UFC's willingness to ruin the rest of a fighters career just to save a card is shameful

[OldFashion]

As a huge Max Holloway fan I just hate that they matched him up with Gaethje. While he has a lot of mileage already and might not be the best he's ever been, he still is good enough to beat almost everyone at fw. His frame and size don't scale up well to lw and now he's fighting probably one of the most damage inflicting fighters the ufc has ever seen. I'm really scared that he's gonna get fergusoned and never be the same which means Dana will rob us of probably a few years of potentially amazing Max performances at fw. It's shortsighted and a desperate attempt to save UFC300.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Max was asking for a BMF fight.

 

[OldBoy91]

I have the same fears but I don't see how you can blame the UFC here.

Max has been calling out Gaethje for a hot minute now. You could argue the UFC should protect fighters from themselves more but Max isn't a washed up punching bag like Tony Ferguson (yet).

Who are they to tell a world class fighter who is championship level like Max that he can't take certain fights for his own safety and wellbeing? Max would take it as the insult that (at this stage) it would be.

 

[lerobshow]

What @Hellowhosthat said....

Max is the one that was asking for this fight. Can't really blame Dana.

 

[OldFashion]

Max was asking for a BMF fight.

I have the same fears but I don't see how you can blame the UFC here.

Max has been calling out Gaethje for a hot minute now. You could argue the UFC should protect fighters from themselves more but Max isn't a washed up punching bag like Tony Ferguson (yet).

Who are they to tell a world class fighter who is championship level like Max that he can't take certain fights for his own safety and wellbeing? Nax would take it as the insult that (at this stage) it would be.

No offense but Max is not the type of guy to make the smartest decisions. Dude needs people to look out for his best interest. They shouldn't have booked this fight

 

[usernamee]

I was crying a lot about them sacrificing Holloway a few years ago for that shitty interim title vs Poirier which arguably took a piece of Holloway

If they just wasn't so fucking short sighted they wouldn't have desperately thrown an interim title on the line and put their FW champ Holloway in the shitter at the same time...But unfortunately since the WME takeover they are only concerned about making the most money on the next event.

 

[The Bloody Nine]

Someone put a gun to Max's head?

 

[TheTickG]

Totally UFC's fault and the fighter should never be held accountable about for their own life choices.

 

[IronGolem007]

As a huge Max Holloway fan I just hate that they matched him up with Gaethje. While he has a lot of mileage already and might not be the best he's ever been, he still is good enough to beat almost everyone at fw. His frame and size don't scale up well to lw and now he's fighting probably one of the most damage inflicting fighters the ufc has ever seen. I'm really scared that he's gonna get fergusoned and never be the same which means Dana will rob us of probably a few years of potentially amazing Max performances at fw. It's shortsighted and a desperate attempt to save UFC300.

Sort of agree, but Max is ultimately the guy who said, "Yes," to the matchup.

Therefore, Max is ruining his own career — just like his downfall began when he did the same thing trying to fight Poirier at LW, thus ending his own long-unbeaten winning streak.

Holloway needs to realize he is a great FW, but he's not a great LW.

Doesn't have the power at the higher division.

 

[Herwald]

Max gets offered a co-main/main event stand up fight on the most significant card of the year for a whole new belt - with a possibility of leapfrogging the entire division for a title shot at LW as well - where even if he loses, he maintains his standing at FW - his main bread & butter...

I get the millage argument, but, boyo, dude's a prize fighter and this is one of the juiciest prizes he can fight for.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

No offense but Max is not the type of guy to make the smartest decisions. Dude needs people to look out for his best interest. They shouldn't have booked this fight

It's not like it's some insurmountable mountain for him. Max could well win.

