What exactly is a "paper champion" and some notable examples?

[tymikeson]

These are two great examples. Jamahal Hill fits the bill as well, he'll never even defend his paper title lol

Yeah it was weird that Glover vs Hill was for the title, when Glover just lost to Jiri

Jamahal Hill did ok in the UFC though

Yep when Jiri got injured Polish power and ankqlaev was for the vacant title but it was declared a draw. ..

Dana was so mad at that fight he just made hill vs Glover for the title.

So to put it into context , if there was a winner between Jan vs ankqlaev they would have been an 8x 10 legal stock paper champ.

Thus Hll is the 1 ply tissue paper champ.

 

[Jackonfire]

Weird definition. He beat the champ.

Then ducked the entire top 15 fighters in his division to defend against Henderson. Then ducked them all again, including interim champ Whittaker to fight GSP. He was a cardboard champ.

 

[Davidjacksonjones]

Yep when Jiri got injured Polish power and ankqlaev was for the vacant title but it was declared a draw. ..

Dana was so mad at that fight he just made hill vs Glover for the title.

So to put it into context , if there was a winner between Jan vs ankqlaev they would have been an 8x 10 legal stock paper champ.

Thus Hll is the 1 ply tissue paper champ.

Yeah i remember that Jan vs magomed fight. was pretty boring watching it live i remember people leaving halfway

Its so hard to know who the real LHW champ was since Saint Jones vacated. Everyone was beating everyone

 

[jaberwock555]

A paper champion is one who

- Doesn't earn the title shot
- Doesn't beat the actual champion
- Doesn't defend against a legit contender

So in short Jon Jones.

 

[CashMoney1991]

DC at LHW is the biggest example, he only won the belt cus Jones was such a fuck up

 

[CobraCobretti]

Nicco Montano and GDR

 

[aerius]

Carla Esparza's most recent title win. Gets to the title fight through a bunch of split decisions, most of which she arguably lost, then wins the title with another split decision in one of the worst fights in modern MMA history. Everyone knows she's not the best fighter in the division and the win wasn't legit since Rose completely flaked out and did absolutely nothing, and everyone expected her to get obliterated in her first title defence. And then Weili just absolutely wrecked her in the next fight.

 

[Paolo Delutis]

A paper champion is someone who wins a title without beating the last title holder or through circumstances that they end up with the title without a clear victory of the previous Champion...

Now this can easily be mediated by racking up solid title defenses ... Or a rematch/match with the previous Champion if possible


So someone vacates the next title holder could be seen as a paper champion till some title defenses are made ..

Somone wins the title on technicality could be seen as a paper champion till they get some title defenses

Someone is given a title without having to fight someone for it ...but again only till they defend it

If they dont defend it or lose it then they were indeed paper champions

 

[TheTickG]

This is probably a noob question but I have seen the term thrown around on Sherdog a lot

From what I read online, "A Paper Champion is a boxing champion who is considered to be a false champion, or champion only on paper. Reasons for being called a Paper Champion are not fighting challenging opponents, fighting very little, or not gaining the belt by knocking out a champion."

I have seen people call Jon Jones a paper champion and even someone called Sean Strickland a paper champion which i don't believe makes any sense since he dominated the champ.

So is it someone who did not beat the actual champion? Or someone who doesn't defend against top opposition?

Who are some examples of paper champs?

If Anthony Smith took the DQ win against Jones because of the illegal knee. That would be an example.

If Gane beat Jones, since Francis already beat Gane.

 

[Adamant__]

Jamall hill.

At least he didn't go life and death with a 42 yr old man.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

You beat the champ, you become the champ.

You beat the paper champ, you become the paper champ.

You beat the paper, you become the paper.

/Aristotle

To beat the paper, you must become the scissor

 

[Fioretti]

Then ducked the entire top 15 fighters in his division to defend against Henderson. Then ducked them all again, including interim champ Whittaker to fight GSP. He was a cardboard champ.

Cardboard is astonishingly accurate.

 

[Koro_11]

Weird definition. He beat the champ.

By fluke, then ducked the entire MW top 15 for the next few years and instead went after a 50 year old Dan Henderson which was about the only respectable name he could realistically beat, and still arguably lost.

Tgen the most pathetic move of all, he calls out a welterweight who had not fought in 5 years, and it blows up in his face.

I was actually happy when he beat Rockhold, but then he turns into a complete dicktuck ruins 185 for years to come

I don’t know if paper champ is the correct term, but I would say he’s probably the worst champ, in the sense that he had complete disregard for his own reputation and legitimacy.

He knew everyone considered his title when a fluke, if he had any honor or beleif in himself he would wanna prove that he’s a true champ by going after Romero or Whittaker.

 

[Jackonfire]

Carla Esparza's most recent title win. Gets to the title fight through a bunch of split decisions, most of which she arguably lost, then wins the title with another split decision in one of the worst fights in modern MMA history. Everyone knows she's not the best fighter in the division and the win wasn't legit since Rose completely flaked out and did absolutely nothing, and everyone expected her to get obliterated in her first title defence. And then Weili just absolutely wrecked her in the next fight.

@Xuh Get a load of this guy...

 

[Xuh]

@Xuh Get a load of this guy...

<{cruzshake}>

He's just projecting his insecurities about Paper Champ Valentina - never beat the real champ (Montaño) and used political maneuvering (KGB training?) to steer the belt into her lap with easy fights while making sure the real champ was confined to the reservation out of sight, out of mind - permanently.

Luckily now she's been defeated we finally have an actual champ at W125

 

[BJJ4Tone]

Would khabib have been considered a paper champ when he beat Al iaquinta or Robert Whittaker when he was promoted from interim to undisputed when gsp vacated

Khabib was a paper champ until he beat Conor. I think beating Conor, who never lost his lightweight title in the octagon, solidified his champion status.
In theory, you could call Charles a paper champ for having never beaten the previous champ (Khabib), but he obviously more than proved himself by beating almost every other top guy in Khabib's absence.

 

[Gregoire1]

DC 2 times, Jan, Khabib pre-Conor, Sterling pre-Yan 2

 

[HHJ]

Would khabib have been considered a paper champ when he beat Al iaquinta or Robert Whittaker when he was promoted from interim to undisputed when gsp vacated

No. Conor refused to defend his belts and were thus stripped from him,and Khabib's scheduled opponent didnt show up. Even if Khabib had fought Tony like originally planned,the same kind of people would call him a paper champ for not beating Conor for it. Yknow,the guy who never defended it one time,and got an instant title shot without having any other fights in the division?

 

[HHJ]

Khabib was a paper champ until he beat Conor. I think beating Conor, who never lost his lightweight title in the octagon, solidified his champion status.
In theory, you could call Charles a paper champ for having never beaten the previous champ (Khabib), but he obviously more than proved himself by beating almost every other top guy in Khabib's absence.

This is where it gets ridiculous. Its like if a guy retires as champion,since no one beats him for it,the division has no meaning anymore. Might as well cancel it!

People just throw out these terms cos they dont like the guy holdin the belt,plain and simple

 

[HHJ]

Carla Esparza's most recent title win. Gets to the title fight through a bunch of split decisions, most of which she arguably lost, then wins the title with another split decision in one of the worst fights in modern MMA history. Everyone knows she's not the best fighter in the division and the win wasn't legit since Rose completely flaked out and did absolutely nothing, and everyone expected her to get obliterated in her first title defence. And then Weili just absolutely wrecked her in the next fight.

It doesnt matter if she won by split,she still won. You dont have to be the best fighter in the div to win the belt. Fighting ability has nothing to do with wether your a paper champ or not.