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

[BigGucci]

DC is the best modern example. LHW champ on paper only.

How? Dude also won the HW belt as well. Lost a close first fight against Jones who was juiced on every PED ever to exist when he was clean, how's that a paper champ?

 

[BEATDOWNS]

my definition of a paper champ is when you win the belt but lose it on the first defense ala Rashad and Forrest etc

 

[BEATDOWNS]

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.

Bisping beat the reigning defending Champion Khabib beat a real estate agent what does that make him a cork board champion?

 

[DecisionSplit]

DC and Jan.

DC is a good example but Jan is not. DC never would have been champion without Jones being suspended. The second that Jones came back he massacred DC and took over the division once again. But when Jones vacated, after the Reyes fight, then the UFC had to move the division on. Jon cannot be eternal LHW champion in retirement. Jan and Reyes were basically one and two in LHW. Also most people think Reyes beat Jones anyways. So Jan has an argument at being an actual lineal champion not just a vacant title winner.

DC also never should have been HW champion. He should have gotten a NC for the eye pokes against Stipe. Without the eye pokes he lost the next two against Stipe.

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.

Khabib defended a bunch of times and beat Conor soundly. Oliviera has tons of UFC records and went on a huge tear against top ten fighters. They simply fought during times with lots of vacant belts and champions who retired or abandoned the sport for long periods. But they both had multiple defenses and long term success and deserved to be in those vacant title fights at the time. They were proven strong fighters at the top levels. It was not their choice to have the champions in their times abruptly retire when they were next in line.

Khabib faced Iaquinta because the UFC was desperate to make someone champion and get the LW division moving. They tried to make that fight Khabib versus Felder who was unranked and the athletic commission refused it. How long do you allow inactive fighters to hold onto their belts before you strip them and move the division and sport into the future?

 

[Fioretti]

How? Dude also won the HW belt as well. Lost a close first fight against Jones who was juiced on every PED ever to exist when he was clean, how's that a paper champ?

He lost a Unanimous Decision to Jones, in a fight that neither fighter pissed hot.

He attained the title without beating Jones. He was never ranked as the #1 LHW, even while he had the belt. That's what makes him a paper champ.

His status of "champion" was only on paper.

 

[BarbellzNbacon]

Colby with his interim belt that he used to carry with him everywhere

 

[djacobox372]

Overeem's MMA championships were definitely "paper/gift" belts due to Overeem being marketable.

Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Buentello. Overeem was knocked out 2 months earlier, and only 1-4 in his last 5 fights. Buentello was a journeyman, not a championship contender.
Dream: Overeem vs. Duffee. Duffee had lost his last fight in famous fashion, and had no place being in a "championship" fight.

 

[Nathan LaMontagne]

I always considered Vitor's "reign" that of a paper champion. He didn't beat Randy, and subsequently got owned in the rematch.

This was my thought.

Won the fight due toa. Freak accident. Glove cuts the eye.

Couture beat him before and he dominated him after.

 

[Chet Ubetcha]

Colby with his interim belt that he used to carry with him everywhere

Sounds like you bought and paid for exactly the self-marketing that Colby was selling...

 

[CPH]

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

Or maybe DC won the belt because Jones got to be champ by cheating and finally ended up getting busted.

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

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

One thing you're missing is someone can only be a 'paper champion' if there's a more deserving real champion out there.
Khabib yes until he fought Conor, not so much Robert since GSP made it clear he was done.
Jamahal Hill is another paper champion because Jiri is/was the real champion.

 

[HavokHarmon]

DC is the best modern example. LHW champ on paper only.

Yeah, hate to say it but Wand was in a similar situation after he lost to Arona in the 05 tourney but still had the belt. He came back and beat him but for the period of time after he lost he was the definition of a paper champ.

 

[HavokHarmon]

One thing you're missing is someone can only be a 'paper champion' if there's a more deserving real champion out there.
Khabib yes until he fought Conor, not so much Robert since GSP made it clear he was done.
Jamahal Hill is another paper champion because Jiri is/was the real champion.

Robert is a great example to me of how the line gets a little blurred when it comes to phrases like “paper champ”. In theory he meets the criteria in that he didn’t beat or even fight the lineal champ to be crowned but by the time he was elevated to full champion it was generally accepted that he had faced the most challenging competition available by defeating Jacare and Romero.

 

[Bork Neslar]

There are no paper champions.

 

[jitzmonkey]

Arguably anyone who doesn’t win the title from the previous champion could be considered a paper champ.

