Signs point to the UFC's potential switch-bait Khabib with Conor/Ferguson

[roofuststuntbum]

Have you seen Tony Ferguson work out?
The kid is a walking injury.
They should just cut him for doing dumb workout routines.

 

[Muay Thai #1]

I'm literally fine with either fight. Bother are interesting in different ways

 

[MMAart]

Bro stop smoking weed. If this was the plan all along why not just have Khabib vs Ferguson at 223?

If you were Dana / the UFC, how would you make sure that Ferguson have the highest chance of beating Khabib?

Do you

A) Announce Ferguson vs. Khabib, so that Khabib can prepare for 10+ weeks for Ferguson's fighting style?

or

Do you

B) Have Khabib prepare for 10+ weeks for Conor (a striker), and then switch in Ferguson at the very last minute to catch Khabib by surprise?

 

[AyDeeDee]

***Signs that the UFC will switch Ferguson in to fight Khabib at the last minute***

1. Ferguson "miraculously recovered" from his "freak leg injury"

Tony's injury happened in April. That' more than 5 months of recovery since then. It's not unbelievable given how hard of a worker Tony is.

2. The UFC put Ferguson on the same card as Khabib vs. Conor

For three reasons:
1) It is great because if Khabib wins it sets up Khabib vs Ferguson which is probably one of the most anticipated fights of all time.
2) It gives Tony a chance to step in last minute if either guy pulls out (let's face it, the risk with Khabib pulling out is high)
3) Tony is logically the next person to be given a title shot as he was interim champ (AND champ) and is on a 11 fight win streak at LW

3. Khabib vs. Conor have had VERY little promotional effort behind it... this is quite strange considering this is Conor's supposed "return after many years to reclaim 'his belt'"... WHERE ARE THE HYPES?

Because this fight doesn't need to be promoted as much, even with little to no promotion it will do over 1m+ PPV buys BUT I think the promotion will go into overdrive early September.

Also the world tour makes very little sense given the time frame and probably because Conor doesn't want to do a world tour. I think the UFC wanted Conor to fight as soon as possible and the fight was supposed to be in Vegas as Conor probably can't fight in MSG because of the bus incidient and the Vegas venue only is only available on UFC 229 or UFC 232.

 

[daemusvladornu]

Lee and Gaethje are worse matchups for Khabib. Alvarez may be too. I think Khabib handles Tony.

But I hope you’re right because I’ll be first page in an epic thread.

Umm... How, are people with limited grappling and shitty movement worse matchups? Khabib ragdolls them all...

 

[MMAart]

UFC does in fact hate money and would love this scenario to happen and lose their money fight.

The UFC sending Conor to fight Khabib is sending their cashcow to a slaughter. Protecting him from his worst match-up is in their best interest. They have done so many times in the past, and it looks like they will do it again.

 

[NotoriousMillions]

The UFC sending Conor to fight Khabib is sending their cashcow to a slaughter. Protecting him from his worst match-up is in their best interest. They have done so many times in the past, and it looks like they will do it again.

If they were protecting Conor they wouldn't of resigned him to a contract, and begged him to come back and fight him you dork. lmao

 

[tithas]

I wish your dad pulled out

 

[DuncanFan819]

To be honest, I wouldn't care. Give us Conor vs. Khabib, Conor vs. Tony, or Tony vs. Khabib and I'll be happy no matter what. I'm sure most fans feel the same.

 

[wolfss]

Just like they protected him from Chad Mendes on short notice with a knee injury? LMAO

Connor vs Dias 1 was funny because there were other guys there to take the fight. Cerrone should have gotten that fight. Hen Dias ruined (not quite) the day for connor.

 

[JayJayMMA]

3. Khabib vs. Conor have had VERY little promotional effort behind it... this is quite strange considering this is Conor's supposed "return after many years to reclaim 'his belt'"... WHERE ARE THE HYPES?

Wait till after Woodley/Till PPV, I think you will see promo ramp up then. They need some eyeballs on that PPV first

 

[NotoriousMillions]

Connor vs Dias 1 was funny because there were other guys there to take the fight. Cerrone should have gotten that fight. Hen Dias ruined (not quite) the day for connor.

