When champs or top contenders from other orgs come to the UFC

[BFoe]

What do they need to do to get a title shot, in your opinion?
Clearly, champs from small, regional orgs don’t deserve immediate title shots, but what about champs from more well known orgs like Bellator, WSOF/PFL, RIZIN, or ONE? Should champs be given immediate title shots, or work their way up? How many Top 10 wins does a guy like Michael Chandler need to get a title shot? Or Jiri Prochazka?

This is something that the UFC has been very inconsistent about. For those who don’t mind wordy OP’s, let’s look at some of the champs and top contenders from other orgs and how they were booked:
PRIDE (PRIDE LW champ Takanori Gomi and HW champ Fedor Emelianenko did not sign with the UFC):

• Simultaneous champ-champ Dan Henderson got immediate title unification matches against Anderson Silva and Rampage Jackson, respectively.
• Top contender Minotauro Nogueira was booked against Heath Herring, who had come over from PRIDE and gone 1-1 in the UFC at that time. This booking generated some criticism. https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2007/05/big-nog-to-debut-vs-heath-herring-at-ufc-73 After winning that fight, Nog’s next fight was for the UFC Interim Belt.
• Top contender Mirko Cro Cop came to the UFC on a 4-fight win streak, having just won the PRIDE Openweight Grand Prix. He was somewhat perplexingly booked against Eddie Sanchez, who was 6-0 in MMA at the time, and 1-0 in the UFC. After beating Sanchez, Mirko was booked in a title eliminator against Gabriel Gonzaga (which Mirko lost. But we don’t talk about that).

STRIKEFORCE:

• HW Champ Overeem was not given an immediate TS, but instead was booked against Brock Lesnar, who had lost the title in his last fight to Cain Velasquez. After dismantling Lesnar, Overeem was given a TS against Junior Dos Santos—the fight ended up not happening after a failed PED test from Overeem.
• LHW Champ Hendo was booked against Shogun Rua, who was Top 5 at the time and 2 fights removed from losing his LHW title. After winning this, Hendo was next booked against Jones for the title, but withdrew due to injury. He was next booked against #6 ranked Machida, a fight which he lost.
• Strikeforce MW champ Luke Rockhold was booked against TRT Vitor, who had returned to middleweight in his last bout and beaten Bisping. Vitor was ranked #2 (Rockhold lost the fight).
• WW champ Nick Diaz was booked against GSP for the title initially, but skipped a press conference Diaz Style, causing Dana White to have a small aneurysm and pull him from the TS. He fought BJ Penn instead.
• LW champ Gilbert Melendez got an immediate TS against Bendo.
• Women’s FW: N/A (the UFC did not absorb this division).
• Women’s BW: Ronda Rousey was promoted to UFC champ similarly to how Cruz and Aldo were after UFC absorbed their divisions.

BELLATOR:

• LW Champ Eddie Alvarez was booked against #6 ranked Cowboy Cerrone.
• MW champ (and AFC MW champ) Hector Lombard was booked against Brian Stann, who was ranked around #10 at the time. Stann pulled out with injury, and Lombard fought #6 ranked Tim Boetsch (Lombard lost an underwhelming split decision).

MISC:

• Anderson Silva came over as Cage Rage MW champ and was booked in a title eliminator against Leben. After destroying him, Silva fought for the title.
• Former SF MW champ Jacare was booked against Costa Phillipou, who was ranked #5 at the time (Costa pulled out due to injury and Jacare fought Camozzi instead).
• RIZIN LHW champ Jiri Prochazka was booked against #7 Volkan Oezdemir. After winning that fight, he was booked against #3 ranked Dominick Reyes.
• WSOF LW champ Justin Gaethje was booked against Michael Johnson, who had lost 3 of his previous 4 fights and was ranked #6.

How do we feel about these bookings, and how the UFC treats champs and top contenders from other orgs?

 

[BRASIL WAND]

Pitbull, Moose, and Lima would be credible threats to Volk, Adesanya, and Usman respectively.

 

[careto]

Pitbull, Moose, and Lima would be credible threats to Volk, Adesanya, and Usman respectively.

Add Nemkov to the list, he is the only one who would actually be favored, probably.

 

[BFoe]

@joeson Our talk about Chandler made me curious, so I started this thread to see how everyone else feels.

 

[Huligani]

Pride, Strikeforce, WEC were different since the organizations themselves were acquired/absorbed by the UFC. When either of these happen, the champs of the other orgs should be given immediate title fights, like they did with Dan Henderson.

When they just sign an individual fighter like Alvarez and Chandler, they shouldn't skip the entire line but should be given a very important fight against a top contender.

 

[NotDana]

People are too stupid to realize all ufc fighters and talent come from somewhere. To say a fighter wouldn’t make it in the UFC is dumb especially when careers don’t start in the ufc.

If a guy is dominating in another promotion or a b level then he belongs in the big leagues.

 

[BRASIL WAND]

Add Nemkov to the list, he is the only one who would actually be favored, probably.

Good call. Completely forgot about Nemkov, one of the hottest names outside the UFC right now. I think he’d squash Jan.

Also with Khabib retired Pitbull would also be a legit contender at LW... he One-Tapped Chandler like nothing.

 

[BFoe]

Pride, Strikeforce, WEC were different since the organizations themselves were acquired/absorbed by the UFC. When either of these happen, the champs of the other orgs should be given immediate title fights, like they did with Dan Henderson.

