So with Max vs Justin, does that mean Islam vs Leon?

It means the UFC continues to fuck up the title scene in one of its best divisions and stinks at planning. Gaethje/Islam should have already been booked with Tsarukyan/Olives right on it's heels to carry to the division through the next six to eight months.

At least BDS/Poirier might create another contender in BDS, but if that's the case, is he going to sit around for a year waiting for a title shot since Olives/Tsarukyan is supposedly next? What do they do with Gaethje after finishing Poirier and beating Fiziev if gets a win over Max? Just piss poor decision making.

Why didn't Benny get his title fight? Why didn't Olives end up fighting Tsarukyan in the meantime? Wasn't Gaethje next? It's a shit show.
 
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Yeah seems like Islam vs Justin would be the bigger fight. Just shocked that Justin didn’t wait for a couple of months. Either that or he doesn’t like his chances vs Islam.
 
MrBlackheart said:
Assuming he’s fighting in June.
Click to expand...

It means either:
  • Islam vs. Leon in june OR
  • UFC takes the two LW winners of ufc 300 and says to each of them seperately "accept the islam fight in june in saudi arabia, if you don't, the other LW that just won will and you'll lose your shot. Then islam gets to fight in saudi arabia against a rushed, potentially injured opponent. Islam runs through this opponent. Islam fans crown him goat. OR
  • Islam isn't fighting in June at all and we won't see him until the october card in Abu dhabi.
 
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fortheo said:
I doubt the UFC gave him much choice.
Click to expand...

They probably told him he could sit out until June or even later or take a big money, name fight against a Featherweight. He probably didn't want to wait any longer.
 
I guess the UFC is hoping that 1 of the 3 major LW fights produces a healthy foe for Islam this summer?

It's weird because we know there were talks that Islam/Charles was in the works for 297 but fell apart. Then Islam said recently they offered him 298 but he wanted 299. Then Dana said Islam is injured but Islam posted videos doing athletic shit looking just fine.

There's either a rift between Dana & Islam/Ali, or maybe Islam got suspended?

Hard to put these pieces together as to how it all played out like this. It's illogical from every perspective on the surface though.
 
Substance Abuse said:
They probably told him he could sit out until June or even later or take a big money, name fight against a Featherweight. He probably didn't want to wait any longer.
Click to expand...

I know he didn't want to take the Max fight. He said so himself. With the UFC booking Arman vs. oliveira, it puts a lot of pressure on Gaethje to accept a fight in the meantime and stay relevant (which I'm sure the UFC wanted), because the winner of Arman and oliveira is undeniably more deserving of a title shot (in my opinion)
 
fortheo said:
I know he didn't want to take the Max fight. He said so himself. With the UFC booking Arman vs. oliveira, it puts a lot of pressure on Gaethje to accept a fight in the meantime and stay relevant (which I'm sure the UFC wanted) because the winner of Arman and oliveira is undeniably more deserving (in my opinion)
Click to expand...

All this does is reinforce my earlier opinion that the UFC can't plan, as this fight tells me they had no plans for the 300 card until recently, which is a joke.
 
JoeRowe said:
I guess the UFC is hoping that 1 of the 3 major LW fights produces a healthy foe for Islam this summer?

It's weird because we know there were talks that Islam/Charles was in the works for 297 but fell apart. Then Islam said recently they offered him 298 but he wanted 299. Then Dana said Islam is injured but Islam posted videos doing athletic shit looking just fine.

There's either a rift between Dana & Islam/Ali, or maybe Islam got suspended?

Hard to put these pieces together as to how it all played out like this. It's illogical from every perspective on the surface though.
Click to expand...

Healthy? They don't care about health. Just look at them choosing an off the couch, off surgery Volkanovski instead of Gamrot who actually made weight. They'll schedule Islam's fight in AD against the biggest name they can find and hope he wins.
 
