POLL - Who do you want to see Conor fight next?

[Punch]

Haha, kudos for the Voltron reference.. but you did say that he can't call himself a champion if he doesn't defend. I thought you were pretty clear.

My bad for my lack of crystal. Nah, he won it fair and square. Also in the most spectacular fashion.

I like cmac.

I think if you wanna be the best, you gotta beat the best. Aldo earned his shot. Grab ass with diaz was fine. It's time to defend the title.

 

[Andrewsimar Palhardass]

My bad for my lack of crystal. Nah, he won it fair and square. Also in the most spectacular fashion.

I like cmac.

I think if you wanna be the best, you gotta beat the best. Aldo earned his shot. Grab ass with diaz was fine. It's time to defend the title.

This I can definitely get on board with.

 

[mysticmac]

He gives up his 145 lbs belt and retires from that division undefeated. He beings his career at 155 with an immediate title shot vs Alvarez. He starches Alvarez and moves into a trilogy fight with Nate. This time for the title.

 

[tang]

Nurmegomedov. It'll shut him up for good. He'll be tossed around, get his ego hurt, try to hire olympic wrestler for 500k for help for a rematch,which will improve nothing cuz wrestling is about learning instinctive reaction through years of experience.

Any good wrestler at a higher weight will mess him up. Even at 145, has he ever been properly matched with a legit wrestler? Nope. Closest is Mendes at 2weeks notice.

Wrestlers are bad match up for Conor and is one thing he still needs to be tested.

He can barely handle Nate at 170 when Nate Is out grappled by other 170s.

 

[sparkuri]

I totally see your point, and in a Utopian society we would have booking based on merit alone, but there is zero chance that the UFC is as big as it currently is with only merit-based booking. The best fighters in the world have intrigue, and they do bring fans, but the ceiling is very low unless you start selling fun fights and personas. I think the UFC is doing a decent job of juggling merit and fame, because if they do merit-based booking solely you will lose a ton of fans. Your idea of an ideal direction would be something that I could probably get on board with, but I definitely will not be able to get 10 friends to come over and watch the whole card like I do when Conor fights. The ceiling of this sport is raised substantially when you factor in compelling stories and personalities, and that's just the way things are. The UFC can't change that, so they have to adjust their strategy to fit the priorities of the fans. I don't think they can train casuals into watching like hardcores.

That shouldn't be the goal.
That sounds control crazy.
People like fights period.
Once it was introduced into msm it was over.
The notion that Dana or Zuffa "saved mma" is just total bullshit.
It will always, always, always be profitable with even mediocre management, corruption withholding.
The UFC doesn't "need" to bring in casuals like hardcores.
That may be their goal, but that's obvious greed as the sale proves.
They've choked the industry.
It's ok to disagree, but my opinion is as valid as anyone else's, and it's seasoned.
I believe this spirt can and should be held on it's merit, and appeal to fighters primarily the same as fans, with respect and honor forthright, just like martial arts.

 

[Andrewsimar Palhardass]

That shouldn't be the goal.
That sounds control crazy.
People like fights period.
Once it was introduced into msm it was over.
The notion that Dana or Zuffa "saved mma" is just total bullshit.
It will always, always, always be profitable with even mediocre management, corruption withholding.
The UFC doesn't "need" to bring in casuals like hardcores.
That may be their goal, but that's obvious greed as the sale proves.
They've choked the industry.
It's ok to disagree, but my opinion is as valid as anyone else's, and it's seasoned.
I believe this spirt can and should be held on it's merit, and appeal to fighters primarily the same as fans, with respect and honor forthright, just like martial arts.

There are literally hundreds of UFC fighters to pay. The UFC can already afford to pay them more, but do you think that it is in the best interest of the sport to stick to one type of matchmaking for integrity, when it severely hurts the bottom line? The bigger the sport gets, the bigger the purses get. That's for sure. Right now, Conor is their only sure bet when it comes to drawing power. You can't expect a multi-billion dollar corporation to not pay attention to what sells to the consumers. Nate Diaz is now a famous millionaire because of Conor. Nate freaking Diaz. Haha do you think that is possible with merit-based booking? I think if the UFC ignored public demand and only booked merit-based fights, we would have a sport that you would enjoy more but it wouldn't be close to what it is today in terms of exposure. A lot of people just like fights, but a lot more people like them with a story attached. That's undeniable.

 

[SickEye]

Alvarez to see if he can pull it off, then Aldo, then the trilogy fight with Nate.

But I'll watch no matter who it is cuz I'll be damned if he isn't fun to watch!

