UFC 206 No Dud

               

                                         When UFC 206 was announced for Toronto on December 10^th, the Main Event was rumored to feature Canada’s own, George St Pierre. Daniel Cormier, who was scheduled to face Anthony Johnson for Cormier’s Light Heavyweight Championship, lobbied for the sport’s most dominant Welterweight to return to the Octagon from a three year hiatus, and assume top billing. GSP has been one of the company’s top Pay-per-view earners and Cormier wanted in on the action. St Pierre’s negotiations broke down and a groin injury to Cormier forced the LHW bout to be put on hold. So what does the UFC do when they’re in need of a Main Event worthy fight? They get creative, stripping two-Division Champion, Connor McGregor of the Featherweight Belt and upgrading Jose Aldo’s Interim FW gold to the undisputed Championship. Also in order to help sell the event (UFC 206) the UFC has made, an interesting contender fight, into an Interim FW Championship bout, Anthony Showtime Pettis versus Max Blessed Holloway.

               

Don’t get caught up in the idea that interim belts don’t matter. This fight guarantees the winner a shot at the title and in a company where Championship fights are guaranteed only to be later revoked, Gold is the tangible proof of a fighter’s spot in line. McGregor has said he plans to take most of 2017 off and twelve months have passed since he won the FW belt. Let’s not forget the list of contenders looking for a crack at Connor’s Lightweight strap. This move gives the UFC options, the Dec 10^th winner will likely face Aldo to unify the belts before McGregor fights again, then Connor can fight for the LW Championship and decide how enticing the FW division’s gold is at that point.

               

For McGregor a rematch with Aldo can’t be too high on his list of goals, it isn’t likely he will better his thirteen second Knock Out of the long-time Division King. He also beat Max Holloway in 2013, since Blessed has won nine straight (4 TKO/KO, 2 Subs). The most interesting match-up may be if former LW Champ, Anthony Pettis successfully battles his way to the top spot. Third Degree Tae Kwon Do Black Belt, Pettis and McGregor have yet to meet in the cage, and make for an interesting clash of styles.  

                While you may not agree that stripping Connor was a good move, it may have been the best play, not only for UFC 206 PPV sales, but also the future of the two divisions. The Holloway Pettis fight is a Main Event worthy bout and with Donald Cerrone vs Matt Brown, Tim Kennedy vs Kelvin Gastelum and Doo Ho Choi vs Cub Swanson the card isn’t as weak as critics would have you believe. Unfortunately it is sandwiched between a pair of mega-cards in 205 and 207 making the absence of St Pierre and the LHW Championship appear much worse.