Rankings Show: Who Are The Least Compelling UFC Champions Right Now?

Gilbert Burns has been one of the UFC's best welterweights for years, and was seconds away from becoming a world champion. Now, on a three-fight losing streak — against the current champ, the most recent champ, and a top-three contender — Burns is a huge underdog against the talented, but relatively untested Michael Morales in the main event of UFC Vegas 106. Is this line justified, or is Burns being wildly overlooked by the MMA community? Ahead of Saturday's Fight Night card at the APEX in Las Vegas, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee preview the event, the headliner between Burns and Morales, the stakes for both fighters, and where Burns goes with his fourth straight loss. Additionally, they'll touch on other standout matchups on the card, Sodiq Yusuff making the move to the lightweight division, Paul Craig potentially fighting for his job, and much more. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alexander K. Lee: ⁠⁠⁠@AlexanderKLee⁠⁠ Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Islam Makhachev is vacating the UFC lightweight title and is moving up to welterweight to challenge new champ Jack Della Maddalena later this year. Because of that, Ilia Topuria will fight for the vacant 155-pound title against Charles Oliveira in the main event of UFC 317 to cap off International Fight Week next month. Was this the right call? On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel answers your questions about Dana White's blockbuster announcement at lightweight and welterweight, and what this means for the future of both divisions. Additionally, questions may include to fallout of UFC 315, Belal Muhammad's next move after losing his title to JDM this past Saturday, Dricus Du Plessis defending his middleweight title against Khamzat Chimaev at #UFC318 in Chicago, the UFC's return to the APEX headlined by Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales, and more. Join MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and E. Casey Leydon for a special fan Q&A edition of the show to let your thoughts be heard in regards to all of the crazy news and results over the past week. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠⁠ Follow E. Casey Leydon: ⁠⁠⁠@ekc Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Islam Makhachev is vacating his title to make a move to welterweight to face new champion Jack Della Maddalena, which also results in Ilia Topuria taking on Charles Oliveira with the vacant lightweight belt on the line at UFC 317. In the wake of UFC CEO Dana White announcing those fights and so much more — including a date and location for Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in Chicago — MMA Fighting’s Alexander K. Lee and Jed Meshew react to the huge news revealed on Tuesday. Check out the full reaction as we take a deep dive on everything just announced including multiple title fights and new main events. Follow Jed Meshew: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@JedKMeshew⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alexander K. Lee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AlexanderKLee⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to MMA Fighting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our full video catalog⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Like MMA Fighting on Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, Matt Brown and Damon Martin discuss the fallout from UFC 315 with the UFC legend explaining why Belal Muhammad’s game plan didn’t really matter much in his loss to Jack Della Maddalena. We also talk about Della Maddalena’s chances against Islam Makhachev plus Jose Aldo retiring, the state of women’s MMA and much more. Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jack Della Maddalena is the new UFC welterweight champion after defeating Belal Muhammad in the main event of UFC 315. It appears he will face lightweight titleholder Islam Makhachev in his first title defense, but where does Muhammad go after his championship reign came to an end? On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss where Della Maddalena and Muhammad go following their Fight of the Night battle for the 170-pound title. Additionally, they'll discuss what's next for women's flyweight champ Valentina Shevchenko and Manon Fiorot after their co-main event bout, Aiemann Zahabi following his controversial win over Jose Aldo, along with fellow main card winners Natalia Silva and Benoit Saint Denis, and more following Saturday's pay-per-view event. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alexander K. Lee: ⁠⁠⁠@AlexanderKLee⁠⁠ Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices