Will the UFC step in and put an end to people ducking Islam?

[PlasticFishBowl]

Or are they going to sit there and let every top 10 LW duck him and just have his career be essentially over?

Paul Felder has literally said in a broadcast that he would never fight Islam because he’d lose. At what point can we remove a guy from rankings for ducking? These LWs like Hooker, Felder, and Gaethje who won’t fight down after a loss need to get the Leon Edwards treatment and lose their ranking.

 

[Paolo Delutis]

Why worry about a pull out merchant...

Guy had his chance and pulled out with a UNPROVEN illness...

So whos really ducking..


Funny how all these dagis after khabib left and daddy khabib ( RIP) passed on are slowly falling apart...


Abraham Lincoln ( zabit) wants to retire instead of doing 5 rounders like a real contender and Islam thinks everyones ducking meanwhile buddy never shows up when its time...waits till fight week to realise he cant make/doesnt want to make weight ( common dagi tactic massive weight cut) and all the sudden he was ill...meanwhile during camp or weeks prior didny say shit and went motorcycle riding like a week or two after the fight...yap...really sick he couldnt fight

 

[You Will Vote For Dreyga]

It’s not just Islam—-it’s everyone in the LW division that’s having trouble getting fights.

What Islam needs to do is stay active and be ready to step in short notice. That’s how others guys in his position have been able to break through. His long layoffs are what’s killing him

 

[NicholasJBasile]

Or are they going to sit there and let every top 10 LW duck him and just have his career be essentially over?

Paul Felder has literally said in a broadcast that he would never fight Islam because he’d lose. At what point can we remove a guy from rankings for ducking? These LWs like Hooker, Felder, and Gaethje who won’t fight down after a loss need to get the Leon Edwards treatment and lose their ranking.

I mean it has gotten pretty ridiculous. Hooker was blatantly rewarded for openly ducking Islam (I like Hooker btw) as he was given high ranked opponents with stylistic benefits. I think the UFC needs to stop fucking around and just allow Islam to leapfrog the division should no one care to fight him. This is wishful thinking, of course, as Islam is not someone that is marketable to casuals (yet, at least), but it must feel pretty discouraging if you're Islam. I get the narrative of Islam pulling out and where folks are coming from, but I don't quite agree with it. There have been multiple occasions where fighters openly stated their lack of desire to fight him; so no, I don't particularly subscribe to the idea that Islam is a pullout artist.

 

[BobblyStruggles]

I think Gaethje is a bit too high Islam, he needs to get a top 10 win before that. Hooker and Felder make complete sense though.

 

[Gio]

Islam is already top 10. He just moved up 2 places to #10, just coz no one wants to fight him. Maybe that's what they're doing if you refused to fight him. You 'duck', you lose your spot.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Hooker and Felder whenever Islam's name gets brought up by the matchmakers.

 

[brackis1]

More like: "Will the UFC ever promote anyone besides who their casting directors like?"

If Islam was made into a name by the UFC, then he would get fights. They have chosen to prefer more attractive western dudes.

 

[KootenayKid]

Hasn’t Dos Anjos been ready to go for awhile?

 

[MixMartialFarts]

He should change his name to Christian Makachev and walk out to the cage carrying a crucifex Kimo style while Joe Son walks behind him screaming at him. He'd get more fights.

 

[You Will Vote For Dreyga]

More like: "Will the UFC ever promote anyone besides who their casting directors like?"

If Islam was made into a name by the UFC, then he would get fights. They have chosen to prefer more attractive western dudes.

This isn’t fair.

They were going to have Islam headline a fight night against RDA, the go to gatekeeper. Islam was about to receive a big push but then he pulled out again.

Islam has massive numbers on social media and YouTube views. I bet my kidney the UFC would live to push him to cash in the the Khabib connection but Islam has proved unreliable

 

[New Yorkido]

Or are they going to sit there and let every top 10 LW duck him and just have his career be essentially over?

Paul Felder has literally said in a broadcast that he would never fight Islam because he’d lose. At what point can we remove a guy from rankings for ducking? These LWs like Hooker, Felder, and Gaethje who won’t fight down after a loss need to get the Leon Edwards treatment and lose their ranking.

That's right, force-feed the suckers to Islam, one by one until MMA gawds are full! Line up bitchez!

 

[horseshoe_pass man]

you cant force people to follow a particular religion

 

[FIGHTING TALK]

All the top 6 are vying for a title shot and are closely ranked, stands to reason they either want to fight one another or fight for the belt next. A fight versus Islam doesn’t necessarily progress any of their paths to a title shot, so it’s a bit of a win for nothing, somewhat of a sideways step. Coupled with the very realistic possibility that they might lose to Islam has us where we are at.

An outcome along the lines of Poirier beating Mcgregor and then Mcgregor fighting Makhachev is one of the more interesting scenarios.

The main thing is that Islam remains active, even if he is not fighting as often as the others around him the good news is it looks unlikely he will join Zabit and Zair as could-have-beens.

 

[SpecialDelivery]

Why worry about a pull out merchant...

Guy had his chance and pulled out with a UNPROVEN illness...

So whos really ducking..


Funny how all these dagis after khabib left and daddy khabib ( RIP) passed on are slowly falling apart...


Abraham Lincoln ( zabit) wants to retire instead of doing 5 rounders like a real contender and Islam thinks everyones ducking meanwhile buddy never shows up when its time...waits till fight week to realise he cant make/doesnt want to make weight ( common dagi tactic massive weight cut) and all the sudden he was ill...meanwhile during camp or weeks prior didny say shit and went motorcycle riding like a week or two after the fight...yap...really sick he couldnt fight

Lmao nailed it

 

[SKITZADACTYL]

lol..

 

[Raymundo Alvarado Guevara]

The pull out machine is now top 10, get ready

 

[rjmbrd]

More like: "Will the UFC ever promote anyone besides who their casting directors like?"

If Islam was made into a name by the UFC, then he would get fights. They have chosen to prefer more attractive western dudes.

Who are you nut jobs making shit up on the internet?

He was booked with a former world champion in RDA and he pulled out. They re-booked it... he pulled out a second time.

 

[brackis1]

Who are you nut jobs making shit up on the internet?

He was booked with a former world champion in RDA and he pulled out. They re-booked it... he pulled out a second time.

lol wow 1 fight against one of the most unpopular forgotten champs ever on a Fight Night holy shit was a red panty night!!!!!

Dude has been a top threat clearly for a while and like Khabib was given headliner status as late into his career as possible.

 

[IsNormal]

It's not like everyone said no. RDA said yes twice. But the fights fell through

According to his wikipedia he's been unfortunate many times.
Islam vs Dober 2016 - USADA stopped it (but after a hearing no suspension happened)
Islam vs Prazeres 2017 - "a religious reason"
Islam vs Trinaldo -2019 - Islam pulled out for "undisclosed reasons"
Islam vs Hernandez - 2020 - travel restrictions
Islam vs RDA - 2020 - covid
Islam vs RDA again 2020 - staph

And Conor, Dustin, Oliviera, Chandler, Tony, Dariush are booked.
That only leaves Hooker and Felder, there's no one else above him.