The problem at HW isn't Jon Jones, it's Stipe

[Koya]

Stipe and Dana too. Not Jones as much as I dislike him.

He's offering Jon an easy title defense against a well known name, why wouldn't Jones take it ? Easy money against an established name.

Jones is injured until summer. Stipe is injury free, he can fight.

he should be the one to fight Aspinall for the HW Interim title. And then the winner fights Jon Jones. They can do it at UFC 300 as a co-main, Stipe vs Aspinall it would be perfect.

I don't understand how a man who hasn't fought in almost 3 years and was KTFO in his last fight can hold up for a title fight above the actual interim champ because of accomplishment from 5 years ago.

Stipe (and Dana) is the one clogging the HW division up

EDIT:
I told y'all

Tom Aspinall says Stipe Miocic turned down UFC 300 fight, pledges to stop 'crying' about legends matchup

Tom Aspinall says Stipe Miocic turned down UFC 300 fight, pledges to stop 'crying' about legends matchup

All signs are pointing toward Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic, and Tom Aspinall realizes he’s likely the UFC’s odd man out.

mmajunkie.usatoday.com

 

[Get To Da Choppa]

Stipe and Dana too. Not Jones as much as I dislike him.

He's offering Jon an easy title defense against a well known name, why wouldn't Jones take it ? Easy money against an established name.

Jones is injured until summer. Stipe is injury free, he can fight.

he should be the one to fight Aspinall for the HW Interim title. And then the winner fights Jon Jones. They can do it at UFC 300 as a co-main, Stipe vs Aspinall it would be perfect.

I don't understand how a man who hasn't fought in almost 3 years and was KTFO in his last fight can hold up for a title fight above the actual interim champ because of accomplishment from 5 years ago.

Stipe (and Dana) is the one clogging the HW division up

Apply your logic to Stipe. He hasn't fought in almost 3 years and was KTFO in his last fight. Now he's given a HW title shot against a well known name. Why would he risk it and fight a dangerous young fighter like Aspinall?

The problem here is the matchmaking and Jon Jones cherry picking. Nobody thinks this should be the HW title fight, and the interim title holds more water than the actual title. I'm looking forward to the unification bout, but hopefully Jon will still be champion by then, and not retired

 

[Koya]

Apply your logic to Stipe. He hasn't fought in almost 3 years and was KTFO in his last fight. Now he's given a HW title shot against a well known name. Why would he risk it and fight a dangerous young fighter like Aspinall?

The problem here is the matchmaking and Jon Jones cherry picking. Nobody thinks this should be the HW title fight, and the interim title holds more water than the actual title. I'm looking forward to the unification bout, but hopefully Jon will still be champion by then, and not retired

Makes sense. UFC fault then. That being say no real chances that Jones sticks out after this fight.

 

[fzoid4454]

Stipe and Dana too. Not Jones as much as I dislike him.

He's offering Jon an easy title defense against a well known name, why wouldn't Jones take it ? Easy money against an established name.

Jones is injured until summer. Stipe is injury free, he can fight.

he should be the one to fight Aspinall for the HW Interim title. And then the winner fights Jon Jones. They can do it at UFC 300 as a co-main, Stipe vs Aspinall it would be perfect.

I don't understand how a man who hasn't fought in almost 3 years and was KTFO in his last fight can hold up for a title fight above the actual interim champ because of accomplishment from 5 years ago.

Stipe (and Dana) is the one clogging the HW division up

I have similar questions about how Colby can get three title shots after beating no one impressive after the first loss, or how Jorge gets any title shots, let alone two in the WW division. What a mess.

Dana is a professional wrestling promotional style fan. He'll push bullshit over substance at any chance.

 

[Yep]

Yep, that’s a nope.

 

[g*r*b]

Oh come on! You're trying to make it sound like Jones is a passive little puppy gratefully licking up the bowl Dana offered him. In reality he was gunning for Stipe EVEN BEFORE HE WON THE BELT.

