Tom should just vacate the Interim belt.

[dipstickjimmy]

Tom doesn't need an interim title for Jones to defend against him though. There's no such thing as an interim unification bout, it's just marketing. Only the actual belt is on the line. Whether Tom has it or not is completely irrelevant to the title as it disappears the moment the fight starts anyways.

Thereby proving my entire point that none of you want to address the elephant in the room that Tom's interim belt isn't actually warranted any longer. You all want it's continued existence for completely unrelated issues.

Jon's belt is actually the one that dissolves the moment an Interim is crowned. Undisputed no longer exists when the UFC crown an Interim Champion. If the Interim title disappears as soon as a champion comes back then explain why Randy Came back to fight Brock and the next month the Interim Championship was defended by Big Nog vs Frank Mir?

Your assertion about Interim titles disappearing is proven false by both the UFC's own precedent and by knowledge of how words work. Jon's title isn't "Undisputed" that is just a fact. The UFC awarded another HW championship so it is very much disputed.

 

[mkess101]

Tom doesn't need an interim title for Jones to defend against him though. There's no such thing as an interim unification bout, it's just marketing. Only the actual belt is on the line. Whether Tom has it or not is completely irrelevant to the title as it disappears the moment the fight starts anyways.

Thereby proving my entire point that none of you want to address the elephant in the room that Tom's interim belt isn't actually warranted any longer. You all want it's continued existence for completely unrelated issues.

No, I actually don't give a shit about that belt at all. You repeating yourself doesn't make what you're saying any less stupid.

I already said it: strip both belts. Set a date for the vacant one to be fought for. Jones gets first option, in or out. Tom gets second option, in or out. If either decline, move on to next up.

You're right. We don't need an interim belt anymore. We ALSO don't need a champ who refuses to fight the most clear #1 contender in MMA history. So you wanna strip Tom today? Great. Do it. And at the exact same time you give Jones an ultimatum that he signs to fight Tom within the next month (with the fight date by October) or he also gets stripped and then it's vacant. And then Tom will agree to fight Jones or anyone else for the vacant belt and the UFC can decide who it is.

 

[dipstickjimmy]

Ideally, Jones vacates ASAP if he has no real intention of fighting Tom. In the meantime, holding the interim title and, worst case, having to defend it again will still bode the same for his legacy.

When counting title wins, it always seems like interim title fights are usually regarded without asterisks for dominant champs. GSP's interim title win over Hughes is often counted toward his 13 title wins, Jones' interim title win over OSP toward his 16 title wins, and the same for Izzy and his interim title win over Gastelum toward his 8 overall.

As long as Tom can keep winning and racking up title wins long after Jon is retired, he'll still receive all the credit for his title accolades during this time. Stipe and Randy still hold the HW title win record at 6, but I'd like to think Tom is only 4 away from tying that, interim or not.

This makes a lot of sense to me. An Interim champion who fails to Unify and win the Undisputed isn't tyically considered a "Champion" but it certainly counts as a win in a title fight.

 

[NovaJon93]

This makes a lot of sense to me. An Interim champion who fails to Unify and win the Undisputed isn't tyically considered a "Champion" but it certainly counts as a win in a title fight.

Totally agree. It's this weird gray area where guys like Big Nog, Condit, Tony, Carwin, Gane, Colby, Dustin, Justin, and Yair are considered to have never become champion, but dominant undisputed champs get to count theirs.

 

[RedDevilFan]

You turds in here act like Tom has been waiting to fight jones for 3 years. Tom has been legitimately waiting since Nov. 2024 after the Stipe fight, which was first, and had concluded. That is about 5 months.

Interim belts in the UFC are created to keep a weight division active and allow contenders to fight for a title when the champion is temporarily unable to defend their belt, whether due to injury, contract issues, or other reasons. The UFC has used interim titles to create exciting matchups and boost the profile of certain fighters. It has been used as a tool in marketing and ensure title fights for PPVs. Some argue that interim champions should be required to defend their title before facing the champion, whereas others say it diminishes the actual title and the division.

It also guarantees nothing nor does it give or confer some status of anything outside of what the UFC deems it to be. The UFC does not mandate that champions must defend their belts against interim champions, but the interim champion is expected to fight the champion for unification.In terms of most interims, once the original champion is ready to return, they are expected to defend their belt and is not a mandate. GSP/Bisping happened while Whittaker was the interim.

Jones in particular had a fight already booked ahead of Aspinall after he came back from a year long injury. Stipe and Jones was signed/rescheduled and in motion before Aspinall was an interim champion. Jones is on the clock now, but the crying about jones before the Stipe fight is absolute nonsense. Jon did not owe Tom shit before the Stipe fight concluded.

 

[Captain Herb]

Actually I believe Jones is highest PPV generator that is even active right now, if you want to call him that.

According to Luke Thomas, Jones outside of Conor is the only fighter that guarantee a solid 500K+ in PPV buys everytime out right now. Jones is actually more around 750K in buys.


UFC won't pay FU money simply because they don't get leveraged and if they do it isn't by millions. Jones people have had a long time history with dealing with the UFC. They know what they can get and what is a no go even before they walk in the room. Jones mouthing off is just working the public interest and nothing more than that. I'm sure the UFC is willing to throw a little extra at Jones to get it done if need be. UFC knows paying Jones an extra 750K or whatever is better than not doing the event at all.

Jon is historically not a draw like Conor, Ronda, or Brock that he could ask for FU money. 500 ppv doesn't work out to 30 mil just for himself as far as I know.

 

[BEATDOWNS]

We all know Jon isn’t gonna fight him, it would absolutely tarnish Jones’ legacy as a legitimate champ, a huge spit in the UFC’s face and the bald goof would go on suicide watch claiming Jones is the GOAT.

Jones is a chicken shit, his accolades at HW are garbage. Tom’s wasting his time chasing a skinny fat HW Jones, it’s embarrassing.

Why would he want to lose PPV points. Seems really dumb. Imho may as well milk it.

 

[IsNormal]

Every other champ coming back from injury in the past has always had to face the stand in champ on his return.

I can think of a couple times when they at least planned to book another fighter instead.

When Ngannou was an injured champ, Gane got the interim belt, but UFC still planned for Ngannou vs Jon and if both had signed they would've booked it, not giving a shit about Gane.

During the end of Bisping's reign, Whittaker got the interim title, but I think they were planning Bisping vs GSP anyways. (Whittaker ended up getting injured himself though)

 

[markg171]

Jon's belt is actually the one that dissolves the moment an Interim is crowned. Undisputed no longer exists when the UFC crown an Interim Champion.

You should go look at the rankings some time and see what they label Jones as compared to every other divisional champ. Hint: it's just champion like the others



As you see, Tom is the one with the asterisk, not Jon's. You know, cause Jon's is the real belt. It's kinda why if they "unify" it's only Jon's belt that continues as the interim literally doesn't exist once that bout starts.

If the Interim title disappears as soon as a champion comes back then explain why Randy Came back to fight Brock and the next month the Interim Championship was defended by Big Nog vs Frank Mir?

Cause Mir/Nog was a signed title fight, that had already gone through TUF, before Randy had ever even come back...? As opposed to here where Jones/Stipe was signed in spite of Tom being the interim and they clearly simply ignored him...?

And cause the UFC obviously wanted a HW tourney so they could have a HW unification bout, ideally Brock/Mir 2, to headline the upcoming UFC 100 as the biggest fight possible for their biggest ever card...? As opposed to here where there's no rematch, historic event, or anything...?

Why do you guys do this to yourselves? There's a reason why you don't want to talk about the Bisping/GSP/Whittaker situation which is the actual most relevant precedent. The UFC was fine kicking interims left and right down the curb as irrelevant until GSP retired and fucked them.

 

[OmegaRugal]

Tom needs to turn MAGA/MEGA heel; only then will he receive his long awaited title shot

But Jones already is a Trump fan.

