Number of UFC title fights per division Feb 2018-Feb 2021

[Sheepdog]

As there are no title fights scheduled until at least February 2020, we can look at 3 years of title fights in slight advance. Here are the number of full title defences or vacant title fights for the real belt (not interim) in each UFC division from February 1 2018 - 2021.

Men

HW: 3
LHW: 5
MW: 3
WW: 4
LW: 3
FW: 4
BW: 4
FLW: 5

Women

FW: 3
BW: 3
SW: 5
FW: 4

Average 3.8 - or 1 title defence every 288 days.

If every challenger of each belt all got rematches, then on average, it would be 2 1/2 years between the last fresh challenger and a new one getting a title shot.

 

[The Big Guy]

Defend twice a year or GTFO

 

[member 3289]

The significant difference in champion pay vs challenger pay makes the champs way too hesitant to take fights.

 

[Sheepdog]

The significant difference in champion pay vs challenger pay makes the champs way too hesitant to take fights.

Yes, this is a big part of the problem. But it's also just the number of divisions and card structure.

The UFC doesn't want to pay extra for unnecessary title fights and diminishing returns to 'stack' cards for no reason. When the retarded fanbase is willing to pay 70 dollars for non-title fight cards, why bother?

But I think there is also an overestimation of the title value among fighters and managers. Yes, it's important - but if you fight 3 times in 4 years, you've also pissed away a fair chunk of your prime.

It's always worth remembering that Alistair Overeem is the 3rd highest paid fighter in UFC history.

 

[Sex Chicken]

I think it’s also a side effect of watered down cards. There are often cards with only one or two fighters even ranked in the top 15. The UFCs business model seems to be cranking out these cheap contender series fighters to keep their costs low. There is very little movement at the top of the divisions. (How long did it take us to find out that Olivera belonged in the top 5?). The rankings get stagnant and fans have to wait months to see guys in the top 10 fight. Sport should be about putting the most worthy competitors in line for title shots. The UFC system treats rankings, contenders, and titles as an afterthought. The UFC is too cheap to put enough top fighters on cards frequently enough to really ascertain who the top challengers are. Ideally top ten fighters would be fighting each other as a regular part of any card not being held up to headline events. There is so much talent in the UFC but the UFC won’t pay them what they’re worth or pay them to compete as often as they can.

 

[Dick Niaz]

Between these stats, the laughable rankings system, and fighters picking & choosing who they are willing to fight, the system is broken. There needs to be standards and equitable enforcement of them. Matchmakers pick the fights; fighters accept or get bumped down the ladder. This would not only keep divisions structured, it would also ensure merit is prioritized over popularity. It would also instill some much needed ventilation at the top of stagnant divisions.