Morning Report: Jon Jones wanted Stipe Miocic fight more than Francis Ngannou: ‘I was really bummed it didn’t happen’

Jon Jones is about to end a three-year layoff in a new division.

www.mmafighting.com

“My immediate goal is to beat Ciryl Gane and to beat Stipe Miocic,” Jones said. “After that, it will just be conversations with the UFC to see what makes sense, but I’m guaranteeing the fans at least two more fights out of me.”"

And Stipe, regardless of how able and ready he may be, can't fight unless OFFERED a fight — and Dana is obviously bent on reserving him for Jones.

 

[Koya]

Oh come on! You're trying to make it sound like Jones is a passive little puppy gratefully licking up the bowl Dana offered him. In reality he was gunning for Stipe EVEN BEFORE HE WON THE BELT.

Morning Report: Jon Jones wanted Stipe Miocic fight more than Francis Ngannou: ‘I was really bummed it didn’t happen’

Jon Jones is about to end a three-year layoff in a new division.

www.mmafighting.com

And Stipe, regardless of how able and ready he may be, can't fight unless OFFERED a fight — and Dana is obviously bent on reserving him for Jones.

No I agree with you. I'm just saying that Striped declining even the interim title fight is a big part in all this circus and people don't call him out enough on this. He's not innocent

 

[Neck&Neck]

The problem is these new forum upgrades
and it’s not you, it’s me

 

[Bend NvR Break]

The problem with HW is drug testing. The majority of guys that big and actually athletic is low and they are seriously incentivized to play other sports including boxing. We get the leftover big guys. A surprising amount of HW wrestlers attempt to play in the NFL immediately after college.

 

[killakillakilla]

No I agree with you. I'm just saying that Striped declining even the interim title fight is a big part in all this circus and people don't call him out enough on this. He's not innocent

Did Stipe even get offered the interim title fight? I think he said it was never offered to him. The issue isn’t with Stipe, it’s with Jon Jones insisting that he fights Stipe next and only Stipe. He would reject any other offer. That’s what is causing the holdup.

 

[RonDante]

This is a joke post, right? They’re saving stipe to get demolished by jones. You think the UFC would ever give stipe this opportunity if they didn’t hope he loses? hes the sacrificial lamb

 

[Local Plata]

Stipe is over 40. I don't think he has the ability to do more than one training camp every year/18 months or something like that. He doesn't want to burn off the very little gas in the tank he has left for anyone other than getting his fucking ass beat by Jon Jones, apparently.

 

[FreedomCricket]

Apply your logic to Stipe. He hasn't fought in almost 3 years and was KTFO in his last fight. Now he's given a HW title shot against a well known name. Why would he risk it and fight a dangerous young fighter like Aspinall?

The problem here is the matchmaking and Jon Jones cherry picking. Nobody thinks this should be the HW title fight, and the interim title holds more water than the actual title. I'm looking forward to the unification bout, but hopefully Jon will still be champion by then, and not retired

What you said is true.

The "x factor" is that Dana could just force stipe to fight Aspinall instead of letting stipe and Jones dictate the terms.

Problem then lies in that Dana must clearly want the Jones/Stipe fight.


Weirdly, there didn't seem to be any extra commotion about this fight when it was booked before Jon got hurt so I don't get the need to cling to it.

In fact... jones/aspinal or jones/stipe gives the ufc MORE opportunity to build big HW fights. First Aspinal/Stipe, then a true unification bout.

I have to imagine those 2 fights is gonna bring more money/views/exposure than waiting another 8 months for Stipe/Jones.

 

[Koya]

What you said is true.

The "x factor" is that Dana could just force stipe to fight Aspinall instead of letting stipe and Jones dictate the terms.

Problem then lies in that Dana must clearly want the Jones/Stipe fight.


Weirdly, there didn't seem to be any extra commotion about this fight when it was booked before Jon got hurt so I don't get the need to cling to it.

