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Money Fights vs Prestige of the Belt


What matters more in MMA, so-called "money fights" or the prestige of the championship belt?

This question has been asked more and more in recent years, primarily because of Conor McGregor but there are others who it applies to as well.

Conor McGregor won the interim Featherweight title in 2015, defeating Chad Mendes by TKO in the 2nd round at UFC 189. He would go on to unify the title by knocking out Jose Aldo in just thirteen seconds at UFC 194 just five months later. McGregor never defended his title at 145-pounds, fighting Nate Diaz twice and 170-pounds and then challenging for the Lightweight title at UFC 205 in November of 2016. The UFC stripped him of the Featherweight title not long after UFC 205 when McGregor announced he intended to take time off from the UFC. He has since gone on to face Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match while a fight for the interim Lightweight title is set to take place this weekend at UFC 216.

McGregor's accomplishments and skill can't be denied. But are they good for the sport? Plenty of fans could argue that he's diminished the prestige of the titles he held by never defending him and that he's "not a true champion". Others could argue that he is the biggest star the sport has ever seen and the UFC wouldn't be at the level of popularity it currently enjoys if it weren't for McGregor.

And it seems as if McGregor may have started a trend.

Michael Bisping shocked the MMA world when he knocked out Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 to capture the UFC Middleweight title. However, rather than a rematch with Rockhold, or fights with seemingly obvious contenders Yoel Romero, Jacare Souza or Chris Weidman, Bisping's first title defense came against Dan Henderson at UFC 204. Henderson wasn't ranked in the top five in the division at the time. The fight was sold, not on the merit of Henderson as a contender, but as a "grudge match" since Henderson brutally knocked out Bisping at UFC 100 in what is widely viewed as one of the best knockouts in UFC history. Bisping defeated Henderson and it seemed that a showdown with Romero was the logical next step. However, that fight has not surfaced and instead, Bisping will defend his title against George St-Pierre at UFC 217. GSP, although he is a legend and arguably the greatest welterweight champion in UFC history, has never fought at Middleweight in the UFC and has not fought since 2013. Due to injuries and delays, the fight hasn't taken place yet and an interim Middleweight title fight occurred between Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker took place at UFC 213. Whittaker would win that fight by unanimous decision and is now seemingly awaiting the winner of Bisping/GSP.

So what's better for the sport? Do fans want to see what they believe are the most entertaining fights regardless of ranking or whether one of the fighters has "earned it" or not? Or do the rankings matter and only fighters who have worked their way to getting a shot deserve to get the big fights (which come with the bigger checks)?

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