2024 MMA General Discussion and Fight Announcements

[Taytro]

I agree in general, but Gaethje is going to have a looooong layoff during his prime years here for a title shot that there's no guarantee he gets. He beat Poirier in July 2023 and waiting for a title shot probably means he is looking at early 2025 at the soonest to get that title shot.

I don't know why you're so confident he can wait another ~year+ and still get the next title shot. He's been waiting 6 months as is and they just passed him up to put 2 other guys in a #1 contender fight.

I will be very disappointed if they straight pass on Gaethje in favour of someone that Islam already beat. No idea why the UFC is so keen on these rematches that fans don't want to see.

Gaethje vs Islam seems like the biggest fight to make, it's the logical fight to make, makes you wonder if it doesn't happen... Why?

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I don't know why you're so confident he can wait another ~year+ and still get the next title shot. He's been waiting 6 months as is and they just passed him up to put 2 other guys in a #1 contender fight.

They had Islam vs Charles 2 scheduled and Charles got hurt. They were talking about rebooking it and now Islam is hurt. Always seemed to me that Gaethje was next after that fight just crap luck that it kept getting pushed.

 

[pistolpete11]

I will be very disappointed if they straight pass on Gaethje in favour of someone that Islam already beat. No idea why the UFC is so keen on these rematches that fans don't want to see.

Well, I don't know what to tell you because Dana literally just said that's what's going to happen

And personally, I do want to see Islam-Arman. Islam beat him, but it was close and it was 5 years ago in Arman's UFC debut.

Gaethje vs Islam seems like the biggest fight to make, it's the logical fight to make, makes you wonder if it doesn't happen... Why?

With Arman, he would have wins over Dariush and Oliveira more recently than Gaethje beat Poirier.

With Oliveira, I think Dariush/Arman is on par with Fiziev/Poirier, but he also finished Gaethje in the first round.

If Gaethje were to beat Max or somebody else, I might feel differently, but if he just sits out waiting for a title shot....I get it.

 

[bov]

If Dana is saying Oliveira/Tsarukyan winner is next for Islam, that sounds like Gaethje has a fight booked already. Holloway or Masvidal I guess.

 

[MMC]

 

[Bunk Moreland]

 

[Avs_19]

These things never go to plan and we'll probably hear the 170 talk again but I would love this. A champion wanting the next person up (in their own division!) every few months is how it should be.

 

[pistolpete11]

Ali? Is that you? I think you're like a minimum of 3 days late on this.

I hope he's right, but can't see the UFC going against what they literally just announced....without injuries or something like that, of course.

 

[m9]

Ali? Is that you? I think you're like a minimum of 3 days late on this.

I hope he's right, but can't see the UFC going against what they literally just announced....without injuries or something like that, of course.

I don't think it really goes against what the UFC just announced.. it actually works out just fine. The winner of the fight at 300 gets the title shot in November. Still a number one contender fight.

 

[pistolpete11]

I don't think it really goes against what the UFC just announced.. it actually works out just fine. The winner of the fight at 300 gets the title shot in November. Still a number one contender fight.

Dana said, and I quote, "The winner will face Islam when he returns this summer."

 

[m9]

So you could look at something like this:
UFC 297 - Strickland v DDP
UFC 298 - Volk v Topuria
UFC 299 - O'Malley v Vera
UFC 300 - Probably multiple fights, but we'll say Edwards/Belal plus two more
UFC 301 - In Brazil so I will say Pereira & Pantoja defenses
UFC 302 - Islam/Gaethje
UFC 303 - Conor/Chandler

 

[m9]

Dana said, and I quote, "The winner will face Islam when he returns this summer."

That's fair, you're right. But that's also on you for believing everything Dana says.. especially when it doesn't make any sense.

Plus this way Islam does return in the summer and the winner will still probably fight Islam next, so for a Dana lie it's closer than usual.

 

[pistolpete11]

That's fair, you're right. But that's also on you for believing everything Dana says.. especially when it doesn't make any sense.

Plus this way Islam does return in the summer and the winner will still probably fight Islam next, so for a Dana lie it's closer than usual.

I mean, it's probably Ali running Islam's Twitter account. Are you going to believe him? He has obvious reasons to want Gaethje to get the next shot.

And the winner of #1 vs. #4 getting the next title shot makes perfect sense to me.