Lmao why should’ve Cerrone gotten that fight? He was two months fresh off getting destroyed by RDA. Conor would’ve murdered him, and never had baby junior. Plus Nate beat him too anyways.

 

[HoFF]

 

[wolfss]

Lmao why should’ve Cerrone gotten that fight? He was two months fresh off getting destroyed by RDA. Conor would’ve murdered him, and never had baby junior. Plus Nate beat him too anyways.

Cerrone lost to pressure fighters only!! And his take downs and submissions are underratd and size too. He would low single conner and sub him with a mounted triangle.

 

[Evangelion]

Cerrone lost to pressure fighters only!! And his take downs and submissions are underratd and size too. He would low single conner and sub him with a mounted triangle.

Youre legit retarded if you think this. Jorge Masvidal isn't a pressure fighter at all. Hes a low output counter striker who ko'd Cerrone cause he has shit tier boxing.

 

[snackgod]

Back in 2016, based on the UFC's past patterns of protecting certain fighters, I predicted that if McGregor wins the LW title, the UFC would help him hold 2 belts hostage:

http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/i...amp-for-a-very-long-time-here-is-why.3362947/

The exact thing happened.

Now that the UFC has announced Conor's return to fight Khabib - after ducking him like the plague for 2 years - something does not seem right. There are signs* pointing to the UFC's potential switch-bait Khabib with Conor/Ferguson:

The UFC will have Conor pull out at the very last minutes and have Ferguson step in to fight Khabib.​

What are the UFC's motivations?

1. Protect Conor from his worst match-up (Khabib)
2. Use Ferguson (the worst matchup for Khabib) to take Khabib out

3. If / when Ferguson wins the belt, have Conor fight him.
Stylistically, Ferguson is more of a stand-up striker, so Conor has a better chance at beating him than he is at beating Khabib.

if you take conor off the main event you kill the gate from the fight. cause that would mean people who bought to see conor could get refunds.

 

[snackgod]

***Signs that the UFC will switch Ferguson in to fight Khabib at the last minute***

1. Ferguson "miraculously recovered" from his "freak leg injury"
2. The UFC put Ferguson on the same card as Khabib vs. Conor

3. Khabib vs. Conor have had VERY little promotional effort behind it... this is quite strange considering this is Conor's supposed "return after many years to reclaim 'his belt'"... WHERE ARE THE HYPES?

The last time when Conor fought Aldo and Mayweather, the UFC did MONTHS of heavy promotions, world tours, trailers, etc..

​

Where are the official UFC promos for Khabib vs. Conor? Where are the world tours?

non eed to do months ot hipe conor return sells itself.

 

[The Blob]

Just like they protected him from Chad Mendes on short notice with a knee injury? LMAO

Yep

They knew Mendes hadn't been training at all so his cardio would inevitably be terrible because of no training + rapid weight cut. Went down exactly as planned; full camp Mendes works Conner MacGreggor.

 

[Jarvan]

Back in 2016, based on the UFC's past patterns of protecting certain fighters, I predicted that if McGregor wins the LW title, the UFC would help him hold 2 belts hostage:

http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/i...amp-for-a-very-long-time-here-is-why.3362947/

The exact thing happened.

Now that the UFC has announced Conor's return to fight Khabib - after ducking him like the plague for 2 years - something does not seem right. There are signs* pointing to the UFC's potential switch-bait Khabib with Conor/Ferguson:

The UFC will have Conor pull out at the very last minutes and have Ferguson step in to fight Khabib.​

What are the UFC's motivations?

1. Protect Conor from his worst match-up (Khabib)
2. Use Ferguson (the worst matchup for Khabib) to take Khabib out

3. If / when Ferguson wins the belt, have Conor fight him.
Stylistically, Ferguson is more of a stand-up striker, so Conor has a better chance at beating him than he is at beating Khabib.

You are an absolute mess.

Complete, utter mess.

 

[NotoriousMillions]

Yep

They knew Mendes hadn't been training at all so his cardio would inevitably be terrible because of no training + rapid weight cut. Went down exactly as planned; full camp Mendes works Conner MacGreggor.

That must be why they warned him to be ready and he had been training and easily made weight. Lmao