Why UFC is dangerously close to devaluing its product with absurd new belts

By adding interim and new weight class titles, UFC could be alienating its hardcore fans

Former champion Frankie Edgar gave voice this week to something many have been contemplating over the last three months.

"I just think they're getting silly with these interim titles," Edgar said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "It's a little too much. They're already taking Conor's [155-pound] one away. I just don't get it."

It's true: UFC has handed out three interim belts in the last year, and on Saturday, will officially add a third women's weightclass with the inaugural women's featherweight title on the line.

While competition among the highest level fighters is always good, things seem to be getting out of hand. I understand the demand is there to supply the "best of the best" fights on pay-per-view cards, but creating a title out of thin air just to get PPVs is a little much.

It started with Jon Jones and Ovince Saint Preux last April. Jones was originally slated to take on Daniel Cormier in a rematch of their battle from 2015, but an injury to Cormier delayed that matchup. In steps Saint Preux and, voilà, an interim title is on the line.

Then, with Conor McGregor looking to step up to 155 pounds and hold two belts, UFC president Dana White decided he wasn't going to let McGregor hold up the division and put Jose Aldo against Frankie Edgar on at UFC 200 for the interim featherweight title.

Finally, after another injury to Cormier, UFC elevated Max Holloway vs. Anthony Pettis to the main event at UFC 206 and decided to make that a battle for the interim featherweight crown, vacating McGregor's 145-pound title and elevating Aldo to full-time champ without even having to throw a punch.

Instead of creating belts for no reason other than to look cool, why can't we just call these matchups what they are: No. 1 contenders matches. They are already planning to do that at UFC 209 when Khabib Nurmagomedov battles Tony Ferguson for the right to face McGregor later this year.

Why act like these fights are anything different?

Well, because of the money.

If UFC didn't have to sell 13 PPVs each year, the company wouldn't need to have a title on the line every month. In 2009, UFC only put on a total of 20 events. Over the last two years, they've put on 82, 41 each year.

Instead of forcing these events into paid content, UFC should continue to build its brand with the cable audience. Cards that have featured top-level or near championship-level fight cards always do well on TV.

By forcing these events into the paid content area, it is devaluing the content on display.

I have no issue with continuing to add weightclasses and divisions across UFC, but it needs to happen at a slower pace.

The main event on Saturday could have easily headlined the next UFC on Fox card. The hope is that Holm and de Randamie are able to deliver to consumers an epic fight worthy of the $60 to watch it.