 

[m9]

I mean, it's probably Ali running Islam's Twitter account. Are you going to believe him? He has obvious reasons to want Gaethje to get the next shot.

And the winner of #1 vs. #4 getting the next title shot makes perfect sense to me.

I don't believe either but I follow the $ and the UFC is going to need PPV headliners if they put a few title fights on 300 so their options for June will be a bit limited.

If the champ is ready in June and the deserving #2 ranked guy is ready then that's fine too. You don't want the 300 winner turning around in under two months anyway. And I know the answer will be "they don't need to fight in June" which is true - but when you have another worthy contender there's no reason to delay things.. especially if you need a big fight.

 

[CDJ]

Inshallah alhamdulilah

This is the way

 

[pistolpete11]

I don't believe either but I follow the $ and the UFC is going to need PPV headliners if they put a few title fights on 300 so their options for June will be a bit limited.

If the champ is ready in June and the deserving #2 ranked guy is ready then that's fine too. You don't want the 300 winner turning around in under two months anyway. And I know the answer will be "they don't need to fight in June" which is true - but when you have another worthy contender there's no reason to delay things.. especially if you need a big fight.

If I'm following the money, my guess is the UAE is paying to have him headline in Abu Dhabi.

 

[The Devil In I]

Dana has said he's making fight announcments tonight and at the same time Pereira posted on insta that he's "back". Have to imagine he's on 300 and, since I don't think Hill will be available then, I think the best bet is Izzy trilogy?

 

[MMC]

Looks like ONE will be in the US twice this year. Hopefully California can approve their tule set like they did BKFC, I’d love to go to an event

 

[m9]

Dana has said he's making fight announcments tonight and at the same time Pereira posted on insta that he's "back". Have to imagine he's on 300 and, since I don't think Hill will be available then, I think the best bet is Izzy trilogy?

Could be a number of options with Pereira.

Izzy trilogy if it was at 300 would make sense.

Waiting on the Ankalaev/Walker winner this weekend makes the most sense. I wouldn't completely rule out Rountree getting the title shot, though this would be the longshot.

I still think it's more likely that Pereira headlines 301 as it's supposed to be in Brazil and Pantoja could be in the co-main. I don't think there are any other Brazilians who could headline or co-headline that card.

That would leave some other title fights for 300:
Adesanya v DDP/Strickland winner
Leon v Belal
Shevchenko v Grasso 3 or Weili v Yan

 

[MMC]

 

[pistolpete11]

Makes sense. Weili is one of the more consistently entertaining woman fighters, it's a title fight, and they'll still have a Chinese champ whenever they go to China.

 

[m9]

Glad they did this fight instead of weili v grasso

 

[pistolpete11]

Glad they did this fight instead of weili v grasso

I'm surprised there's not more talk about Weili going to FLW, but I'm glad she's not. At least until after this fight and if Suarez gets by Lemos.

If Weili is still champ after that, then we can talk about it. She would have beaten everybody in the current Top 5 and there's really not anybody else that looks to be the up and comer at SW.

Timing could work out for FLW, too. I think the winners of Grasso-Valentina and Blanchfield-Fiorot make sense and then the only other potential deserving contender I see is Barber, but she needs a big win to be in the conversation.

 

[m9]

I'm surprised there's not more talk about Weili going to FLW, but I'm glad she's not. At least until after this fight and if Suarez gets by Lemos.

If Weili is still champ after that, then we can talk about it. She would have beaten everybody in the current Top 5 and there's really not anybody else that looks to be the up and comer at SW.

Timing could work out for FLW, too. I think the winners of Grasso-Valentina and Blanchfield-Fiorot make sense and then the only other potential deserving contender I see is Barber, but she needs a big win to be in the conversation.

The only other fight for Weili - and it could be at 125lbs eventually - is if she wants to avenge those Rose losses. Rose is going to have to win a fight or two to get back there, though.

 

[pistolpete11]

The only other fight for Weili - and it could be at 125lbs eventually - is if she wants to avenge those Rose losses. Rose is going to have to win a fight or two to get back there, though.

Kind of forgot about Rose TBH. She's not ranked in either division (yet is ranked #8 in the WP4P).

I don't know what's going on with Rose (if anyone ever does), but the Esparza fight was so weird and her comments leading up to the Fiorot fight were eyebrow raising. I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see Rose for a while and unless she's hungry enough to drop back down to 115, I don't think she's a serious title contender.