Why is Dana and UFC so adamant and over fixated on making Jones vs Stipe ? Explain like I'm five please

[Koya]

Like you are five? It’s been a while since I did that with my son, but I can try.
This guy Jones, he tha man. He was the bestest of the best earlier. These days, he is also one of the best, but older. This other guy, Stipe, he was also great but so old he's retired. The Jones guy has one fight left and then he is retired as well. He wants to defeat Stipe to prove to himself he is also the bestest in the HW division even though Stipe isn’t. This doesn’t matter to Jones, he has a point to prove to himself and to some people on Twitter and Facebook. They are also old. This third guy Dana, now he is the boss of the whole thing, like kingpin from Daredevil. He loves Jones and hates Stipe. Most of all though, he loves money and lying to people. So now this Dana guy is lying about Jones and Stipe being the greatest HW fighters so he can grab a lot of money. Thus he is making this fight happen at any cost. Some weird dudes on this obscure forum called Sherdog (like Instagram, but more retro, because they are also old) don’t believe his lies and can’t understand why everyone else is buying it. It’s because of the power of media, politics and such, but that lesson is for when you are older.

I said 5. Not 95

 

[RockyLockridge]

MMA GOAT vs UFC Heavyweight GOAT

It will be both highest selling Heavyweight PPV and sell out the Arena

I do not think it will be the highest selling HW ppv.

may not crack top 3

 

[loisestrad]

Why even fight Stipe, a win over him means nothing at this point. That’s like Wilder bringing Tyson back and beating him to boost his legacy. Beating an old washed up legend shouldn’t boost your legacy at all.

Sure, the longer it takes for the fight to materialize, the less importance it holds.

Doesn't change the fact that it's the perfect farewell fight for Jones, and it doesn't change the fact that Stipe has a way better legacy than Aspinall.

 

[RockyLockridge]

I get the appeal of Jones, but Stipe ?

HW "goat" who got KTFO in his last fight and hasn't fought since 3 years and will be 42 soon

Many of us don't want that

I've been saying for the last few months, in a sea of people complaining about colby getting a title shot against leon, many (not all) of those same posters are okay with this match up.

just lets you know any matchup can be justified. Which is why I think that Masvidal vs Leon is still very possible, Especially if colby and Stipe can get shots somehow.

 

[Koya]

I've been saying for the last few months, in a sea of people complaining about colby getting a title shot against leon, many (not all) of those same posters are okay with this match up.

just lets you know any matchup can be justified. Which is why I think that Masvidal vs Leon is still very possible, Especially if colby and Stipe can get shots somehow.

I don't want to live in a world where Masvidal vs Leon happens in 2024. Impossible. If not then F the UFC big time

 

[Koya]

The truth is ...

Stipe would easily dismantle Thomas Aspirintylenol.
That wouldn't build up a young contender.

Also, none of those guys were 1 fight removed from their title reign. Come on now.
People talk like Stipe earned nothing.

If Stipe was offered Jon Jones,
why would he switch out a retirement fight to face Tom
for peanuts in PPV points.
When those PPV could be enormous facing Jones, who is also set to retire.
This is a legacy fight for fans. Nothing about the apparent HW title.
Watching Tom lose to Jones or Stipe, for minimal PPV buys, simply isn't logical.

Yeah in 2019. In 2024 Aspinall absolutely demolishes Stipe

And yes he earned a lot of things. 4 freaking years ago. Why don't we give shots to Dominick Cruz and RDA then, they earned lots of things too. He'll bring back Cormier he earned as much as stipe.

Past accomplissements should be taken into account yes, but not forever

 

[CasualBot]

Yeah in 2019. In 2024 Aspinall absolutely demolishes Stipe

And yes he earned a lot of things. 4 freaking years ago. Why don't we give shots to Dominick Cruz and RDA then, they earned lots of things too. He'll bring back Cormier he earned as much as stipe.

Past accomplissements should be taken into account yes, but not forever

Cruz literally took 4 years and faced Henry. It happened already, with your reference to sarcasm.

Jones took years off as well, which defeats the argument.

 

[Koya]

Cruz literally took 4 years and faced Henry. It happened already, with your reference to sarcasm.

Jones took years off as well, which defeats the argument.