 

[DoubleTrouble]

As a huge Max Holloway fan I just hate that they matched him up with Gaethje. While he has a lot of mileage already and might not be the best he's ever been, he still is good enough to beat almost everyone at fw. His frame and size don't scale up well to lw and now he's fighting probably one of the most damage inflicting fighters the ufc has ever seen. I'm really scared that he's gonna get fergusoned and never be the same which means Dana will rob us of probably a few years of potentially amazing Max performances at fw. It's shortsighted and a desperate attempt to save UFC300.

Gaethje is going to finish what Poirier started.

 

[WritzCracka]

Honestly, I know Gaethje beat Poirier and Poirier beat max, but as soon as I heard this matchup, I got Max winning...
5 rounds favors Max's volume, and Max has never been KO'd. He went to decision with Conor in a weight class where Conor was KOing everyone he fought including Aldo in 13 seconds. He went to decision with Poirier, and remember, Max only stepped in to take on Poirier short notice. I don't see Max getting KO'd here, and I don't see Gaethje winning a 5 round decision over Max.

 

[TheBulge]

Honestly, I know Gaethje beat Poirier and Poirier beat max, but as soon as I heard this matchup, I got Max winning...
5 rounds favors Max's volume, and Max has never been KO'd. He went to decision with Conor in a weight class where Conor was KOing everyone he fought including Aldo in 13 seconds. He went to decision with Poirier, and remember, Max only stepped in to take on Poirier short notice. I don't see Max getting KO'd here, and I don't see Gaethje winning a 5 round decision over Max.

The ability to not get KO'd isn't a great measure for Holloway's chances. It wasn't for Ferguson either before he hit that JG wall.

 

[Trabaho]

Only time I blame them is if the mismatch on purpose when someone is leaving the company. I guess the fighters accept for the sake of a payment.

Yeah this is a miss match. Max got a chance but looks like he will be damaged here. Awesome scrap, not good for Max. But Max got heart and believes. Then again wouldn't his team take the blame instead of a willing promoter ?

 

[lerobshow]

Honestly, I know Gaethje beat Poirier and Poirier beat max, but as soon as I heard this matchup, I got Max winning...
5 rounds favors Max's volume, and Max has never been KO'd. He went to decision with Conor in a weight class where Conor was KOing everyone he fought including Aldo in 13 seconds. He went to decision with Poirier, and remember, Max only stepped in to take on Poirier short notice. I don't see Max getting KO'd here, and I don't see Gaethje winning a 5 round decision over Max.

Max had alot of problems with Volk kicking his legs -- Can you imagine what Gaethje will do to him?

 

[DC23]

Strange take.

Max is one of the few fighters that actually needs a refresh.

 

[Doctor Grudge]

I know this is crazy...but....does anyone else think that just because Max lost to a top LW years ago that maybe...he could still be good at LW?


I haven't seen people suggest something better for him to do. Beg the UFC to get a 4th fight with Volk and get his ass beat there instead?

 

[Sticko]

The fact that Max has the skills to beat almost everyone at FW is kind of the problem. Lost 3x to Volk, beaten just about everybody else that matters. Wins over Yair, Ortega, Kattar, Arnold Allen, etc. Hasn't fought Topuria yet but Topuria is busy with Volk.

Max isn't huge for a LW but let's not forget Max once missed out on a chance to fight Khabib for a belt because he couldn't make 155 on short notice.

You also can't call it saving a card when UFC 300 is still 4 PPVs away.

This fight makes a lot of sense for everyone.

 

[corrupted]

No offense but Max is not the type of guy to make the smartest decisions. Dude needs people to look out for his best interest. They shouldn't have booked this fight

100%. Someone needs to sit him down. The guy he couldn't beat due to a power differential just got flattened
by the guy he's about to fight. I don't see any path to victory for Max here. Just a few more slurred words added to an already shrinking vocabulary. His style means that he does not sit down on his punches enough to generate power but has a defence that means he will get caught sand a chin that means he can take it.

Of all the combos you could have of conditions going in to a fight against Justin. These are the worst.

I think it will be similar to the Tony fight but without the uppercut that hurt Justin.