Gav, can you explain the point of having rankings in UFC?
The current champion is having a match against someone who lost the title 3 years ago and hasn't fought since, rather than the current number 1 ranked interim champion, who has won three out of four bouts in that time.
If you're making matches based on vibes, why even bother ranking people?
It's a bit of everything, really. Fighters can get injured and that puts them out of even conversations about fights regardless of ranking, divisions gotta keep moving. You could also have things like Ramadan making certain dates completely unattainable for certain fighters. Recency bias is definitely a thing. A fighter ranked top ten could go beat someone else in there in spectacular fashion and come out healthy and ready for a quick shot at a title if offered. You also have things like marketability come into it. Every month there's a PPV, and 99/100 it's headlined by a championship fight. Not all champs are PPV draws though. Neither are all challengers or those at "rank" 1 or whatever. Look at a guy like Belal Muhammad, for instance.
The way I see it, it's all a little bit of a fugazi. They do mean something but to me it's more "you're among The Best". And if there's one thing that keeps me coming back to the UFC, time after time, controversy after controversy, defending the undefendable (hi Connor, Jon), is that in the UFC you always, always get The Best fighting The Best. So if you're ranked, you're already among the best in the world. Just make exciting match ups and keep the thing moving, imo. 15-10 you're probably still to be tested under really bright lights. 10-5 you're almost there. 5-1, I guess just stay ready if you can.
You also find that even when ranked fighters face unranked fighters they're generally well matched, unlike boxing where a prospect will fight cans for 20+ fights.
The match makers do a great job but as Gav says, the rankings are better looked at as groupings to a degree.
IT'S FIGHT DAY! WE DID IT LADS! IIIIIIIIIIIIITS....
TIIIIIIIIME!
Let's fuckin go man. So hyped. Gonna be skipping about work today thinking about Charlie Olives showing levels. The champ has a name! Illuminated by God!!
Free stuff? On the card? It's all free for the UK baby! Live on tnt sports from 11pm. They have a deal with the UFC that a certain number of cards per year over here go on their own PPV channel but for whatever reason, this one isn't! Class!
"early prelims" are usually the first two fights of a card and they're always only ever viewable on UFC Fight Pass, which is kinda like WWE Network. Tnt announced last night they're showing the lot. Also class!
But to answer your question in a "what's the best non main card fight?" way, I gotta go for Prochazka V Rakic. But honestly, they're all crazy good.
seems Gav picked the right fight to give the double underline.
Came in expecting to read his reactions but guess he still hasn't come down from this yet.
Well, I'm glad at least someone tuned in and enjoyed it. I was in a party with chaz and dudes from work and that moment with Max.... Incredible. To be winning comfortably, all you need to do is coast and the belts yours... Nah, point down, let's fuckin go brah. To do that against one of the most dangerous hitters in the sport, then to last second clip him and faceplant him... Absolutely incredible. The most bad ass moment this sport has ever had. The real Bad Mother Fucker. So good.
Glad to see Max get his flowers now. After his trilogy with Volk there were the typical questions. Answered emphatically. Gimme him vs Ilia in The Sphere. Let's see if the matador can crack the uncrackable chin of Max.
Jamahal been chirping some since the defeat. Some of it, shall we say, delusional. But he's already booked for the comeback fight vs Rountree. If he gets through him then fair fucking play mate.
Onwards, this weekend we have the inevitable comedown. 301 isn't anywhere near stacked but we have Pantoja defending his strap against newcomer Steve Erceg. A lot of people, me included, went who??? but dude looks game, looks ready. Looks like a violent Novak Djokovic.
Paul Craig fighting too. Mon the Scots.
And today we have Jon Jones chirping, entertaining a HW fight against.... Alex Periera... Not Tom Aspinall. Bro is DUCKING.