Henry was an active defending champ tho. And it was a fight made on the fly because of COVID. Totally different context

 

[Goatenstein]

The UFC seems obsessed with trying to force people to believe Stipe is the GOAT HW when he isn't anywhere close to the GOAT of anything.

 

[Sasha]

Explain to me like I'm five please

I told you a thousand times that you're too young to watch MMA ! I'm really, really disappointed !

 

[quebert]

Because jones is washed and doesn’t want to risk a loss facing a legit contender. Dana wants Jones to be their GOAT so he’s giving him 50 year old Stipe to boost his overrated legacy

Did you see how that washed fighter beat Gane? 100% at best Tom would struggle with Cyril, or might even lose. Bones made it look like the best guy in the gym sparring with the new guy who just started training.

If Bones was worried about risking his legacy why did he fight Gane? Pre Bones fight Gane was the clear #1, and is still probably better than anyone in the division besides Jon.

While the fight wont happen, Jones would beat Aspanell if they did fight, and Sherdogers would bring up how Tom was always overrated and nothing was proved. I remember when "Bones is scared he'll never fight at HW" turned into "Gane is going to expose him, HW isn't LWH" when they were actually going to fight, which became "Gane wasn't really even that good and never stood a chance" when he lost.

Bones is the GOAT, Tom has beat 2 or 3 decent fighters, and lost to fighters Bones would destroy. Yet, he's scared of Tom for some Sherdogger logic reason. Tom might go down as a HW GOAT but at the moment his resume isn't anything impressive. Which is no fault of his, the HW division's lacking.

There's also the logical flip side that Dana wouldn't want Tom potentially losing to a fighter who's going to retire after his next fight. Imagine your interim champ losing to an old way past his prime fighter. It would make pushing Tom as the top HW kinda difficult. With Tom having no great wins and Bones about to retire them fighting would be a lose lose situation.

 

[ipowerslapmywife]

Did you see how that washed fighter beat Gane? 100% at best Tom would struggle with Cyril, or might even lose. Bones made it look like the best guy in the gym sparring with the new guy who just started training.

If Bones was worried about risking his legacy why did he fight Gane? Pre Bones fight Gane was the clear #1, and is still probably better than anyone in the division besides Jon.

While the fight wont happen, Jones would beat Aspanell if they did fight, and Sherdogers would bring up how Tom was always overrated and nothing was proved. I remember when "Bones is scared he'll never fight at HW" turned into "Gane is going to expose him, HW isn't LWH" when they were actually going to fight, which became "Gane wasn't really even that good and never stood a chance" when he lost.

Bones is the GOAT, Tom has beat 2 or 3 decent fighters, and lost to fighters Bones would destroy. Yet, he's scared of Tom for some Sherdogger logic reason. Tom might go down as a HW GOAT but at the moment his resume isn't anything impressive. Which is no fault of his, the HW division's lacking.

There's also the logical flip side that Dana wouldn't want Tom potentially losing to a fighter who's going to retire after his next fight. Imagine your interim champ losing to an old way past his prime fighter. It would make pushing Tom as the top HW kinda difficult.

Gane was tailor made for jones. Styles make fights, Gane has zero wrestling, even Francis outwrestled him

 

[quebert]

Gane was tailor made for jones. Styles make fights, Gane has zero wrestling, even Francis outwrestled him

And Gane was going to use his world class striking and kick boxing to knock Bones out. The goal post will always get moved with him. I read hundreds of comments on here and YT. Jon's wrestling was going to be useless when he was asleep from a head kick.

Jon would dispatch of Tom, and the excuses about Tom would start to roll in. Rinse, wash, repeat.

 

[Sasha]

I don't want to live in a world where Masvidal vs Leon happens in 2024. Impossible. If not then F the UFC big time

I'd be OK with it, only if Masvidal took Belal's TS. It wouldn't make any sense, but that would be quite funny.

 

[sdpdude9]

Most recognizable names in the division means more casual interest which means more money. That’s all it’s about. It simply will have wider appeal than any alternative and the UFC knows the only people that will have an issue is the dedicated fans that will watch anyways.

 

[wwkirk]

A lot of you have good answers, but the fact that there is already an interim belt holder creates a ludicrous situation. They should have figured out a way not to do the interim at all. Having an interim champ defending against anyone other than the undisputed champ sorta wrecks the sense that we are dealing with a "sport sport".