Fuck that , both divisions are rich with worthy opponents for both champions, let’s not stall 2 of the best divisions for the next 8-10 months with some bullshit super fight nobody wants to see
 
Substance Abuse said:
It means the UFC continues to fuck up the title scene in one of its best divisions and stinks at planning. Gaethje/Islam should have already been booked with Tsarukyan/Olives right on it's heels to carry to the division through the next six to eight months.

At least BDS/Poirier might create another contender in BDS, but if that's the case, is he going to sit around for a year waiting for a title shot since Olives/Tsarukyan is supposedly next? What do they do with Gaethje after finishing Poirier and beating Fiziev if gets a win over Max? Just piss poor decision making.

Why didn't Benny get his title fight? Why didn't Olives end up fighting Tsarukyan in the meantime? Wasn't Gaethje next? It's a shit show.
Click to expand...
Not surprising. Time and again, the UFC has shown to be more interested in business decisions over sporting integrity. I get it, they are in the prize fighting business, but at least make the fights when available.

They are ruining one of their marquee divisions. They are not against calling guys off of the couch to fight in a high profile title fight if the prepared replacement is deemed "not popular enough" like in the case of Volk vs Islam 2, or shelving their dominant champ who has asked to fight sooner than the UFC would like.

Some users are theorizing that this is some grand scheme to force opponents to come in hurt or fatigued against Makhachev. Silly ideas that fall apart upon brief inspection. However, the long and storied record of the UFC mismanaging talent is too far-fetched an explanation for them.
 
The Siege said:
Not surprising. Time and again, the UFC has shown to be more interested in business decisions over sporting integrity. I get it, they are in the prize fighting business, but at least make the fights when available.

They are ruining one of their marquee divisions. They are not against calling guys off of the couch to fight in a high profile title fight if the prepared replacement is deemed "not popular enough" like in the case of Volk vs Islam 2, or shelving their dominant champ who has asked to fight sooner than the UFC would like.

Some users are theorizing that this is some grand scheme to force opponents to come in hurt or fatigued against Makhachev. Silly ideas that fall apart upon brief inspection. However, the long and storied record of the UFC mismanaging talent is too far-fetched an explanation for them.
Click to expand...
They offered Islam fights sooner, at 297 & 298. Even Islam admitted this but he wanted 299.
 
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MrBlackheart said:
Yeah seems like Islam vs Justin would be the bigger fight. Just shocked that Justin didn’t wait for a couple of months. Either that or he doesn’t like his chances vs Islam.
Click to expand...
Or he likes his chances vs Max and they threw some big cash at him. I love Max but I think 155 won't work for him unless he actually takes the time to add 10 lbs of muscle rather than just not cutting 10 lbs.

I think the UFC is really likely to set up something for Islam in June with the Saudi Arabia card being moved. Islam vs one of Arman/Olives winner, Gathje or Poirier if they are needed or even a WW shot against Leon.
 
dipstickjimmy said:
Or he likes his chances vs Max and they threw some big cash at him. I love Max but I think 155 won't work for him unless he actually takes the time to add 10 lbs of muscle rather than just not cutting 10 lbs.

I think the UFC is really likely to set up something for Islam in June with the Saudi Arabia card being moved. Islam vs one of Arman/Olives winner, Gathje or Poirier if they are needed or even a WW shot against Leon.
Click to expand...

As an aside, I hope they don't make Leon/Islam. Stop holding up two divisions and rack up some defenses, people.
 
JoeRowe said:
They offered Islam fights sooner, at 297 & 298. Even Islam admitted this but he was 299.
Click to expand...
I know. The important thing is that the contractor, in this case Makhachev, let them know he is available for 299.

I am not saying that they have to give him his every demand, but they are not even trying to unclog the buildup at LW. This should be their priority.

Makhachev will get paid either way. Abu Dhabi or elsewhere, it's up to the UFC, the matchmaker to unfuck the division.

Also, he claimed he asked to fight in the summer last year as well. Obviously, claims by fighters should be taken with a grain of salt (same as claims by the UFC honestly).
 
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