So wait....

[Tasar]

....Dana White says Ferguson is no longer champ. How is that? Because it sounds better if Max and Khabib are fighting for a title? Then he says he didn't strip Ferguson of the title? Earlier he said Khabib and Ferguson are fighting for the "real" title and a minute later he says McGregor is still the champ. So - let's get this straight: Dana White says who is UFC champion, what happens in the octagon doesn't mean anything. He could just come out with a statement tomorrow saying his nephew is the new lightweight champion.

 

[Pitier of Fools]

They're all champs. The UFC gives out championship belts like the Nogueira brothers give out black belts.

 

[WaylonMercy5150]

You get a belt
You get a belt
Everyone Gets a Belt!!!!!!!

 

[MMAfan4life2]

He got word that the "fix" is in and Khabib/Max will end in a draw. Had to keep somebody with a belt.

 

[fightfan70]

yes. it is no longer required to beat a champion or even an interim champ. to get teh belt.
it is a sad state of affairs to say the least.
just have to be popular.
wme=wwe=sports entertainment=bullshit matchmaking=fake belts=fake news=fake fighting

 

[3nigma]

UFC belts now come in cereal boxes.

 

[accolyte1022]

You get a belt
You get a belt
Everyone Gets a Belt!!!!!!!

Axton FTW.

 

[billharford]

If you're not fighting, you're "stripped". When you need to be promoted, you're a "champ." So as soon as the fight starts Conor will be stripped. As soon as the fight ends, he'll be re-instated on some pretense.

 

[dirtysalsa]

Belts don’t mean shit in the UFC. They get handed out like candy.

 

[jpadilla295]

Sign up now for UFC fight pass and we will gift you a belt of your choosing!!!!

 

[SeattleFightFan]

yes.

and btw he hasn't stripped Conor yet. he said he would strip him "once the first punch has been thrown". it's arguable he was suggesting "once the first fight was thrown (between #1 and #2 contenders)" and therefore still has a loophole to not strip Conor and call himself not inconsistent.

so you nailed it. while there is no clear policy about champs, stripping of belts, titles, interim titles, and interim interim champ champs, the answer is indeed "Dana White says who is UFC champion, what happens in the octagon doesn't mean anything."

some of us who are concerned that the sport - which has always been a hybrid of sports and entertainment - has swung too far toward the entertainment side of things. below is a Mike Brown quote:

“I think it used to be you would find it was 80 percent merit, and 20 percent entertainment/money to make the fights. Now I think that it’s almost 80 percent money than the merit. I honestly didn’t see it coming so quickly.”
​

and we think that UFC should create more policies title shots and championship...and more importantly, stick to the policies he creates. but until then, i suppose we should just enjoy the ride for what it is.

 

[kflo]

i'm not sure what you all think is the appropriate path. there's no perfect answer.

 

[BRaVo cHoKe]

Real champ, interim champ, champ-champ, it's all starting to run together and lose all meaning.

 

[chitoortiz]

 

[Bogeyman]

Tbf, Ferguson won that interim belt by beating Kevin fucking Lee so it's not as if it ever had legitimacy in the first place.

 

[aichokyu]

They're all champs. The UFC gives out championship belts like the Nogueira brothers give out black belts.

why the diss of nogueira brothers?

 

[Lawrence]

You get a belt
You get a belt
Everyone Gets a Belt!!!!!!!

 

[aichokyu]

yes.

and btw he hasn't stripped Conor yet. he said he would strip him "once the first punch has been thrown". it's arguable he was suggesting "once the first fight was thrown (between #1 and #2 contenders)" and therefore still has a loophole to not strip Conor and call himself not inconsistent.

so you nailed it. while there is no clear policy about champs, stripping of belts, titles, interim titles, and interim interim champ champs, the answer is indeed "Dana White says who is UFC champion, what happens in the octagon doesn't mean anything."

some of us who are concerned that the sport - which has always been a hybrid of sports and entertainment - has swung too far toward the entertainment side of things. below is a Mike Brown quote:

“I think it used to be you would find it was 80 percent merit, and 20 percent entertainment/money to make the fights. Now I think that it’s almost 80 percent money than the merit. I honestly didn’t see it coming so quickly.”
​

and we think that UFC should create more policies title shots and championship...and more importantly, stick to the policies he creates. but until then, i suppose we should just enjoy the ride for what it is.

this shit has become a popularity contest, which is sad

 

[SeattleFightFan]

this shit has become a popularity contest, which is sad

and in hindsite, oh so inevitable.

even when Brock came, i didn't see it changing so dramatically. it took Conor.

not by himself. i mean, first there was TUF itself, which proved that personality, entertainment and controversy was more valuable than fighting. and then Rampage's "black on black crime" drove Rampage v Evans to over a million buys. and Brock Lesnar proved that someone with a certain personality & flair was more valuable to the company. there were lots of signs it would eventually get there.

but Conor drove the biggest, strongest nail in this coffin.

and i really don't know if the trend can be reversed. i don't see how.

 

[billharford]

People used to shit on Johny Hendricks for not letting anyone hold his belt. Now we understand he was worried Dana might declare them the new champ.