Why is Dana throwing a tantrum over Merab/Aljo?

[Blanqa Blanqua]

This merab 4 aljo thing is a bit much. It was bad enough when aljo was champ but now Merabs saying he's gonna sit out for a year so Sterling can get his rematch. I'm sure the UFC love hearing those kind of plans being laid out to them

Well put.

 

[maximus__]

I thought maybe Merab was turning down a title fight and Aljo was demanding one but then I checked Twitter:



What's the problem here? Both Aljo and Merab want title fights but are fine with the other guy getting it. Seems like an easy situation to resolve. Either give Aljo a rematch or book Merab for the next title fight. If they book Merab and he beats O'Malley, Aljo will probably move up at that point. What is Dana angry about?

And if Aljo beats Sean and Merab is next? Do we just trust Aljo to step away and then book Sean vs Merab and waste another full year of one of the best divisions? I guess Corey Sandhagen can just fight everyone whilst we wait for 2 guys to hold the division up because they won't fight.

If Aljo moves up it's fine, but it puts the division in limbo for a year with the only person who really needs anytime away being Aljo, who just lost his belt in dominant fashion. Aljo doesn't need a rematch, because if he wins he won;t move up now after getting starched by O'malley. He has no incentive to go up where people are bigger and badder than him. He won't get an instant title shot after that performance.

 

[Blanqa Blanqua]

If Aljo wins he vacates and moves up. If Merab wins Aljo moves up. Either scenario doesn't change things.

Then why bother?

Esp when Aljo isn’t deserving and OMally will make him much more money as champ?

 

[pamirec]

Teh Goof wants everyone to be a heartless pos like him.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

And if Aljo beats Sean and Merab is next? Do we just trust Aljo to step away and then book Sean vs Merab and waste another full year of one of the best divisions? I guess Corey Sandhagen can just fight everyone whilst we wait for 2 guys to hold the division up because they won't fight.

If Aljo moves up it's fine, but it puts the division in limbo for a year with the only person who really needs anytime away being Aljo, who just lost his belt in dominant fashion. Aljo doesn't need a rematch, because if he wins he won;t move up now after getting starched by O'malley. He has no incentive to go up where people are bigger and badder than him. He won't get an instant title shot after that performance.

You say there holding up the division but how? Either could get the next title shot and there would be no hold up. If Aljo wins and doesn't change divisions then match up Sandhagen with someone other than Merab for a number 1 contender fight, again no hold up.

 

[NovaJon93]

I'm thinking Dana would prefer to have O'Malley rematch Chito for the belt and is publicly admonishing Aljo and Merab to set to set the stage.

 

[UFCFantasyMVP]

I've never disliked Dana, but I think he's being too judgmental here. I love seeing the loyalty mean more to fighters than any amount of money ever could. That actually shows tremendous strength and love. In a sport filled with heartless pricks, it's nice to see that a couple of the most blessed guys that are at the top know how to have integrity and care for one another. But to Dana's defense, I feel like he thinks Merab is "boring," so any reason he can find to get mad at Merab, he's gonna take.

 

[DarthChen731]

Give Merab the title shot and Aljo will move up. The only reason Aljo hasn't moved up is because he thinks there's a possibility of an immediate rematch. Or give Aljo the rematch and win or lose he will move up. Again, there's a very simple solution here.

Bro if you didn't want to be wrong you shouldn't have posted a thread

 

[Aurelian]

He's probably angling for a reason to justify not giving either of them the title shot because money.

 

[Dana's Conscience]

Did Dana not learn anything from the recent PFL incident? If you were to put Merab and Aljo against each other, the fight would suck. Neither guy would want to hurt the other.

 

[MRT]

This is nothing new...



Dana is not an idiot...he is just self-interested and keeps repeating that everyone should be in this to become champ, make money, etc...but he knows full well this isn't a friendly baseball game with no potential consequences when it's all done. People suffer career-ending or even life-altering injuries. No one wants to be responsible for ending their friend's career or causing them serious or permanent injury.

Also, Dana conveniently (intentionally) spins this primarily from the challenger's perspective...don't they want to become champ, make money, etc? Sure, but then what motivates the champ (who already has the belt, money, etc.) to face their friend?

I also wouldn't necessarily be rushing to make two friends fight each other, unless you're prepared to be disappointed by a sparring session...just look at Schulte and Manfio's match this summer in PFL that resulted in them both getting suspended.

 

[VinceArch]

Except I don't see any problem here. Aljo and Merab are 1 and 2. They aren't holding up the division and giving either guy a title shot will immediately resolve the situation.

Except no one wants to see Aljo-O'Malley 2. Not after Aljo has been decisively beaten.

 

[Last Falconry]

Because Dana is an infantile dipshit. Although in this case it might be that this situation allows him to do his two favorite things: posture like a macho asshole and pretend that fighters don't want to fight when every fighter involved in the situation is saying "sure, fight sounds great"

 

[humdizzle]

Sterling : I want a rematch or give merab the shot
Merab: Sterling should get a rematch, if not then I should get next. I will just wait for sterling and sit out until he's done being champ at 135. Then I get the next TS.

you can see the dilemma here.

The last thing you want in the top of the division is guys ducking fights due to friendship. You are robbing the fans of seeing who the best in the world is.

And yes. O'malley is a cash cow. Boston erupted for his win. Meanwhile everyone boo'd aljo when he beat cejudo. Merab doesn't sell either.

 

[maximus__]

You say there holding up the division but how? Either could get the next title shot and there would be no hold up. If Aljo wins and doesn't change divisions then match up Sandhagen with someone other than Merab for a number 1 contender fight, again no hold up.

Because Aljo just got KO'd and Merab has hand surgery on the cards and that could put him out a year. Neither will be able to fight this year most likely.
O'malley just sat out nearly a year also.

The issue is you have the number 1 and 2 guy refusing to fight. I don't actually believe a champion should get an immediate rematch ever. What should happen is Merab fights O'malley and Aljo fights someone else. It's different if Aljo lost a close controversial decision and was a 8 x defending champion and he did great at BW, but it's just 3 defences and highly controversial ones at that. Merab saying he will never fight Aljo for the belt is the issue here. I personally don't understand why they wouldn't want to get paid to do what they do in sparring all the time.

 

[krelianx]

The problem is that if either one gets a title shot and wins then the other one won't fight him for the title, so it creates a problem for the rank structure, considering they're literally back to back in the ranks.

Also, I was under the impression Merab said he would stay on the sidelines for Aljo try to get the rematch? I thought Dana was making allusion to that. Saying either of them can get the title shot is not the problem.

 

[VonSupervillain]

Dana is upset because both Aljo and Merab could easily defeat Sean and Dana doesn't want to match-up his "hero to the casuals" with any credible threat.

 

[Dorkman]

Honestly aljo as a friend should just be moving out of the way for merab. He had his time, lost it fair and square all the while merab was a bro to you not looking to step on your title reigns toes. Wanting the rematch if he wins continues putting merab on the back burner and in a bad position with Dana. If aljo was as good a friend to merab as merab has been to him he’d graciously move along to FW like he had originally intended and let merab have his shot at glory we all know he’s earned

 

[Trabaho]

Dan doesn't like guys who can stop him from making money aka Merab

 

[Bobby Boulders]

Bc their coach made fun of Power Slap.