Contendership dilemma in featherweight division
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Contendership dilemma in featherweight division
Lay_N_Pray
5/15/12 11:38:35AM
On the cusp of tonight's main event between Chan Sung Jung and Dustin Poirier, many fans have debated how much weight the result will hold in regards to a shot at the title.
I find the UFC's featherweight division to be an interesting focus for the philosophy of building contenders. The division is rather weak and it is pretty hard to sell the idea anyone can beat Jose Aldo to begin with.
So in tonight's match, the UFC has a chance to showcase two guys who could put on an exciting fight and no matter who wins tout them as a threat to Aldo. But then Hatsu Hioki and Ricardo Lamas go at it next month, and Hioki is also one of the division's few top dogs.
If you are the UFC, do you wait until after the Hioki fight to name a challenger to Aldo/Koch? Do you immediately win the winner of tonight's match?
Or do you do the historically practiced strategy of pitting Hioki/Lamas winner against Jung/Poirier?
I would stay away from the latter because I feel that eliminates a potential contender in a division that could use all the contenders they can get right now. I guess it depends on if you're in the school of thought of allowing only the best contender to challenge for the title or keep multiple people strong so options (though they may be weak) exist for PPV purposes.
I find the UFC's featherweight division to be an interesting focus for the philosophy of building contenders. The division is rather weak and it is pretty hard to sell the idea anyone can beat Jose Aldo to begin with.
So in tonight's match, the UFC has a chance to showcase two guys who could put on an exciting fight and no matter who wins tout them as a threat to Aldo. But then Hatsu Hioki and Ricardo Lamas go at it next month, and Hioki is also one of the division's few top dogs.
If you are the UFC, do you wait until after the Hioki fight to name a challenger to Aldo/Koch? Do you immediately win the winner of tonight's match?
Or do you do the historically practiced strategy of pitting Hioki/Lamas winner against Jung/Poirier?
I would stay away from the latter because I feel that eliminates a potential contender in a division that could use all the contenders they can get right now. I guess it depends on if you're in the school of thought of allowing only the best contender to challenge for the title or keep multiple people strong so options (though they may be weak) exist for PPV purposes.
sparky
5/15/12 12:52:58PM
I personally feel like the winner of tonight's main event should be the number one contender. As for Hatsu Hioki, when he turned down a chance to fight Aldo in Calgary he put himself back to the bottom of the list in my opinion
pmoney
5/15/12 2:22:09PM
Posted by sparky
I personally feel like the winner of tonight's main event should be the number one contender. As for Hatsu Hioki, when he turned down a chance to fight Aldo in Calgary he put himself back to the bottom of the list in my opinion
As much as I want to see Hioki-Aldo, that probably won't happen until next year, provided both keep winning. The winner of Poirier-Jung should get the shot. Also, as LNP pointed out, this keeps more prospects open for future title shots, which I love. There's only been six fights (three different match-ups) for the Lightweight title in approximately the last three years. And although that's due to a litany of extenuating circumstances not related to a lack of worthy challengers, I just prefer seeing a champ beat fresh challengers. Take Anderson Silva. If I am not mistaken, his only rematch in the UFC was Franklin-Silva 2, and that was forever ago. And it made sense.
Pookie
5/15/12 2:32:04PM
Posted by pmoney
Take Anderson Silva. If I am not mistaken, his only rematch in the UFC was Franklin-Silva 2, and that was forever ago. And it made sense.
It made sense in a world where Keyser Soze lives.
pmoney
5/15/12 2:37:12PM
Posted by Pookie
Posted by pmoney
Take Anderson Silva. If I am not mistaken, his only rematch in the UFC was Franklin-Silva 2, and that was forever ago. And it made sense.
It made sense in a world where Keyser Soze lives.
I thought it was Kaizer Soucé?
Ok maybe that rematch didn't make too much sense, but it had to be done. Maybe me screaming "Don't clinch with him, Ace!!" like a teenage girl was what made sense...
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