UFC - Who headlines International Fight Week?

Lightweight title fight with Ilia

Thought it would be Aspinall vs Gane for interim HW but no announcement yet could mean Dana is still trying to make Aspinall vs Jones happen

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he fielded questions from assembled media, who were keen to get the lowdown on Jones vs Aspinall amid mixed reports about the eagerly anticipated champion vs champion fight.

“Everything you hear is bulls— until we say it,” White insisted. “I’ve said it many times, that’s the fight we want to make this year. “Still super confident [it happens].”

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Surely they aren’t waiting for UFC 315 results to make a decision on Islam. We are already 8 weeks out from UFC 317

ETA: actually, yeah that does seem like that’s the plan for Ilia.

If JDM wins, Islam moves up & LW title is Ilia vs Oliviera. If Belal wins, it’s Islam vs Ilia.

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Stipe

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That reminds me, MMA Guru made a good point--they gave Anthony Smith an amazing retirement montage video and send-off. They did hardly anything for Stipe's retirement. The HW GOAT. Shameful.

Here's a hypothetical just for the sake of discussion. Let's say it's Topuria vs. Charles and Topuria wins. Where does that rank among the greatest 3-fight stretches of all-time? Volk-Max-Charles. And if it's Topuria vs. Islam and Topuria wins, where would that rank among the greatest 3-fight stretches of all-time?

Guys, I know I've been pushing hard for Topuria vs. Islam, but after thinking about it some more, I admit that it's a raw deal for Islam and his legacy. His title defenses would be 3x featherweight, Poirier 5 years after Khabib beat Poirier in his prime, and Money Moicano on short notice. Not exactly a stellar resume for a fighter of his caliber. Going up to welterweight and becoming double champ would be the best thing that he could do for himself. And the best way that he could differentiate himself from Khabib / do something Khabib didn't do.

Selfishly I'd still love to see Topuria vs. Islam. But yeah, would suck for Islam because you know that haters would always trash his title defenses at lightweight. Well he could still beat Topuria and move up to possibly become double champ.

Is it possible that Islam has started a camp so that if Belal wins against JDM, he will be ready to go vs. Topuria? And if Belal loses, he will end the camp and then start back up when JDM is ready to defend? And that's why they haven't officially announced it yet? Hence Dana saying, 'We'll see how it plays out.'?

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When Ilia beat Volk and Max, people label that as “the greatest back to back wins in ufc history”.

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Did they? Maybe in UFC featherweight history

Belal already has plans to move out of Islam’s way too even if he wins. I’d like to see Islam vs Topuria before he moves to WW though

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Wow. Not since Sterling-Merab have we seen this kind of deference being paid to friendship. Is Khamzat not a part of the whole Muslims not-fighting-each-other thing? I guess it's based more on friendship than religion then.

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the difference wbetween the situations are that merab and sterling have been best friends and training partners for many many years. they have lived together and still live next to each other. I think belal did one camp with khabib and islam. hopefully dana calls belal out on his bullshite because he certainly gave sterling and merab alot of shite when it was clear those guys werent going to fight each other and shouldnt have to.

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that does seem like that’s the plan for Ilia.

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Wow... I like JDM and don't want to root against him, but I want to see Islam-Topuria. If it doesn't happen now, it might never happen. Can't see Islam returning to lightweight unless he struggles at WW.

I don't have anything against Belal.

Ton of added intrigue for Saturday. Has this ever happened in the UFC--where who fights in one championship match is contingent on the results of another championship match? Everyone is going to be watching it with that in mind. Risks upstaging / overshadowing Belal and JDM in a way that's not fair to them.