UPDATE AT BOTTOM Adjusted ruling on champions options at defending a major title

[armageto]

Usually you have to be in the top 15 and not coming off a loss in order to fight for a title. This season has had a lot of reluctant fighters to face a champ, plus two managers have been missing for a couple of weeks. I think a top 15 fighter coming off a loss is more deserving than say a guy ranked #23 coming off a win. So from now on, to make it easier for champs to find quality defenses, in order of eligibility:

1. Top 15 coming off a win or a draw
2. Top 15 coming off a loss.
3. Top 25 coming off a win.

After that, the champ is able to defend his belt against whoever is up to it. Champs shouldn't be punished by other managers fear of a tough fight. If there is a willing fighter in the order of eligibility, the champion must face that fighter or risk being stripped. Thus you can't avoid the #8 guy coming off a win to face the #12 guy coming off a loss, and so on.

3 Used to be where #2 was, and #2 used to just be anybody in the top 25. I don't feel guys ranked 16-25 coming off a loss should be a forced eligible opponent. If a champ chooses to face one after all three options have been explored, so be it.

[BoxBuzz]

So if there is a willing opponent in tier 1 and tier 2....the champ MUST face the willing opponent in priority tier 1.

and so on....

Correct?

[Crease]

I sympathise with any Manager of a World Champion trying to find a decent title defense for his Champion and getting ran off and rejected (I've had it myself this week from Buzz and Schmeling).

My only concern would be that World Champions might opt for softer title defenses (against guys around 18-20) and say "well it's within the rules".

There is a fine line here...

[BoxBuzz]

Lines should be blurry, in order that those with greater "vision" be allowed to interpret and define for those less capable of good judgment.

[armageto]

So if there is a willing opponent in tier 1 and tier 2....the champ MUST face the willing opponent in priority tier 1.

and so on....

Correct?

Correct. The only time we'll look tier two is if there are no challenges in tier one. If no challenges in tier two, then onto tier three. If that still fails, a champion should still have a right to defend his title and can do so against whoever he was to choose. I think in most cases, if you get past tier 2, the champ is probably picking his opponent....

[armageto]

I sympathise with any Manager of a World Champion trying to find a decent title defense for his Champion and getting ran off and rejected (I've had it myself this week from Buzz and Schmeling).

My only concern would be that World Champions might opt for softer title defenses (against guys around 18-20) and say "well it's within the rules".

There is a fine line here...

Where is the fine line? If they elect to do that, that is fine by me. That means that all guys in the top 15 not coming off a loss refused to fight (Tier one), then it also means that even guys coming off a loss refused to fight (tier 2). Tier 3, they'd still have to look for or take fights with a guy not coming off a loss between 16-25 (tier 3). If that fails, then they can defend against whoever they choose. Realistically, you shouldn't have to go outside the top 15 to find an opponent, especially if all the managers are participating....

[Crease]

Where is the fine line? If they elect to do that, that is fine by me.

And me too. However I want be reluctant to see a Manager not calling out a top contender, waiting for the top contenders to find fights then toward the end of the matchmaking process, calling out sometime like ranked 19th or something.

[armageto]

Where is the fine line? If they elect to do that, that is fine by me.

And me too. However I want be reluctant to see a Manager not calling out a top contender, waiting for the top contenders to find fights then toward the end of the matchmaking process, calling out sometime like ranked 19th or something.

True to a point, but as soon as a fighter calls them out, if they are the only eligible fighter, they have to fight that opponent. In the top 15, one would figure there has to be a few guys motivated to fight.

[armageto]

To update, I'm going to make it even easier:

All major champs HAVE to defend against somebody in the current top 15. Win, lose, or draw, doesn't matter. As long as they are in the top 15.

IF that fails, they can look for a defense 16-25, but ONLY from a fighter NOT coming off a loss. In the sad instance that fails, pick your opponent.

So basically two tiers now. Top 15 and 16-25. If a fighter in the top 15 wants to face a champ, they would have to fight them before looking at 16-25.

Also, all minor champs can keep their titles if they are challenging for a major belt and were to lose. If they are challenging for a minor title, but perhaps the opponent doesn't fit the guideline, example MGM CW being a US fighter, say fighting a non US CW champ, they can retain their title if they were to lose. If they were to win, seeing as they are a CW, they can keep both belts, since they fit both crtiteria.

Just trying to make sensible rules to make it fair, but keep more fight options there.

[Fist of Legend]

sounds good to me