Should the UFC create interim or 'American' titles for FW, LW, MW and women's SW during coronavirus?

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Sheepdog

Protecting America from excessive stool loitering
Dec 1, 2015
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This shit isn't going away any time soon, so the UFC is going to have to force some extra 'interim' titles on the paying public so it can churn out PPVs. We also have to recognize that coronavirus has turned the UFC into a regional rather than global promotion. Now, luckily, almost all of the best fighters are from that region - but they are still losing a lot of the roster.

4 of the 10 champions (I don't count women's FW as its own division and flyweight is vacant) look like they can't defend their titles any time soon, and maybe it's 5 because I have no fucking idea where Shevchenko lives. They might be able to get Khabib on a private jet, but there's no chance Izzy, Volk or Zhang are getting into the US or any bullshit fight island. That's a huge chunk of the promotion.

It seems creating 'interim' titles is pretty cheap if a champion is otherwise willing and able to defend, particularly if it excludes contenders who are willing and able to fight too. Perhaps a pro wrestling style 'US title' would satisfy promotional and sporting requirements better?
 

jimmy boogaloo

General Links/Your Account
Nov 15, 2017
4,127
4,265
yes i love the idea of American titles. they would be the most prestigious titles, cos who wants to be the champion of a pile of crap? amirite?

the UFC symbol should be fitted to a backdrop of the US flag - it's a shame the confederate flag is not en vogue, but the US one will do.

while they sing the national anthem and hang traitors during the opening ceremony and speeches, all the American fighters could march in military uniform to salute Dana White and President Donald Trump.

..the foreign fighters could shuffle past in orange jumpsuits, with wrist and ankle restraints. fuck those guys, MAGA
 

Sheepdog

Protecting America from excessive stool loitering
Dec 1, 2015
8,912
14,237
yes i love the idea of American titles. they would be the most prestigious titles, cos who wants to be the champion of a pile of crap? amirite?

the UFC symbol should be fitted to a backdrop of the US flag - it's a shame the confederate flag is not en vogue, but the US one will do.

while they sing the national anthem and hang traitors during the opening ceremony and speeches, all the American fighters could march in military uniform to salute Dana White and President Donald Trump.

..the foreign fighters could shuffle past in orange jumpsuits, with wrist and ankle restraints. fuck those guys, MAGA
I don't expect much, but we can do better than this.
 

homo fagit

Writer, and adventurer
Jul 17, 2018
1,095
1,371
I'm surprised they haven't created other titles years ago. Guys like Bisping, Hardy and Conor could have fought for European titles before fighting the proper champ and maybe gotten a bit more hype
 

Sheepdog

Protecting America from excessive stool loitering
Dec 1, 2015
8,912
14,237
I'm surprised they haven't created other titles years ago. Guys like Bisping, Hardy and Conor could have fought for European titles before fighting the proper champ and maybe gotten a bit more hype
The problem under normal circumstances is that the roster just isn't big enough and I'm not sure what value it would have. If the UFC had proper territorial feeder leagues, they could pull off that gimmick.

But it is a promotional tool that has been lost to the world in both boxing and MMA. Having a country's champ vs another country's champ is often how massive fights are unofficially marketed anyway (Floyd vs Hatton, Wilder vs Fury).

The UFC is going to operate as a regional promotion for the forseeable future, people can't cry about the 'devaluing' of titles through the introduction of interim belts etc. and then support the UFC stripping actual world champions and then installing regional champions as 'world champions'. If you have Khabib, Adesanya, Volk and Zhang being prevented from fighting overseas and have some other muppet parading around as 'champion', that's really going to turn belts into a joke.
 

benwahwah

Active Member
Feb 19, 2017
81
223
They could have Tables, Ladders, and Chairs matches as well! Maybe even tag-team matches. Hell let’s have handicap matches as well.

Jon Bones Jones vs Conor McGregor and Dominic Cruz would be fun as hell!
 

Rambo John J

Eats things that would make a Billy Goat Puke
First 100
Jan 17, 2015
71,545
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I'm surprised they haven't created other titles years ago. Guys like Bisping, Hardy and Conor could have fought for European titles before fighting the proper champ and maybe gotten a bit more hype
intercontinental like honky tonk man
 

homo fagit

Writer, and adventurer
Jul 17, 2018
1,095
1,371
The problem under normal circumstances is that the roster just isn't big enough and I'm not sure what value it would have. If the UFC had proper territorial feeder leagues, they could pull off that gimmick.

But it is a promotional tool that has been lost to the world in both boxing and MMA. Having a country's champ vs another country's champ is often how massive fights are unofficially marketed anyway (Floyd vs Hatton, Wilder vs Fury).

The UFC is going to operate as a regional promotion for the forseeable future, people can't cry about the 'devaluing' of titles through the introduction of interim belts etc. and then support the UFC stripping actual world champions and then installing regional champions as 'world champions'. If you have Khabib, Adesanya, Volk and Zhang being prevented from fighting overseas and have some other muppet parading around as 'champion', that's really going to turn belts into a joke.
Those titles couldn't be constantly contested but imagine this:
''Conor wants Dennis Siver. For the European title. Isn't he awesome?''