 

[mkess101]

You turds in here act like Tom has been waiting to fight jones for 3 years. Tom has been legitimately waiting since Nov. 2024 after the Stipe fight, which was first, and had concluded. That is about 5 months.

Interim belts in the UFC are created to keep a weight division active and allow contenders to fight for a title when the champion is temporarily unable to defend their belt, whether due to injury, contract issues, or other reasons. The UFC has used interim titles to create exciting matchups and boost the profile of certain fighters. It has been used as a tool in marketing and ensure title fights for PPVs. Some argue that interim champions should be required to defend their title before facing the champion, whereas others say it diminishes the actual title and the division.

It also guarantees nothing nor does it give or confer some status of anything outside of what the UFC deems it to be. The UFC does not mandate that champions must defend their belts against interim champions, but the interim champion is expected to fight the champion for unification.In terms of most interims, once the original champion is ready to return, they are expected to defend their belt and is not a mandate. GSP/Bisping happened while Whittaker was the interim.

Jones in particular had a fight already booked ahead of Aspinall after he came back from a year long injury. Stipe and Jones was signed/rescheduled and in motion before Aspinall was an interim champion. Jones is on the clock now, but the crying about jones before the Stipe fight is absolute nonsense. Jon did not owe Tom shit before the Stipe fight concluded.

Newsflash: EVERY title only holds the value/status that the UFC deems it to have. You understand that, right? They can strip ANYONE for ANY reason they deem fit. So the belts are ALL nothing but trinkets that the UFC determines the value of.

Some of us just want to see the best fight the best and don't give a shit about all the rest of the bickering.

 

[RedDevilFan]

Newsflash: EVERY title only holds the value/status that the UFC deems it to have. You understand that, right? They can strip ANYONE for ANY reason they deem fit. So the belts are ALL nothing but trinkets that the UFC determines the value of.

Some of us just want to see the best fight the best and don't give a shit about all the rest of the bickering.

That is fine and some of us want actual common sense. The interim and an immediate fight is not mandatory. There is precedence of champions fighting other fighters with an interim in place. Jones already had a fight booked and then got injured and the UFC rescheduled it before Aspinall was the interim. It is common sense to acknowledge that jones had a fight before Aspinall and that it should go forward and Aspinall can and should wait.

Why would one blame jones for fighting Stipe when that fight was already in place and booked prior to Aspinall and then rescheduled by the UFC. Let the man finish the fight he had already booked prior and then go from there.

 

[mkess101]

That is fine and some of us want actual common sense. The interim and an immediate fight is not mandatory. There is precedence of champions fighting other fighters with an interim in place. Jones already had a fight booked and then got injured and the UFC rescheduled it before Aspinall was the interim. It is common sense to acknowledge that jones had a fight before Aspinall and that it should go forward and Aspinall can and should wait.

Why would one blame jones for fighting Stipe when that fight was already in place and booked prior to Aspinall and then rescheduled by the UFC. Let the man finish the fight he had already booked prior and then go from there.

Who gives a shit about him fighting the ghost of Stipe? That's over and done. Now he has 2 options, vacate/retire or fight Aspinall. The thing is, people need to be irritated with the UFC if they don't force a choice from Jones. It's fine to be irritated with Jon for stalling, pricing himself out, whatever. But he can only get away with what the organization allows him to. They need to force him to make a choice.

 

[jeff7b9]

Brother this isn't a movie where a guy gives up a belt to make a point and everything works out.

My man, this maneuver would be the approximate logical equivalent of cutting off your dick to spite your face.

 

[NoSmilez]

Why would he give up the belt? It gives him PPV points.

 

[RedDevilFan]

Who gives a shit about him fighting the ghost of Stipe? That's over and done. Now he has 2 options, vacate/retire or fight Aspinall. The thing is, people need to be irritated with the UFC if they don't force a choice from Jones. It's fine to be irritated with Jon for stalling, pricing himself out, whatever. But he can only get away with what the organization allows him to. They need to force him to make a choice.

