not either.

bad example because whitaker looked terrible in his first fight with izzy, he looked like he had nothing for izzy no surpise he didn't get an immediate rematch

 

[Shaddows]

Why does he not deserve an immediate rematch? He was maybe the longest standing current champ in terms of title defenses. AND despite this fight being a finish, it was one Izzy was winning going in to the 5th round. He was up 3-1 on all three scorecards, and that was IMO the proper score to the fight.

If you believe a champ should never get a rematch unless the fight is controversial, then I guess I can see that - although I disagree w/ that take. I think some champs definitely should get immediate rematches.

in this case, Usman & Adesanya both make sense to me. Whereas Weili's immediate rematch vs Rose did not make sense (she had 1 defense only and lost a KO early in the fight - therefore was missing both criteria that Usman & Izzy had... long reigns plus losses in fights that were much closer)

Well, I do not disagree with you.
But I think that there has to be one rule for all. Not one for those whom the UFC likes and other for the rest (and possibly one more for those they dislike).
Besides, how exactly do you define what is a "long reign"? 5 title defenses? More? Less?

Take for example when Aldo lost his belt (on his 8th UFC title defense, not counting the 2 in WEC). He did not get an immediate rematch.
So IMO anything below that should not get a title shot as well. And Usman (on his 6th) and Adesania (also on his 6th) then do not get the cut...

Making, of course, the obvious exceptions for any controversy.

 

[BlueRunner]

For sure. Of all the top middleweight contenders, Pereira would choose Adesanya if it was his choice. He knows what to expect, and he's comfortable fighting that fight.

Against Vettori or Whittaker, he'd definitely get taken down.

I love Whittaker and he is my favorite MW fighter by far, but I don't see him taking Alex down or holding him down much. Whittaker could barely get Izzy down and Alex is much bigger. This would be a very tough fight for Whittaker. Vetorri would be an even easier fight and I think his chin gets cracked by Alex.

 

[NoSmilez]

They need to do the rematch but Israel needs some time off. Alex isn't going to hold the belt if he fights other contenders. They might never fight again.

 

[BlueRunner]

bad example because whitaker looked terrible in his first fight with izzy, he looked like he had nothing for izzy no surpise he didn't get an immediate rematch

I can tell you didn't watch that first fight. Whittaker did well in that fight and was jabbing Izzy up and landing. He got caught and when the fight was stopped, Izzy didn't even land any GnP on him, other than the punch that made him stumble down. Yet again, that fuck Goddard stopped the fight early as usual. Robert already showed he could survive big punches against Yoel, why not let these guys show their chin and recovery? Eventually Goddard is going to stop the fights after the first strike lands, with his swollen cotchie.

 

[Superior]

0-3, no need for it.

 

[C0NCH3TO]

I'm ok with it. The likes of Whittaker, Vettori and Khamzat beat him via grappling

Lmao, Rob and Vettori got good tdd but shit offensive grappling, they’d get KTFO. Chimaev is a different thing, can’t be on the same sentence with these 2 when it comes to grappling. He’s actually excellent at taking people down and smeshing.

 

[Joe Devola]

alex will mop the rest of the division up too

 

[Shaddows]

bad example because whitaker looked terrible in his first fight with izzy, he looked like he had nothing for izzy no surpise he didn't get an immediate rematch

I kind of disagree with your take.
An instant rematch should be a sure thing only if there is any controversy, and in Israel's case, there were no controversies.

Long term champions also get one (immediate rematch). But then it becomes a question of how many title defenses should there be for a long term champion (as you saw Aldo did not get one while Usman is getting his).

 

[Saulo]

Pereira's next step is to improve his takedown defense, eg Crocop, Aldo, Jones, etc... over 35 years old cannot train and be dominant on the ground, but can successfully train and avoid takedowns.

 

[P4PSHERGOAT]

If Izzy has a smart team around him they will suggest he takes some time off. What's really going to change if he jumps right back in there and they do it again? Sure he might win this time, but it's also likely nothing changes and he gets stopped again.

Let him take some time off, maybe fight someone else to get some some swagger back, and then go for it. If Poatan loses the belt between now and then it doesn't really matter. Izzy has won and defended that belt so many times that it's more about just beating this guy rather than the title.

Agree, he should take a vacation and let this dude fight someone else, see how long he can hold the belt.

 

[par6597]

I kind of disagree with your take.
An instant rematch should be a sure thing only if there is any controversy, and in Israel's case, there were no controversies.

Long term champions also get one (immediate rematch). But then it becomes a question of how many title defenses should there be for a long term champion (as you saw Aldo did not get one while Usman is getting his).

usman deserves the immediate rematch because just like izzy he was winning the fight until getting KO'd

whitaker almost got knocked out twice in that first fight being saved by the bell in the first

 

[is a]

This match deserves a rematch because overall, the fight was a techincal and stylistic banger that kept me on the edge of my seat wondering whether the KO was going to come any second now.

Unlike the Whittaker (and the McGregor Aldo fight Lawlzorz) fight where the champ looked as if he didn't even belong in that ring with the challenger.

 

[AP_RESURRECTION]

The time to make the fight is now if Izzy is down and everyone can agree on terms. Rematches make sense esp because they just put marketing dollars into the same names, so good to double down if it makes sense. This one is obvious if Izzy wants it.

 

[Shaddows]

usman deserves the immediate rematch because just like izzy he was winning the fight until getting KO'd

whitaker almost got knocked out twice in that first fight being saved by the bell in the first

Meh.
Fighter's get caught. It happens.
It does not show who is the better fighter.

Two good fighters SHOULD have close fights. And may the best win.
It doesn't matter who "was winning". It matters "who won"!
And Alex did that decisively.

Adesanya goes for points. That has always been his M.O.
Alex goes for the finish. And he got it.
The "I was winning" should not matter at all.

 

[jooohnmatrix]

I never thought Izzy was dumb but I do now. This is stupid, he’s been beaten three times in a row now by Alex. What if he does my some miracle beat him next time, he’ll have to offer a rematch and stand to get knocked out again. He needs to take time out, wait and see if someone else can beat him and go for that title fight and make as much money as possible and get out. Alex has his number and even managed to turn him into a panic wrestler.

 

[beef-fire]

If I'm Izzy I'd fake an injury and let someone else try their luck with him. Then again, I'm a coward.

 

[mirellale]

Lmao, Rob and Vettori got good tdd but shit offensive grappling, they’d get KTFO.

Israel has the worst offensive grappling out of the fighters mentioned and he still had Alex's back and was on his guard for the whole round. You don't really have to be a superb grappler to beat Alex on the ground. I agree that Pereira KOs both if the fight stays on the feet but unlikely.