 

[Pierced7681]

Seriously I don't get it.

They both said that it will be their last fight. So after it the UFC has a division without champ and needs to build up another title fight. Or promote Aspinall like they did for Aldo in 2017.

Also the fight doesn't seem to have a huge anticipation. Most people wouldn't mind if it doesn't get done and aren't very excited about it.

It doesn't look like something that will make huge sales. Plus Stipe will be freaking 42 by the time the fight is made.

Now sport wise, Stipe hasn't fought since early 2021, where he was sent to the shadow realm by Ngannou. Before you say I'm jealous of him, remember he can't put a freaking sentence together, for real, so don't reach for those grapes.

Now Aspinall is exciting, he's an HW and he's a brit. For all I know Dana should be jumping at the opportunity to have him fight and beat Jones (if he can) because he has then a British fighter who beat one of the Top 3 MMA Goats and he will sell PPV in UK like we sell lemonade on a summer day.

I.Don't.Get.It

Explain to me like I'm five please

UK doesn’t buy ppvs, they get them for free through a subscription service.

 

[joeson]

Seriously I don't get it.

They both said that it will be their last fight. So after it the UFC has a division without champ and needs to build up another title fight. Or promote Aspinall like they did for Aldo in 2017.

Also the fight doesn't seem to have a huge anticipation. Most people wouldn't mind if it doesn't get done and aren't very excited about it.

It doesn't look like something that will make huge sales. Plus Stipe will be freaking 42 by the time the fight is made.

Now sport wise, Stipe hasn't fought since early 2021, where he was sent to the shadow realm by Ngannou. Before you say I'm jealous of him, remember he can't put a freaking sentence together, for real, so don't reach for those grapes.

Now Aspinall is exciting, he's an HW and he's a brit. For all I know Dana should be jumping at the opportunity to have him fight and beat Jones (if he can) because he has then a British fighter who beat one of the Top 3 MMA Goats and he will sell PPV in UK like we sell lemonade on a summer day.

I.Don't.Get.It

Explain to me like I'm five please

So, imagine there's this big playground where kids play a game called "champion." Everyone wants to be the champion because it's the coolest thing on the playground. Dana is the kid who decides who gets to play this special game.

There's a kid named Jones, who's really good at the champion game. But Jones is picky – he only wants to play with certain kids. Now, another really strong kid, named Francis, who was almost as good as a super famous player Tyson Fury, isn't on the playground anymore. This makes Jones even more special.

Dana needs a champion that all the other kids know and like, because that makes the game more exciting. But the playground has a rule now: they don't talk much about how great each player is. So, Dana has to find someone from before, when they used to talk about the players a lot, to play with Jones.

There's a newer kid named Aspinall who's good too, but not many kids know him. He hasn't played with the famous kids much yet. Because Dana let Francis go, and Francis was almost as good as Tyson Fury, Dana has to listen to what Jones wants. This way, the champion game stays fun and popular on the playground.

Now go outside and play so the grown ups can talk.

 

[Koya]

So, imagine there's this big playground where kids play a game called "champion." Everyone wants to be the champion because it's the coolest thing on the playground. Dana is the kid who decides who gets to play this special game.

There's a kid named Jones, who's really good at the champion game. But Jones is picky – he only wants to play with certain kids. Now, another really strong kid, named Francis, who was almost as good as a super famous player Tyson Fury, isn't on the playground anymore. This makes Jones even more special.

Dana needs a champion that all the other kids know and like, because that makes the game more exciting. But the playground has a rule now: they don't talk much about how great each player is. So, Dana has to find someone from before, when they used to talk about the players a lot, to play with Jones.

There's a newer kid named Aspinall who's good too, but not many kids know him. He hasn't played with the famous kids much yet. Because Dana let Francis go, and Francis was almost as good as Tyson Fury, Dana has to listen to what Jones wants. This way, the champion game stays fun and popular on the playground.

Now go outside and play so the grown ups can talk.

But uncle I've heard that those Jones and Stipe kids are going to leave the playground after the fight. So why not make this Aspinwall kid play with the famous kids for the future ?

PS: that was great, get my like haha

 

[swarrrm]

Zero interest in watching 40 year old jones poke 48 year old stipe in the eyes and kick his knees out.