MMA Linker

[Legionarivs]

So I saw people on social media talkinh about if Cerrone vs McGregor is deserving of an interim title. This brought me to think over the whole "interim belt".



Before the number one contender was the one who automatically would get a shot at the belt. Easy system, if the champion would not be able to defend his title for a certain amount of time. An interim title would get installed, great example is while Cruz was injured as champion Barao would become the interim belt. Once Cruz would comeback they could unify the belt and make it legitimately "undisputed". While if the champion would stay too long inactive they would promote the interim holder to be the real champion. That makes sense a lot of sense doesn't it?

The number one contender spot like how I described it has lost its position of being what it says it is. As the UFC didn't really stick with it. Now a days it seems to me that what used to be the #1 contender, has now turned into an interim belt holder. Which I think is a bad move for competitive sports, but alright lets move onto the point. If the interim belt now would be a glorified #1 contender slot and they would act like it is, it could work. But its quite evidently shown recently that not even an interim belt holds any guarantee at a titleshot, as they give and take them away without any system. It holds no value whatsoever, it is a marketing stunt to get more PPV buys. They use the interim belts to elevate cards, for profit and to promote the next fight as a belt vs belt unification fight $$$.

So my conclusion is, that there's no value without legitimacy. Which makes the whole "deserved" question irrelevant.

[DeceptaCon]

Unless you are Woodley and Dana keeps forcing you to fight the #1 contender b/c he wants you to lose and never have money fights b/c he hates you b/c you speak your mind.

Its time to admit.

[PBells]

If Conor fights for an interim belt, I'm mailing a turd to Dana's house

[OuchThatDidntHurt]

Popular fighters being presented with opportunities to hold a title is nothing new. Whether it's by jumping the queue to get a title shot or from an interim title being created somewhat arbitrarily.

When WW champion Serra got injured and pulled out of the fight at UFC 79 against Hughes, the replacement fight GSP vs Hughes was for an interim title. I think most would agree that the UFC preferred having either GSP or Hughes as champ over Serra.

When Couture was in a dispute with the UFC, the UFC didn't want to strip him of the title so they could retain control of him through the "Champion clause". They made an interim HW title. Big Nog won the interim title by beating Tim Sylvia at UFC 81. Couture settled his differences with the UFC and came back to defend his title against huge PPV draw Brock Lesnar at UFC 91. One event later at UFC 92, Big Nog would fight Frank Mir with the interim title on the line. It set up a title unification bout at UFC 100, a rematch between Brock and Mir. This scenario made for more "big fights" as a title was always on the line. Casuals wouldn't care about the legitimacy of the belt, so it just generates more PPV revenue.


Sylvia vs Arlovski (UFC 51) is another example of a "legitimate" interim belt, after champion Frank Mir was injured in a motor cycle accident and would take a long time to return to form.



Like it or not, as long a McGregor draws huge PPV numbers he'll be a title contender.

[philphan]

If whit is out, let spider and Israel be for an interm belt.

[PBells]

Like it or not, as long a McGregor draws huge PPV numbers he'll be a title contender.

Dana should be expecting a lot of turds, then. I'll be sure to mix it up, like eat a bunch of beets one time or chow down on garlic, cabbage, and fiber for another one.

[bruins2012]

Fuck it, Tony vs Conor, even though McGoat doesn’t deserve it at all.

[DeceptaCon]

Fuck it, Tony vs Conor, even though McGoat doesn’t deserve it at all.

I'm down Tony deserves the panty money.

Tony is the type a guy to request a pink panty night.