 

[Andrewsimar Palhardass]

He gives up his 145 lbs belt and retires from that division undefeated. He beings his career at 155 with an immediate title shot vs Alvarez. He starches Alvarez and moves into a trilogy fight with Nate. This time for the title.

This would be a really fun direction, though Khabib and Ferguson would end up getting their shots delayed. Also, I think the Alvarez fight is very tough for Conor. He might just be content holding Conor against the fence, or who knows maybe he could even catch him and score a KO. I definitely think that is an intriguing match-up but I'm not even sure who I would favor.

 

[Andrewsimar Palhardass]

@sparkuri why do you think Bellator can't draw on free TV unless Kimbo is fighting? There is a little bit of conditioning done, I understand... A lot of people immediately see non-UFC fights as illegitimate (which I disagree with), but if you look at how much Kimbo or Ken Shamrock draw when Michael Chandler and MVP don't, you have to see that fame/freakshow/fun fights are good for business. Can you blame them?

 

[SickEye]

Of course, a fight against Nick Diaz would be great...especially watching @conor mcgregor nut hugger get torn in two different directions!

 

[sparkuri]

@sparkuri why do you think Bellator can't draw on free TV unless Kimbo is fighting? There is a little bit of conditioning done, I understand... A lot of people immediately see non-UFC fights as illegitimate (which I disagree with), but if you look at how much Kimbo or Ken Shamrock draw when Michael Chandler and MVP don't, you have to see that fame/freakshow/fun fights are good for business. Can you blame them?

Bellator did draw without Kimbo.
It would also draw more with a croc pit, electric fence, and naked chicks Jennifer Connelling each other on a draw bridge above the moat.

 

[member 3289]

Bellator did draw without Kimbo.
It would also draw more with a croc pit, electric fence, and naked chicks Jennifer Connelling each other on a draw bridge above the moat.

Yeah but who would sanction that?

 

[tang]

And what % of those ppv's would you say were bought to watch Diaz beat Conor?
Dude, there are some of us that like real ninja's without bullhorns, that's all.

yup. only Conor fight I've ordered was against Diaz and of course I'm a die hard Diaz fan. I've watched other Conor fights for free at some other places. Conor is very entertaining and impressive at times but I support the fighters I like.

 

[Ghost Bro]

Himself

 

[Andrewsimar Palhardass]

Bellator did draw without Kimbo.
It would also draw more with a croc pit, electric fence, and naked chicks Jennifer Connelling each other on a draw bridge above the moat.

Kimbo's fights helped keep that place running, there's no denying that.

Haha, great point. I guess there is a point of diminishing returns with that stuff even for me.

 

[Andrewsimar Palhardass]

Yeah but who would sanction that?

Texas for sure.

 

[Andrewsimar Palhardass]

yup. only Conor fight I've ordered was against Diaz and of course I'm a die hard Diaz fan. I've watched other Conor fights for free at some other places. Conor is very entertaining and impressive at times but I support the fighters I like.

Look at what Nate fights sold pre-Conor. I love Nate but Conor's fights draw like crazy, while Nate's never did until he was attached to Conor. You absolutely cannot attribute the success of 196 and 202 to Nate's popularity. His popularity definitely helped and definitely is the reason that the records were broken, but Conor is almost automatically 1 million PPVs at this time.

 

[tang]

Look at what Nate fights sold pre-Conor. I love Nate but Conor's fights draw like crazy, while Nate's never did until he was attached to Conor. You absolutely cannot attribute the success of 196 and 202 to Nate's popularity. His popularity definitely helped and definitely is the reason that the records were broken, but Conor is almost automatically 1 million PPVs at this time.

I agree. If Conor was added to any shitty card, he'll boost that number from 500k - million easy. But that's just Conor. W/ Nate he did 1.5 or more both times. Real money fight works when both guys are draw like that. I'm saying for me, I ordered for Nate so I'm part of the 500k Nate brought in. I was backing what @sparkuri was saying not everyone is watching Conor fights just for Conor.

 

[sparkuri]

Yeah but who would sanction that?

Marc Ratner, for the right price.

 

[member 3289]

Himself

 

[member 3289]

Looks like it's gonna be Eddie

 

[regular john]

I want to see him fight Aldo next.

he hasn't earned a title shot at LW from the Nate Diaz fights and he should fight the interim FW champ. if Aldo had lost the next fight after Conor or if he wasn't the interim champ then a rematch so soon wouldn't make a lot of sense but Aldo did become interim champion with a great performance against a streaking Frankie Edgar.