For some the Stipe fight is not over and done as some claim jones should have fought Aspinall during that time even though Aspinall was not in the picture initially and became Interim after jones and Stipe was booked and rescheduled for a later date. Jones already had an obligation and the UFC made clear it would honor that Stipe fight contract, before there was an interim and regardless of the interim, and that is clear as day with the prior Stipe issue.

I have already mentioned in that same post that jones is on the clock to fight Aspinall now. I also agree that jones needs to get it in gear and finish his next responsibility in fighting Aspinall. I do not want jones to vacate anything, I want Jones to fight Aspinall.

 

[mkess101]

For some the Stipe fight is not over and done as some claim jones should have fought Aspinall during that time even though Aspinall was not in the picture initially and became Interim after jones and Stipe was booked and rescheduled for a later date. Jones already had an obligation and the UFC made clear it would honor that Stipe fight contract, before there was an interim and regardless of the interim, and that is clear as day with the prior Stipe issue.

I have already mentioned in that same post that jones is on the clock to fight Aspinall now. I also agree that jones needs to get it in gear and finish his next responsibility in fighting Aspinall. I do not want jones to vacate anything, I want Jones to fight Aspinall.

Fair enough, we agree.

But do you wanna know what would stop everyone from talking AT ALL about Jones fighting Stipe? (I bet you can guess!)

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

I can think of a couple times when they at least planned to book another fighter instead.

When Ngannou was an injured champ, Gane got the interim belt, but UFC still planned for Ngannou vs Jon and if both had signed they would've booked it, not giving a shit about Gane.

Did they? I don't remember anything about that. Immediately after Gane's interim win, Dana said Jon is not going to fight until 2022, and then right before Ngannou-Gane in January of 2022, Dana had even mocked that Jon will probably sit back and watch the Ngannou-Gane fight and make comments on social media, but that he's probably better off watching it at home instead of coming to the arena. Hell, the talk Dana said about Jones around the time Gane won the interim was going straight to Jones-Stipe, not a title fight. Doesn't sound like he was too excited at the prospect of doing Ngannou-Jones before then.

During the end of Bisping's reign, Whittaker got the interim title, but I think they were planning Bisping vs GSP anyways. (Whittaker ended up getting injured himself though)

That's not entirely true either. Dana and GSP were bouncing the interest between fighting Bisping and Woodley. In May, (before Whittaker was even up for the interim) GSP said he was having difficulty moving up in weight (we later found out why) and that it'd take him into November to legitimately make MW. At that point, Dana was pitching for him to fight Woodley instead. But then 2 things happened in July, Woodley had a shit fight against Maia (which pissed off Dana), and Whittaker won the interim belt, but got injured doing it, so GSP was shifted back into MW. There was basically zero window of time where Rob would have been available to unify, but he was still on deck to go once he was ready.

But do you wanna know what would stop everyone from talking AT ALL about Jones fighting Stipe? (I bet you can guess!)

Idk, you might want to give him a couple tries.

 

[TempleoftheDog]

The guy who is in a very strong bargaining position but being strung along should just give up all their leverage?

It’s beyond retarded. The second Aspinall books a fight. That literally opens the door for Jones to fight anybody he wants for the Undisputed Title.

Aspinall has to wait this out. I’m not sure exactly how patient the UFC is going to be? They might allow this bullshit to go on until November. It would be ridiculous to let this go on longer than IFW in the summer, imo.

Just tell Jones.. We are booking the Undisputed Title fight for the ME at IFW. Do you want the fight, or not? Defend or vacate. Or we’ll strip you.

 

[El Panteron]

Just tell Jones.. We are booking the Undisputed Title fight for the ME at IFW. Do you want the fight, or not? Defend or vacate. Or we’ll strip you.

I don't think they have this kind of leverage right now. I think they pushed Jones to heavyweight so hard to regain some kind of legitimacy to their heavyweight division, expecially to "casuals". Their second champion in a row getting stripped so they can have yet another paper champion? Would be a nightmare to the company's image. At least it's what they seem to think.
They booked Gane and Miocic to eclipse Ngannou's wins, too.