Does the UFC have an entitlement problem? Analyzing how fighters like Ilia Topuria and Yair Rodriguez cause title contender stalemates
The UFC has a logjam in the upper echelon of its featherweight and lightweight divisions. There are reigning champions, with Alexander Volkanovski and Islam Makhachev holding their respective weight class belts. Unfortunately, their contenders appear to have developed a sense of entitlement.
Some are refusing to fight other top divisional fighters to solidify themselves as title challengers. Others, meanwhile, are sitting on their rankings or demanding title fights from positions of tenuous merit. Unfortunately, this has only worsened in the wake of UFC 314's conclusion.
But how serious is the problem?
The UFC featherweight division and the contender dilemma
This past weekend, Alexander Volkanovski reclaimed his featherweight title in a firefight against the heavy-handed Diego Lopes. However, there were other notable featherweights competing on the card. Namely, Jean Silva and Yair Rodriguez, who defeated Bryce Mitchell and Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire.
However, both men wasted no time in calling for a featherweight title shot in the wake of their wins. While Silva's submission of Mitchell, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist, was impressive, as was Rodriguez's sharp unanimous decision win over Freire, neither man should be talking about a title shot.
First, there's Silva. Before UFC 314, he had exactly zero ranked wins at featherweight. Mitchell, while skilled and popular, was ranked #13 at the time, meaning Silva is calling for a title shot off of his first ranked win, and a win over a fighter who was ranked outside of the top 10, no less.
It's an indefensible demand on his part, but Rodriguez is no different. Heading into the card, Rodriguez was on a two-fight losing streak, including a one-sided TKO loss to Volkanovski, the newly-minted champion. He only just snapped his losing streak, but did so by beating a 37-year-old UFC debutant.
While 'Pitbull' accomplished much in Bellator, those achievements have no bearing in the UFC, where he is unranked. Calling for a title shot after beating a promotional debutant to bounce back from a two-fight losing streak is a demand that's only sensible in Rodriguez's mind.
The UFC lightweight division is worse
While featherweight has two examples of undeserved demands for a title fight, lightweight has an even graver issue. Arman Tsarukyan was previously scheduled to face Islam Makhachev for the belt at UFC 311, but withdrew after injuring his back, with the promotion making it clear he will have to re-earn a title shot.
However, as things currently stand, Tsarukyan is easily the most deserving title contender. He is on a four-fight win streak, with wins over Charles Oliveira, a former champion. Speaking of which, 'do Bronx' is also calling for a title shot on a 2-2 run. He recently bounced back from a loss to Tsarukyan himself.
Unfortunately, Oliveira did so by beating Michael Chandler of all people, whose 2-5 run in the promotion hasn't exactly solidified him as a UFC-caliber fighter. Furthermore, Oliveira beat Chandler on a 1-3 run, which is now 1-5 in his last six fights. It's anything but impressive.
The worst offender, though, is Justin Gaethje. 'The Highlight' has had two separate cracks at undisputed gold and was submitted each time. He only just scored his first win since suffering a humiliating knockout loss against a featherweight previously known for being pillow-fisted.
Additionally, his win came against Rafael Fiziev, who was ranked outside of the top 10, was stepping in on just a few days' notice after a two-year layoff due to injury, and is someone Gaethje had already beaten in the past. It was his first win since getting flatlined by Max Holloway.
Gaethje, in no way, deserves a title fight, but he is still demanding one. Lastly, there's ex-featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, whose only lightweight win is against the unranked Jai Herbert. He is adamant that he will accept no fights besides a title bout, but he has accomplished nothing at 155 pounds.
While he is Makhachev's most compelling opponent on paper, the entitlement he is exhibiting is astonishing, as he has done nothing to deserve such an opportunity. Yet, he is willing to sit out until he is given what he wants. The promotion has lost control of the two divisions, and it must reassert its authority.