Why did UFC create an Interim Champ Belt for Aspinall-Pavlovich?

[AmonTobin]

Why did they make that fight an Interim Championship bout? Was this a good or bad idea? Please tell us what you think and why.

 

[IBeLurkin]

So can put two shiny belts on the posters when they finally "unify" them.

 

[Thepaintbucket]

Interim belts mean more PPV headliners which means more money.

Of course it's a terrible idea, especially since they are making him defend a fake belt

 

[Herwald]

Something to do with promised amount of title fights for ESPN+, so they cooked this one up after Stipe/Jones fell through.

 

[Fight Professor]

Stipe and Jones are a LOT more accomplished than fighters like Aspinall, Pavlovich or Gane.

 

[Davidjacksonjones]

They wanted to create more hype for the bout. If they just decide to strip Jones and make Aspinall-Pavlovich for the official belt, they know Jones would probaby get pissed and leave the sport, which would put Jones-Stipe in jeopardy, a pretty pointless fight but that would still bring the UFC lots of money.

I really hope Jones does fight Aspinall, so we can put to rest who is the true UFC HW champ.

 

[TempleoftheDog]

It was to replace an undisputed HW Championship ME at MSG.

Saying it was for an “interim championship” makes it worth more, and more important. Instead of it being a number 1 contender fight. But Jones wasn’t going to fight Pavlovich, or Aspinall. No matter what they did or said.

 

[Leonard Haid]

1) It was a way to move the HW division forward as Jones was holding out for Stipe, and who knew when that fight would ever materialize, and, 2) By raising one of two of the new guard to belt status, when the belt would eventually be unified it would be the best of the new guard vs. the best of the old guard. A classic in the making.

 

[Neck&Neck]

Cuz Bones gets Dana Black privilege

 

[PhotographyRaptor]

Did Jones getting injured and not being able to defend his belt for well over a year not show up in your feed? Because that

 

[Dmac07]

1) It was a way to move the HW division forward as Jones was holding out for Stipe, and who knew when that fight would ever materialize, and, 2) By raising one of two of the new guard to belt status, when the belt would eventually be unified it would be the best of the new guard vs. the best of the old guard. A classic in the making.

Except what always was, and is, most likely to happen. Is Jones sits on belt (especially with his injury now) for 2 years, fights Stipe (who by that point is 43 years old and 5 years without a win), then Jones retires, maybe after sitting on the belt for another 6 months.

All the while we never get the new guard vs old guard fight. And Aspinal either waits 2 and half years to unify or get promoted, or fights and defends his interim title 4-5 times whilst never getting to be the 'real' champ.

It's a real shit show that was totally predictable and preventable.

 

[MMAProfessional]

Do you really not know? UFC does this all the time. Throw a belt out to justify the price of PPV. This one was a little more dumb considering they aren't having Aspinal fight Jones but the reason for that is even clear. Mix between giving Jones what he wants and they think Stipe vs Jones sells better. Cruz was out for ages and they had Baraoe defend the interim belt instead of stripping Cruz.

 

[ulysse]

 

[Striker33]

When they out of ideas and need a title fight who really knows, I always thought it was a way to guarantee a fighter a title shot until the "real" champ returns but then i realized Tony Ferguson defended his interim belt a few times before he lost to Justin.

 

[cmw43]

Why did they make that fight an Interim Championship bout? Was this a good or bad idea? Please tell us what you think and why.

Because Pav was the clear No1 contender and Jones Vs Stipe is a double retirement match so the division needs to be ready to move on.

 

[Mr Dilkington]

They did it to try and save face on the PPV card when Jones fell out.

I don't think it's a mistake however as it's given Aspinal a championship, albeit interim, it means he can get PPV points and earn more.

It also means when Jones retires or loses to Stipe, who also retires, he can be promoted to champ without some UFC trickery like making him fight Gane or Lewis or someone for the vacant belt.

 

[NoSmilez]

You just got to treat Jones and Stipe as retired fighters. They are pretty much going to retire after their big fight. They need the interim and regular belt to help sell the events. UFC has a weird formula. They try to have main events with a belt on the line. That is why we have that BMF belt floating around. The only exception is probably Mcgregor but he parades around with his old belts like they are new.

 

[FloydMayweatherMMA]

So can put two shiny belts on the posters when they finally "unify" them.

Normally, I'd agree. Neither Jones nor the UFC has any intention of that happening though. They made Aspinall - Pavlovich for an Interim Championship so they would have someone to defend it if they need a PPV headliner, whilst making sure that Jones still has the belt on him when this pointless Stipe match up eventually materialises. They also have someone with an air of legitimacy to give the real strap to when Jones immediately retires in his post fight interview.

 

[Dionysian]

Same reason they do most of what they do... to increase PPV sales during a single card by a certain percentage.

They also realized the fans and fighters won't call them out afterwards so there is no downside. Sure enough, now Tom is defending his bullshit belt while Jon sits on a couch staying undisputed forever for winning a single HW fight vs a guy who never fought a grappler in his professional lifetime.

 

[JustforBROCK]

Cos I suspect they knew Jon Jones wasn't going to fight for a loooooooong time