Why Doesn't the UFC Have Backup Fighters Available?

[Gabe]

Does anyone remember back at UFC 205 when they had Jacare weigh in at he made weight without a fight even being scheduled? This has never been discussed but it's obvious that he was being used as back up I case Weidman or Romero got injured. Why doesn't the UFC do this more often? I'm sure guys like Stephens or Aldo would have jumped at the chance to possibly step in and fight for a title. Seems like a smart idea in this current landscape.

 

[Tendercoot]

They did and Ortega declined the fight.

 

[Danespina]

They did for this Friday's card. Thiago Santos weighed-in incase Tavares/Adesanya got injured.

 

[reddhelium]

Why doesn't the UFC do this more often?

oddly enough, they had thiago santos weigh in today in case tavares or adesanya cant make tomorrow's tuf finale main event:

https://www.mmafighting.com/2018/6/...-backup-plan-for-tuf-27-finale-main-event-ufc

 

[Bend NvR Break]

They tried to make Stephens vs Oretega. Oretega turned it down. He said he'd only accept a fight if the FW title was on the line. Without a title on the line he'd sit back and wait for Max.

I don't see why they didn't make an interim title for Oretega vs Stephens. That seems to be the go to idea to fix issues nowadays.

 

[Toco]

They did and Ortega declined the fight.

They tried to make Stephens vs Oretega. Oretega turned it down. He said he'd only accept a fight if the FW title was on the line. Without a title on the line he'd sit back and wait for Max.

I don't see why they didn't make an interim title for Oretega vs Holloway. That seems to be the go to idea to fix issues nowadays.

but that was 3 days before the fight. they need to have someone weeks in advance in case someone pulls out

 

[Übermacht]

Who would be willing to go through a grueling weight cut if you're probably not even going to fight?

 

[OrigFan255]

Here is a BIGGER question?

WHY does the UFC believe people should pay $59.99 when the Co-Main event is removed?

Drop the price you greedy _____S!

 

[The Domin8or]

Because title contenders show money is higher than thiago santos's show money .

 

[Gabe]

Who would be willing to go through a grueling weight cut if you're probably not even going to fight?

The UFC should pay them too.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

but that was 3 days before the fight. they need to have someone weeks in advance in case someone pulls out

Are you going to pay that stand by fighter for his time and effort to train, make weight and focus on a potential fight? Or do you expect him to be ready just out the goodness of his heart?

 

[TheRassler]

If fighters didn’t have to cut so much weight from their walk around weight, they’d be ready to weigh in on days notice.

 

[reddhelium]

Who would be willing to go through a grueling weight cut if you're probably not even going to fight?

1. payday
2. doing the ufc a solid (perhaps rewarded with an "easy" opponent for their next fight)

 

[MMAProfessional]

Does anyone remember back at UFC 205 when they had Jacare weigh in at he made weight without a fight even being scheduled? This has never been discussed but it's obvious that he was being used as back up I case Weidman or Romero got injured. Why doesn't the UFC do this more often? I'm sure guys like Stephens or Aldo would have jumped at the chance to possibly step in and fight for a title. Seems like a smart idea in this current landscape.

My guess is because it's more expensive to pay a fighter to have a camp and cut weight in case something happens than it is to take a PPV loss with a card being pulled. I'm guessing the fighter waiting in the wings gets money fight or no fight.

 

[Ozze]

Because a fighter pulling out is such a rare event right?
How could the UFC foresee such thing happening?

 

[Floofyboy]

They did and Ortega declined the fight.

Remember when Aldo got injured, they offered Mcgregor Mendes (which was arguably a very scary matchup for him at that time), and Conor just accepted it no question asked.

Fuck Ortega. Stephens isn't even scary at all compared to Holloway.

 

[cade187]

This has never been discussed

Actually it's been discussed ad nauseum. You can't expect top 10 fighters to just go through a full training camp with no fight scheduled, and most likely not get a fight for less money than if they had an actual fight scheduled. The more realistic option is to have another fight scheduled in the same weight class on that card, but it's irrelevant since Ortega turned down a replacement fight with Stephens.

 

[lakersfan45]

It would make sense if they always had to other too 10 contenders of weight class fighting on the same card that the title is defended

 

[CerebralKnievel]

People posting these ideas must seriously have trouble with basic logic.

For every contender or championship fight, a third guy is supposed to be sidelined as a backup? This would drastically diminish the availability of potential fights throughout a year.

There are already enough issues between injuries, contract disputes, post-fight recovery layoffs, etc. Let's go ahead and just slot out an additional top 5 fighter every time two other guys are in a main event.

 

[daltonames]

Unless you're talking about up and coming guys, most of these guys spend a ton of money on training camps. MeaningUFC would have to spend another 100+K on a backup fighter, who most of the time will not fight. They don't even want to pay that to guys who train/show up/make weight and fight falls out. Remember they didn't even give Ferguson his whole show money when Khabib fell out of 209. Follow the money trail, it always gives you the answer.