What is the deal with Topuria and the FW title?

[fortheo]

Yea I know the official UFC statement but it is BS, no one just vacates the belt they worked their whole life to earn and gives them huge financial benefits. Volk fought up at 155 twice while still holding the FW belt. There is no way Topuria does not want the opportunity to match Conor's achievement of holding two belts. Topuria is being stripped.

I've heard fighters say that the UFC isn't interested in double champs anymore. They're especially not interested in letting a guy who averages less than two fights per year hold two belts at the same time.

 

[Subline]

Ilia vs Charles cannot headline a PPV. PPV main events have to be for a title which I just realized is exactly the reason Ilia is being stripped.

Do they have to though? I know it's rare but non-title fights have headlined PPVs - Covington vs Masvidal, Lesnar vs Reem, many Conor fights, Silva vs Diaz etc.

 

[dildos]

Not when Lopes knocks him out

Watch

Lopes sucks.

 

[dildos]

Very well could be the case, but they need to be working on their reasoning for why Lopes vacates the belt as well after he easily floors Volk

Lopes will never get the belt.

 

[Cartiac]

Do they have to though? I know it's rare but non-title fights have headlined PPVs - Covington vs Masvidal, Lesnar vs Reem, many Conor fights, Silva vs Diaz etc.

Obviously not a rule written in blood but I believe most, if not all recent cases, let's call it the last 10 years or so fall into the same situation as Covington vs Masvidal that was only the main event because the originally planned championship main event fight fell through. UFC has also even just created a completely stupid, meaningless new title to satisfy the requirement.

I am usually the guy trying to defend the UFC and maybe they made a deal with Ilia to take care of him somehow, but this really looks like the most lowlife, scumbag move I can recall in sports history doing this to the most important rising star the company has.

 

[Cartiac]

Lopes will never get the belt.

You very well could be right, and I would agree without a doubt if Ilia wasn't being robbed of the belt, but I think Lopes has a very good chance of putting down broken Volk.

 

[nostradumbass]

Yea I know the official UFC statement but it is BS, no one just vacates the belt they worked their whole life to earn and gives them huge financial benefits. Volk fought up at 155 twice while still holding the FW belt. There is no way Topuria does not want the opportunity to match Conor's achievement of holding two belts. Topuria is being stripped.

Lol. He wanted a "double champ" fight at LW instead of fighting Evloev, but the UFC weren't going to give a new champ with 1 defense a double champ fight, so he gambled vacating thinking they'd give him a LW title shot they wouldn’t have given him otherwise, and he might be right. If he loses, he'll suddenly be able to make FW again and want a title fight there again.

 

[Dave Poodle]

You very well could be right, and I would agree without a doubt if Ilia wasn't being robbed of the belt, but I think Lopes has a very good chance of putting down broken Volk.

He isn't being robbed. He could have defended the belt against Volk. It's Ilia saying he can't make 145 any more and going to LW. Why would they have him hold on to the belt if that's what he's saying.

 

[JonnyBonesPharmacist]

Lopes sucks.

Sucks what?

 

[dildos]

Peniii

 

[DoctorStoppage]

Yeah I think something strange happened too. I figured Topuria would get an instant title shot at LW, the fact that he’s not makes me think something went sideways. Why would he voluntarily vacate without holding onto the belt as long as he could (since that appears to have been the only leverage he had at LW)?

 

[KO Shotz]

I am usually the guy trying to defend the UFC and maybe they made a deal with Ilia to take care of him somehow, but this really looks like the most lowlife, scumbag move I can recall in sports history doing this to the most important rising star the company has.

dude, what are you not getting? Ilia made the decision to move up. The UFC didn't force him to do anything. Ilia wants to move up to 155 because it's an easier cut, & he wants a fight with Islam for the LW strap. There's no conspiracy or fuckery going on. Plus any fight Ilia gets at 155 is much bigger for himself & the company rather than anything at 145 now. What more does he have to prove at 145? Fighting Lopes & Evloev isn't anything in comparison as to what fighting Islam, Charles, or Gaethje would do for him. He's already beat Volk. The money fights are at 155 for Ilia. Him vacating the FW belt doesn't hurt his stock in any shape or form, & moving up to 155 does nothing but boost his money, draws, & popularity.

 

[Tweak896]

To be real after beating Volk and Max at FW, there aren't names for his resume that means much.

 

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

Islam is the #1 P4P guy and biggest name in the UFC... You got to do what you got to do to get the fight...

 

[TempleoftheDog]

Can someone explain to me what the fuck is going on here? It was just a year ago Topuria became a UFC Champion and only 5 months ago defended his title with a stunning destruction of Max Holloway. He is a young UFC Champion and the financial benefits from holding that title are huge. There is absolutely no way he is willingly vacating that title.

So what is the word on why UFC is stripping Topuria, one of the only exciting fighters they have, of his title?

Dude..

It was HIS choice. He relinquished the FW title. He’s moved up.. And I’m not sure if he was guaranteed an instant TS. But he’s certainly getting a number 1 contender fight, at the least.

It’s in the hands of the UFC.

There’s something I can’t reckon. Why would a cuurent champ give up ppv points, marketability (within Spain) as a UFC champ, etc?

I think he was guaranteed an instant TS (behind closed doors).

We’ll find out the situation, very soon.

 

[KO Shotz]

Islam is the #1 P4P guy and biggest name in the UFC... You got to do what you got to do to get the fight...

Well usually when a champion from another division wants to fight another current champion, the UFC jumps on making that fight. That's the only thing that raises my eyebrow in this situation.