Will the next LW champion truly feel like the best in the world?

[Martialbeef]

I’ll answer that for you, no they won’t. I understand that the guys competing for the belt next literally can’t help that Khabib retired, but i just feel whatever the next title fight is for LW will feel a little plastic.

What is the difference between when Jones wasn’t there when Cormier won the LHW belt? The disparity between the 2nd best LW in the world and Khabib just now is greater than the difference between DC and Jones then (imo), and people killed Cormier for parading as the best LHW.

 

[Reign009]

Oh well. You retire, you relinquish the belt.

New champ, life goes on.

 

[Nate banged my mom]

 

[Takes_Two_To_Tango]

Khabib was supposedly retired is in his prime still. So I'm sure he'll be in the future champions minds and I'm sure they'll try to call him out of retirement.

 

[Goatbib]

Nobody would have ever beaten Khabib anyway. He was in a league of his own so really everybody else was playing for the 2nd position anyway. And it will remain as is with the new champion always considered to be inferior to Khabib. The only difference is that the new champion will carry the belt and it is akin to carrying an interim belt.

 

[Rdude92]

Khabib was supposedly retired is in his prime still. So I'm sure he'll be in the future champions minds and I'm sure they'll try to call him out of retirement.

Do they really want to tho?

 

[IneedSometop]

In the immediate aftermath I don’t think so. Maybe once/if the new title holder can get a defense or 2 in people will come around. You can only fight who’s available

 

[cmw43]

It didn't take long after GSP's retirements for GOAT talks to start appearing for Woodley, talking about how he's "evolved".

 

[Eric Silva 2.0]

I’ll answer that for you, no they won’t. I understand that the guys competing for the belt next literally can’t help that Khabib retired, but i just feel whatever the next title fight is for LW will feel a little plastic.

What is the difference between when Jones wasn’t there when Cormier won the LHW belt? The disparity between the 2nd best LW in the world and Khabib just now is greater than the difference between DC and Jones then (imo), and people killed Cormier for parading as the best LHW.

Cormier=paper LHW champion
New LW champion=LLW Lesser LW champion

 

[Straatblaffer]

I’ll answer that for you, no they won’t. I understand that the guys competing for the belt next literally can’t help that Khabib retired, but i just feel whatever the next title fight is for LW will feel a little plastic.

What is the difference between when Jones wasn’t there when Cormier won the LHW belt? The disparity between the 2nd best LW in the world and Khabib just now is greater than the difference between DC and Jones then (imo), and people killed Cormier for parading as the best LHW.

It will feel just fine. If a fighter quits, the next guy is the rightfull champ. No way a fighter will think they are the champ only because Khabib is gone. To be honest, the next guy will likely think he would destroy Khabib if they fought.

Aso, the narrative can shift to; 'Khabib was lucky he only fought strikers'. Not per se a bad narrative. Weirdly, in the years he was dominant, LW contenders where all pretty much the same type of fighter.

 

[Beherit]

nobody considered Lawler the best WW in the world, and GSP never faced him ...

Unless tony wins, the new LW champion will feel like a paper champ.

 

[Billthebutcher]

absolutely, especially when a former champ runs to protect his record, and demands 1st place ranking from the fanboy media.

 

[KID Yamamoto]

Khabib retired and is no longer a professional fighter. Why should i consider him one?

Are all welterweight champs irrelevant now too?

 

[Elvis.]

Depends on how they present the title to the new champion, Khabib is gone and he’s relinquished the title , I have no problem moving on from that , but if they just take a random lw fight between 2 high ranking fighters and call it a “ title fight” it won’t feel legit .
I know ufc hates tournaments but this is the perfect time
Gaethje
Ferguson
Poirier
McGregor
Chandler
Do Bronx
Hooker
Ect , whoever won would be a legit champion

 

[91 seconds]

I guess we'll have to pretend he is.

 

[Ackmed]

Stylisticslly Islam is the only LW who can give Khabib a run for his money. They have sparred together for years and know each others strengths. So when Islam becomes champ yes he can feel he's best in the world but no one else can because no other LW has a serious chance of beating Khabib

 

[Martialbeef]

Stylisticslly Islam is the only LW who can give Khabib a run for his money. They have sparred together for years and know each others strengths. So when Islam becomes champ yes he can feel he's best in the world but no one else can because no other LW has a serious chance of beating Khabib

Arman vs Khabib would have been cool. Obviously a fantasy fight but would just been interesting.

 

[Crazysibop]

nobody considered Lawler the best WW in the world, and GSP never faced him ...

Unless tony wins, the new LW champion will feel like a paper champ.

Very different situations. GSP went to war with Hendricks and got damaged more than his opponent. It was a very close fight that could have gone the other way. Khabib finished his most dangerous opponent in his last fight.

 

[Lord Grey]

It will kind of feel like when Khabib beat Al to become champ. He couldn't really be considered best until he beat Conor.

I don't think Khabib will come back to fight the next champ (and it's almost certainly going to be someone he's already beaten anyways), so it will take several defenses and a couple years before the next champ feels legit.

 

[Genisys]

If a lightweight fighters retires then they are no longer a lightweight fighter and are not included in the discussion for best lightweight in the world.