When they just sign an individual fighter like Alvarez and Chandler, they shouldn't skip the entire line but should be given a very important fight against a top contender.

Regarding Hendo, he got a shot when he came over from PRIDE, but didn’t get an immediate shot when he came over from Strikeforce. Do you feel he should have?
What do you think is the difference between WEC or Bellator? Or Strikeforce and Bellator, for example?

 

[Arkham's Notorious Geyser]

They should be given Top 10 if not Top 5 respectively, if you've reached the Mountain top of another organization and worked through their rankings, I don't really see the point in having them start over fighting guys that aren't the ABSOLUTE best in the Division.

These aren't some exciting new prospects, these are proven fighters and in some cases Champions, throw them in the fire and see what happens, sink or swim. Just because UFC fans don't know who these guys are doesn't mean the Promoters don't, and what better way to showcase your talent than against the elite.

 

[Jackonfire]

Anderson was an interesting case in that after the Leben fight, the UFC held a fan poll asking who his next opponent should be. The overwhelming reaction was Franklin. Not sure the UFC has done that with any other title fight.

 

[Eric Silva 2.0]

@joeson Our talk about Chandler made me curious, so I started this thread to see how everyone else feels.

Each situation/fighter is different. Now with the UFC at it's most watered down state and Chandler absolutely obliterating #6 he obviously deserves a shot with Dustin or the next best thing. If he wins either he should fight for a title if Dana is putting it up for grabs.

 

[careto]

Good call. Completely forgot about Nemkov, one of the hottest names outside the UFC right now. I think he’d squash Jan.

Also with Khabib retired Pitbull would also be a legit contender at LW... he One-Tapped Chandler like nothing.

The power Pitbull has in that right hand is freaking ridiculous, to KO a big ass LW like Chandler who hasnt been finished by strikes before is quiet impressive. Particularly when you consider Pitbull is not a big FW.

Pitbull and Nemkov are the only ones I would put money on. Thats if Pitbull would fight Volk, I dont think he matches well with Max.

 

[Huligani]

Regarding Hendo, he got a shot when he came over from PRIDE, but didn’t get an immediate shot when he came over from Strikeforce. Do you feel he should have?
What do you think is the difference between WEC or Bellator? Or Strikeforce and Bellator, for example?

I do think Hendo should've gotten an immediate title shot since Strikeforce was absorbed by the UFC and Hendo was the champ. This way we get actual champ-champ fights that can be billed as such with both actual belts on the line, whereas a reigning Bellator champ won't really be able to put that Bellator belt on the line, since he would've been stripped/vacated.

But now that I think about it, I would also be okay with someone like Alvarez (the Bellator champ at the time) getting the immediate title shot in the UFC just because he was the champ at the time he was signed. Bellator is a big/talented enough organization to justify it. It wouldn't be a title unification bout but whatever.

 

[BFoe]

I do think Hendo should've gotten an immediate title shot since Strikeforce was absorbed by the UFC and Hendo was the champ. This way we get actual champ-champ fights that can be billed as such with both actual belts on the line, whereas a reigning Bellator champ won't really be able to put that Bellator belt on the line, since he would've been stripped/vacated.

But now that I think about it, I would also be okay with someone like Alvarez (the Bellator champ at the time) getting the immediate title shot in the UFC just because he was the champ at the time he was signed. Bellator is a big/talented enough organization to justify it. It wouldn't be a title unification bout but whatever.

Exactly, this is how I feel about it as well. So I wouldn’t have had a huge problem with Jiri getting an immediate title shot for example. But since he wasn’t a very well known name (like Nick Diaz) I’m fine with him fighting 1-2 highly ranked guys and then getting a shot.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

Hmmm.....I truly believe Pitbull and Lima are the best 145 and 170 fighters on the planet so they should get immediate title shots upon arrival into the UFC.

 

[youllneverwalkalone]

There are very few "hard and fast" rules in matchmaking.

You need to look at the specifics - who is the fighter, which org they come from, what is the situation of their weight class at the time they move in, etc - and decide on a case by case, that's the only thing that makes sense.

 

[KID Yamamoto]

Melendez got a instant title shot and both Dom and Aldo were just given UFC titles cause the UFC lacked divisions in those weight classes. All PRIDE champs got pretty major fights off the bat IIRC too.
I think Chandler who was a 3X bellator champ getting a top 5'er like Hooker was pretty fair to be honest.

 

[FlyingDeathKick]

Will Brooks

 

[dildos]

Def top 5-10 opponent and title shot if they win that.

 

[FlyingDeathKick]

I feel like they should need 2 or 3 wins. Also don't give them a ranking before they've fought anyone, I remember they debuted Eddie at #10. Fight a top 15, then a top 10, then a top 5. Win all 3 and then title shot. That of course is assuming there isn't already a more deserving contender. In the case of Chandler, Oliveira deserves that title shot. Oliveira vs Poirier and if Khabib decides to defend again Oliveira vs Khabib. Sorry to Poirier but that is a fresh and interesting matchup and Conor only has 1 win at 155 which was in 2016 so Oliveira is still the most deserving of a shot rn imo.

If Oliveira doesn't get the shot what could potentially end up happening is Poirier vs Chandler for the belt, Conor and or Nate could win a fight and be next in line. Khabib could come back. Oliveira could potentially just be stuck with nobody wanting to fight him and have to fight whoever the UFC throws at him. Then he's like 35 and on a 15 fight win streak and loses to a young up and comer without ever getting a title shot.