Where is Max and why is he not fighting for the interim belt?

[xhaydenx]

Paddy's last 3 wins are Chandler, Green, and Ferguson. All 3 of those are washed up cans. Of those 3 only Chandler is currently ranked in the top 15, and he's Paddy's best win. He's 11th somehow, despite going 2-5 since joining the UFC. His wins weren't even against elite comp in Hooker or Tony. I know he's good at saying "See you at the top", but that shouldn't count for so much.

Then there's Justin. In the last 2 years he's beaten the same mid level guy twice in Fizi, and he got a headkick against Dustin in a fight he wasn't winning that was a rematch to a fight in which he got his ass fed to him. Then he sooked because he wanted a title shot off the 2nd Fizi win and it seems the UFC caved in.

Meanwhile, you have fucking Max who is ranked higher than both of these two at #3. Not only that, last year he moved up a weight class and skinned Justin himself.

None of Paddy's or Justin's wins are better than what Max has, and he's flogged one of them recently, and won in the division since. And he's ranked higher than both lol. Then just above Max you have Charles and them Arman.

I know the UFC seem to still hate Arman because he blew his back out trying to impress Nina and couldn't fight, but how is not Max vs Charles for this interim belt at least? Unless it's just bullshit business and they really want Paddy to have a belt, and just want one more payday out of Justin, then why the fuck are they skipping the top 3 here?

 

[Luthien]

BMF title at the White House, most likely. This way they get a US champion with a belt on that event

 

[jeff7b9]

Paddy's last 3 wins are Chandler, Green, and Ferguson. All 3 of those are washed up cans.

Paddy's run to the title.

 

[markg171]

Max injured his hand against Poirier and said in August he'd be out until 2026. So presumably he couldn't make the January date.

I'm also guessing even if Max was available that Justin's threat of retirement if he didn't get a title shot, and the upside of Justin/Ilia at the WH vs Ilia/Max 2, was enough to make the UFC prefer Justin either way.

 

[FilipEmoFights]

God Chandler really does suck damn

 

[CosyToasty]

Max injured his hand against Poirier and said in August he'd be out until 2026. So presumably he couldn't make the January date.

I'm also guessing even if Max was available that Justin's threat of retirement if he didn't get a title shot, and the upside of Justin/Ilia at the WH vs Ilia/Max 2, was enough to make the UFC prefer Justin either way.

I hate that the ufc caved to justin. Let him cry himself into retirement, nobody cares about him anymore

 

[wrb]

Honestly I am actually not mad at Paddy and what exactly is he supposed to do, "fuck you I am not good enough " and decline the fight? He is also the only one who can save this cluster fuck by actually beating Ilia and shutting down all the hype. Even better would be him beating Ilia and Arman beating him... Damn I am pissed off about this shit, I need to take a break. Its like they could not even be happy doing the bare minimum to keep things slightly above circus level, I am holding out for more developments and updates but wow.

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

The one-two punch of the Paramount deal and the White House card have screwed up basically all booking

 

[jeff7b9]

God Chandler really does suck damn

I think it's more that he is old.

39 now, turning 40 in April.

And he has a ton of WARS and if you take the, imo, fairly common sense leap that his meathead fight hard train hard defense is for pussies type of attitude and assume at least SOME of that also applied to his training and gym wars.


And they pay him a lot.
I have seen the number $750k flat per fight.
They ain't gonna pay that level of paycheck for him to take the type of tune up fights that would give a 39-40 year old on a 2-5 run winnable fights. Paddy is the only guy in Chandlers last 7 fights who has yet to hold a ufc belt of some sort.



But ... yes he has done quite a bit of exciting losing in the UFC

I love the quote another fighter said when Chandler was sitting out for Conor "all this time waiting- you could have lost 4 exciting fights!"

 

[_manhattan]

God Chandler really does suck damn

In recent memory, no one has mismanaged their career quite like Chandler.

He came in as a backup for Khabib-Gaethje at 254.
RDA pulls out of the Makhachev fight, Khabib guarantees him a title shot if he steps in and beats Islam,
He says, "Who's Islam?" and declines.
Khabib retires, Islam wins two belts, he's still hoping for that Conor fight.

I love the quote another fighter said when Chandler was sitting out for Conor "all this time waiting- you could have lost 4 exciting fights!"

That was Arman, off the top rope heh.

 

[Killer Kadoogan]

he's making spicy food videos as you do towards the end of your career

 

[Goatenstein]

Chandler vs Ferguson 2 would have been the truly fair and just interim title fight.

 

[Tweak896]

View attachment 1123468View attachment 1123469View attachment 1123470

Paddy's run to the title.

I'm sorry but this is the line of thinking that caught everyone off guard about Paddy. Sure his opponents aren't on fire or prime, but still, guy can only beat who he gets matched with, and he's doing it better than many others.

Olivera got a titleshot off a decision in Chandler fight and no one blinked, Paddy finished him next fight under 3 rounds.

Green was literally a 1st round sub and first guy sub him. He KO'd Dawson the year before.

Tony, well can't defend much, but his losses were to guys who still make up the top 10 and a last minute fight at WW against Nate.

 

[b00tysweat]

God Chandler really does suck damn

he finished Hooker faster than Arman though

 

[FrappeDuRocma]

I'm sorry but this is the line of thinking that caught everyone off guard about Paddy. Sure his opponents aren't on fire or prime, but still, guy can only beat who he gets matched with, and he's doing it better than many others.

Olivera got a titleshot off a decision in Chandler fight and no one blinked, Paddy finished him next fight under 3 rounds.

Green was literally a 1st round sub and first guy sub him. He KO'd Dawson the year before.

Tony, well can't defend much, but his losses were to guys who still make up the top 10 and a last minute fight at WW against Nate.

He lost to Gordon... He's a fucking can.

 

[TrueBias]

BMF title at the White House, most likely. This way they get a US champion with a belt on that event

See? Knew this waiting out shit would happen.

 

[Tweak896]

He lost to Gordon... He's a fucking can.

Who the hell beat Gordon in the UFC that is so bad? CDF, Joaquim (2018), Olivera, Dawson, Nasrat (split), and Rafa Garcia. He beat lots of middle of the pack LWs. Not to mention Paddy was barely in the UFC for 1 year at that point and finished 3 fights prior. Or Paddy had an off night, doesn't make him a can.

 

[Thesnake101]

Why bother discrediting Justin's win over Poirier when Max is coming off beating an even more washed up version of DP?

 

[Neck&Neck]

Max is punch drunk and trying to sober up

 

[ExitLUPin]

I'm pretty sure we're going to see him rematch Charles next year.