In fact... jones/aspinal or jones/stipe gives the ufc MORE opportunity to build big HW fights. First Aspinal/Stipe, then a true unification bout.

I have to imagine those 2 fights is gonna bring more money/views/exposure than waiting another 8 months for Stipe/Jones.

I don't get it too. Jones/Aspinall would sell more and would also help build a UK superstar for years if Aspinall wins. Jones/Stipe is basically a double retirement bout.

Jon must have some dirt on dana or something because there's not even business logic in there

 

[Fluffernutter]

The problem with HW is drug testing. The majority of guys that big and actually athletic is low and they are seriously incentivized to play other sports including boxing. We get the leftover big guys. A surprising amount of HW wrestlers attempt to play in the NFL immediately after college.

Years ago, I came across an article about other sports organizations were recruiting wrestlers once they graduate. Yes, we all know Stephen Neal got Super Bowl rings; but, one that stood out was a NASCAR team that was actively recruiting wrestlers to work in their pit crews due to fast reaction time, discipline, and core strength

 

[Local Plata]

What you said is true.

The "x factor" is that Dana could just force stipe to fight Aspinall instead of letting stipe and Jones dictate the terms.

Problem then lies in that Dana must clearly want the Jones/Stipe fight.


Weirdly, there didn't seem to be any extra commotion about this fight when it was booked before Jon got hurt so I don't get the need to cling to it.

In fact... jones/aspinal or jones/stipe gives the ufc MORE opportunity to build big HW fights. First Aspinal/Stipe, then a true unification bout.

I have to imagine those 2 fights is gonna bring more money/views/exposure than waiting another 8 months for Stipe/Jones.

In Dana's absurd view, Stipe is 'the greatest HW of all times'. So he wants to feed him to Jones so then he can say Jones is the greatest of all time, despite having 2 wins in the division.

 

[dipstickjimmy]

Stipe and Dana too. Not Jones as much as I dislike him.

He's offering Jon an easy title defense against a well known name, why wouldn't Jones take it ? Easy money against an established name.

Jones is injured until summer. Stipe is injury free, he can fight.

he should be the one to fight Aspinall for the HW Interim title. And then the winner fights Jon Jones. They can do it at UFC 300 as a co-main, Stipe vs Aspinall it would be perfect.

I don't understand how a man who hasn't fought in almost 3 years and was KTFO in his last fight can hold up for a title fight above the actual interim champ because of accomplishment from 5 years ago.

Stipe (and Dana) is the one clogging the HW division up

IMO it is the UFC & Jon Jones fault. UFC doesn't strip him as it will mess Jon's fragile ego. He freaks out over tweets & the P4P rankings etc. They should simply make Jon vs Stipe for the "Legacy" belt or GOAT vs GOAT belt or whatever. Jon vs Stipe doesn't need to be for a title.

 

[m249viking]

Other than holding up the title from deserving fighters, I have zero problem with 2 old fighters waiting for each other. I doubt it matters much at this point if it’s for the strap or not. Strip Jones and put the belt up for 2 other young guys.

 

[jjjjjjjjjjohnny]

this is all about legacy - they want to be able to say - JJ is the GOAT. right now, they can't.

 

[g*r*b]

No I agree with you. I'm just saying that Striped declining even the interim title fight is a big part in all this circus and people don't call him out enough on this. He's not innocent

Stipe WASN'T OFFERED the interim fight. Dana said it, Stipe confirmed...and was puzzled by it.

Furthermore, to hear Stipe tell it, Stipe was approached to fight Jones for the vacant belt, verbally agreed...and then the UFC pivoted and offered the slot to Gane.

EDIT : There is one instance of him turning down an offered fight with Jones, by Stipe's account. This would have been in the fall or winter of last year (so before Jones got the belt), and the reason he gave was that his life was too crazy busy at the time. He didn't elaborate, but I believe the situation would have been a combination of him still being in the probationary period of his fulltime gig with a new fire station, meaning no vacation and no leeway in scheduling to accomodate a proper fight camp, plus his father dying.