If their first defense (due to them turning down top ranked contenders) afterward is against someone who isn’t ranked top 5; that’d be another one.

If a champ starts ducking all the top competition, they may become a paper champ.
Obviously there are gonna be exceptions.

 

[DecisionSplit]

Or maybe DC won the belt because Jones got to be champ by cheating and finally ended up getting busted.

Ignoring DC's extreme testosterone levels that tested even more skewed than Jones's did? Or his not even qualifying for LHW due to using the towel? He shouldn't have been allowed to hold the belt after UFC210 with his ridiculous weigh-in using the towel. UFC literally allowed Jones to move a card and find a corrupt athletic commission to host his fight over pulsing. They found another corrupt athletic commission for DC to look the other way for the "towel trick" when he clearly missed championship weight. Khabib got the same treatment at Fight Island with Gaethje with that absurdly fast tipping of the scales.

DC is a classic example of a paper champ. Ruthlessly protected by the UFC. Given immediate shots at double champ. Referees and officials ignoring weigh-in cheating and deliberate eye pokes. Then Jones smashes him again and Stipe runs him over twice and that becomes his legacy. DC should have been disqualified from being LHW champ over a weight miss. And been given a DQ or NC for poking Stipe in the eyes repeatedly on purpose.

 

[Paul E Gensinger]

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

I'll sell you a house. But first beat me (I'm in the top 25!) and you get the belt. I beat Kevil Lee.

 

[Iamwill43119]

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?

it means youre the official champion, but everyone knows youre a joke

 

[ferrisjso]

DC is a good example but Jan is not. DC never would have been champion without Jones being suspended. The second that Jones came back he massacred DC and took over the division once again. But when Jones vacated, after the Reyes fight, then the UFC had to move the division on. Jon cannot be eternal LHW champion in retirement. Jan and Reyes were basically one and two in LHW. Also most people think Reyes beat Jones anyways. So Jan has an argument at being an actual lineal champion not just a vacant title winner.

DC also never should have been HW champion. He should have gotten a NC for the eye pokes against Stipe. Without the eye pokes he lost the next two against Stipe.

Khabib defended a bunch of times and beat Conor soundly. Oliviera has tons of UFC records and went on a huge tear against top ten fighters. They simply fought during times with lots of vacant belts and champions who retired or abandoned the sport for long periods. But they both had multiple defenses and long term success and deserved to be in those vacant title fights at the time. They were proven strong fighters at the top levels. It was not their choice to have the champions in their times abruptly retire when they were next in line.

Khabib faced Iaquinta because the UFC was desperate to make someone champion and get the LW division moving. They tried to make that fight Khabib versus Felder who was unranked and the athletic commission refused it. How long do you allow inactive fighters to hold onto their belts before you strip them and move the division and sport into the future?

Jan was barely a top 10 LHW in Jones's generation if that. Jones, DC, Gus, Rumble, Davis and Bader left in one way or another. Glover took advantage of this too but Glover you can argue was once the best Jan wasn't. Jan got his title shot by beating 2 old MWs making their LHW debut and then a fluke KO over someone who dominated him in their first fight. After upsetting Reyes he beat a third MW making his LHW debut(Izzys larger than Jan the issue is him not being used to him fighting without a massive size advantage) won because of an injury and then got a draw in a fight most felt he lost. Jan did not magically get better in his late 30s his division fell apart and circumstances fell in his favor. Theres dozens of guys like Jan in the UFC who could be champ if everything went perfect but who won't.

DC didn't deserve a second title shot in a row because Jones got in a car accident over Davis and Bader IMO. Like you said. But he beat Rumble and someone had to hold a paper belt. The issue was DC pretending that his belt was something more than that and that this made him Jones rival. When in reality he would never have gotten a rematch if not for a car accident.

If you believe Reyes won I guess Jan would have the lineage. I don't believe that. If fighter A is arguably up 3-0 after 3 rounds but 2 or 3 could go either way and then Fighter B clearly wins the last 2 rounds, Fighter B will usually win because he only needs 2-3 out of 9 frames. In a sport with arbitrary judging its about having an argument to win more rounds. Jones having Reyes struggle to win 3 rounds then drowning him in the last 2 he wasn't used to was effective strategy on Jones part.

 

[NoSmilez]

Paper champion is somewhat the promotion set up to win. He isn't really the best in the world or even in the division. If you want to be an asshole you can even call Jones, Glover and Islam a paper champion.