MMA News

Tag: BMF

  • Is The BMF Title A Joke Or Legitimate? UFC Analyst Asks The Hard Questions About UFC 318

    Is The BMF Title A Joke Or Legitimate? UFC Analyst Asks The Hard Questions About UFC 318

    When the BMF title was first created by the UFC in 2019, there were various split opinions about the championship. Some called it genius, some called it a gimmick. But it seemed that such a belt was a one-and-done matter.

    But since then, there have been two other BMF title fights in the UFC and two more BMF champions — all within the last two years. And the title will be on the line again come this Saturday at UFC 318, when Dustin Poirier challenges BMF titleholder Max Holloway in the retirement fight for “The Diamond.”

    This has led to a lot of speculation and debate about the legitimacy of such a title (from the perspective of it being a sanctioned championship) — and if it’s worth the time and money of both the UFC and its fans.

    MMA analyst and personality Luke Thomas sat down with Submission Radio recently and shared his thoughts about the belt. In spite of some feeling that the BMF title would be retired alongside Poirier should he win, Thomas suggests that this won’t be the last we see of such a strap.

    In fact, Thomas goes as far as to say with the UFC’s event schedule, they need such a thing.

    “No, they need it. UFC needs it,” Thomas said. “They need another belt in rotation just to put at the top of this of these pay-per-views. They can’t maintain, again, I’m gonna say it again, they can’t maintain their pay-per-view schedule.

    Luke Thomas: UFC Event Schedule, Dependency On Title Fights For PPVs Is At Fault For Continued Use Of BMF Title

    The BMF title was first created for the UFC 244 clash between Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal. Masvidal won the championship with a third-round doctor’s stoppage TKO, giving him the belt, which was strapped around him by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

    In July 2023, to the surprise of plenty, the BMF belt was brought back in a fight involving Poirier, as he and Justin Gaethje fought for the title in the main event of UFC 291. Gaethje won the bout with a devastating head-kick knockout.

    Gaethje would then face Holloway with the title on the line at UFC 300, with Holloway winning the fight with his legendary last-second knockout of Gaethje.

    The BMF title, however, was not on the line when Holloway fought and lost to Ilia Topuria in UFC 308’s featherweight title main event.

    While Thomas admitted to Submission Radio that such a situation is “wishy-washy,” it’s not going to take away from the UFC’s decision to continue to use the championship. He cited the UFC’s need in this modern era for a championship to be on the line in the main event of almost every UFC pay-per-view — compared to when the UFC could promote a pay-per-view with a non-title main event (and one not featuring Conor McGregor for that matter) in previous years.

    “You might say, ‘Hey, I don’t need a belt on the top of every card.’ But the UFC doesn’t believe that,” Thomas said. “They believe that they have to have one. They don’t have enough of them in rotation at any given time to be able to just like, ‘Oh, we don’t need the BMF belt.’

    “Like, it was once a joke and now they’re like, ‘You know what? We could actually kind of use this thing.’ It’s not the first time that it’s been featured in a headlining bout on a UFC pay-per-view. Like, they need it.”

    UFC 318 takes place this Saturday, July 19, from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the third meeting between Holloway and Poirier, with Poirier winning both of the previous outings.

  • Rising UFC Featherweight Favors BMF Title Win Over Undisputed: ‘To Be One Of The Baddest Dudes…’

    Rising UFC Featherweight Favors BMF Title Win Over Undisputed: ‘To Be One Of The Baddest Dudes…’

    The BMF title has been a divisive subject in MMA but there’s no denying that in the three fights that it has featured in, it has produced some iconic moments and performances. One of the most exciting contenders in the featherweight division recently revealed that he wants a piece of that action over getting his hands on UFC gold.

    Steve Garcia has been proving himself to be one of the most dangerous contenders at 145-pounds with his current winning streak. Since a knockout loss to Maheshate Hayisaer at UFC 275 in 2022, he has won five consecutive fights with each victory coming by way of KO/TKO. With 14 of his 17 pro wins coming via this method, the 32-year old certainly qualifies for the category of being a victory or death kind of fighter.

    Garcia recently spoke to MMA Junkie ahead of his huge clash with the #15-ranked Edson Barboza on February 22. During the interview, he spoke about his featherweight title aspirations and why he believes that the BMF belt holds more weight to him personally because not every fighter qualifies for it just by securing wins.

    “If I would say that there’s a title I prefer to fight for, it would be the BMF title,” Garcia said. “I’ve been able to knock out a lot of these guys. There’s nothing against the undisputed title, but the undisputed title, you could literally win the undisputed title, and you can win on decisions the whole entire time.

    “You could win on submissions the whole entire time. You can be great and do knockouts and stuff like that, too, but I think the BMF title, the meaning says it all. To be one of the baddest dudes to step into a cage, throw in my words, chingassos. You’re going for it.”

    Having changed hands three times, the BMF title currently belongs to Max Holloway who was stopped by Ilia Topuria in the main event of UFC 308. Whilst Garcia doesn’t expect to be put in there with “Blessed” anytime soon, he’s prepared to keep doing what he does best in order to work his way there.

    “I would love a fight with Max,” Garcia said. “I’m such a huge fan of him, but my goodness, if you want to watch something that can go off, I think that would be a good fight. I guess I’ve got to keep knocking people out and prove people what I’m able to do to maybe have that opportunity or that shot. I think about the BMF title more than I think about the undisputed title to be honest.”

  • Dan Hooker Criticizes Michael Chandler Calling For BMF Fight: ‘It’s Not Our Title’

    Dan Hooker Criticizes Michael Chandler Calling For BMF Fight: ‘It’s Not Our Title’

    Following his loss to Charles Oliveira in the co-main event of UFC 309, Michael Chandler called for two potential fights in the near future. “Iron” Mike admitted that he planned to push for the winner of the upcoming lightweight title fight between Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan which is expected to take place early next year.

    After losing the first four rounds in his rematch with “Do Bronx”, which he nearly produced an all-time great comeback in during the fifth round, Chandler pivoted towards two huge match-ups that are still out there for him in the lightweight division. The most obvious of those two options is his long-awaited fight with Conor McGregor that somehow seems less likely than his other call out.

    Chandler said that with Max Holloway committing to lightweight following his UFC 308 loss, he’d love the opportunity to fight for the BMF title that currently belongs to “Blessed”. Another name that is also in the mix for huge bouts at 155-pounds is Dan Hooker who commented on his former opponent’s BMF desires during a recent interview with Submission Radio.

    “The Hangman” believes that contenders need to stop trying to decide who should fight for the BMF title because it’s a belt that is purely for the fans. He’s likely to be in that conversation as someone who always puts on great fights but Hooker isn’t going to start saying that this is what he wants next.

    “I don’t see like Chandler calling for the BMF like why does everyone keep throwing their hands up for the BMF, it’s not up to us. It’s not our title, the BMF title is for the fans. It’s for the fans to kind of get the steam and get it together. People need to stop calling out for the BMF title brother. That’s the fans’ title, it’s their fun.”