We’re About to See a Lightweight “Title” Fight Without Khabib or Ferguson

[Gabe]

Great fight don’t get me wrong, but man the UFC must have really hustled to put this together to have a PPV headliner. Holloway has work to do in his own division and why is Poirier getting this opportunity when Ferguson has worked so hard. I understand that the UFC needed a headliner but the fact that they made this fight and slapped “interim title fight” on it just shows their own desperation. Plus if Holloway wins then he gets a pass to clog his own division up even longer. The UFC doesn’t seem to be capable of thinking more than one step ahead.

 

[Michael LDN]

Yes

 

[Hardcore MMA]

This is why PPV has been dying over the past few years. The UFC keeps cresting interim matches and wants to charge $60+ for them. Then we see the interim “champs” get stripped and never actually get to compete for the belt (ex. Tony, Colby). Interim fights are a scam.

 

[Reign009]

Khabib is out. Tony is out.

Holloway/Poirier for the interim title sounds good to me.

The show must go on.

 

[Zebra Cheeks]

The only thing I can see making sense is if there trying to set up Holloway as double champ so that when Conor comes back he can have a completely unjustified title fight against a fake double champ.

 

[Doctor Lenovo]

Khabib Nurmagomedov is suspended because of his own actions. Tony Ferguson needs to sort out his mental health issues. The most popular fighter in the division is on a loss in and out of the Octagon. The train needs to keep moving.

The UFC did good doing something to keep the division moving. I don't rate Dustin Poirier, but I see that many fans and MMA media personalities and other fighters do. So, fair play to him for getting his opportunity.

 

[Congo66]

Interim titles aren't real titles so it really doesn't matter.

 

[Soul On Ice]

Plus if Holloway wins then he gets a pass to clog his own division up even longer.

Or he permanently moves to 155 and vacates the FW belt

What exactly is clogged up at 145 BTW?
A 3rd fight with Aldo?
lol
None of them FW contenders currently stand out

 

[Reign009]

Just enjoy the fight. Don't get hung up on the whole "interim" part.

It's still a fucking fantastic fight.

 

[ThatGuy7698]

The only thing I can see making sense is if there trying to set up Holloway as double champ so that when Conor comes back he can have a completely unjustified title fight against a fake double champ.

 

[Ken Fresno]

"Holloway has work to do in his own division"

 

[markg171]

Yes, because neither guy will fight...?

 

[trihardbang]

Tony doesn't want to fight Khabib atm, he is going through some issues at home right now.

 

[Sherdog'sOfficialBlackMan]

Holloway has work to do in his own division and why is Poirier getting this opportunity when Ferguson has worked so hard.

There is no clear cut contender at 145.
Ferguson (rightfully) turned down the fight.
Dustin deserves a big fight.

It's easy to shit on the UFC, we all do it but this is a great fight and when you lay it all out it makes sense.

 

[Kvothe_the_kingkiller]

We’re About to See a Lightweight “Title” Fight Without Khabib or Ferguson.

Not nearly as offensive as the next 185 interim. IMO.

One guy is 1-1 in the top 10, got wrecked by Weidman and eked by Jacare. And he beat Bisping.

The other guy beat Brunson (just like everyone else) and an aged Silva.

But the fans seem to like them both, so leapfrog the numerous perennial contenders they did.

 

[CEQT]

Who really cares about interm belt? Whoever wins isnt the real champ. They get a fake belt. Im just going to sit back and enjoy the show and not care about the belt because its going to be a great fight.

 

[Mahkor]

It is what it is.

 

[MMA4Life]

Khabib is out. Tony is out.

Holloway/Poirier for the interim title sounds good to me.

The show must go on.

It should just be for the real title. And that is not a slight at Khabib he can come back and take his belt back ASAP. If it was for the real title Tony would likely have signed the fight sheet however and then we would possibly getting Poirer vs Ferguson so without diving too far into the what if. I agree though fully, the show must go on. I am looking forward to that fight. The UFC wins big I think if Holloway wins he is capable of becoming more of a household name. The UFC would benefit from just forcing fighters names who they want to push into first take sports center, around the horn etc. Even if they are small segments it would help. They need to kill embedded and replace it with something with more substance and put it on ESPN. This is becoming a wall of text but this is a bit harder right now then it would have been 7 years ago ESPN doesn’t even show football highlights of people making big hits in the open field anymore.

 

[Lowercase p]

Blame Khabib.

I was bummed at first that Tony wasn't getting the shot (even though he turned it down because Interim titles mean nothing). But since he is having his issues, it is what it is.

There isn't a clear cut contender at 145 and this should be a great fight!

 

[Bend NvR Break]

Great fight don’t get me wrong, but man the UFC must have really hustled to put this together to have a PPV headliner. Holloway has work to do in his own division and why is Poirier getting this opportunity when Ferguson has worked so hard. I understand that the UFC needed a headliner but the fact that they made this fight and slapped “interim title fight” on it just shows their own desperation. Plus if Holloway wins then he gets a pass to clog his own division up even longer. The UFC doesn’t seem to be capable of thinking more than one step ahead.

Ferguson didn't want to fight Max remember? Ferguson literally gave his opportunity away to Porier.