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Fowlkes: You’re right, but I also have to sympathize with the guy. He already did this interim title thing once. And he won. Then he hurt his knee tripping on a cord, and the UFC yanked that belt right off his waist. Can we blame him if he decided he didn’t want to get burned twice by the same interim title bait-and-switch?

Which is not to say that I think he made the right move here. If Ferguson had a chance to fight Poirier for the interim belt while Nurmagomedov sits out until November (or later), he should have taken that fight. I say that not only because it’d be a crackerjack of a matchup that I definitely want to see, but also because not taking it is an almost guaranteed way to get skipped in line.

But then, Ferguson has heard the same stuff we have. Remember Nurmagomedov’s manager saying that “El Cucuy” would definitely not be next for the champ? Did you catch Nurmagomedov suggesting that the UFC doesn’t want Ferguson to fight for the title even now?

Couldn’t a reasonable man conclude that there are powerful forces aligned against him here? So why play into their hands by jumping through all the same hoops hoping for the promised treat that always remains just out of reach?

Downes: If that’s the conclusion he’s come to, then his actions make even less sense. If Ferguson isn’t one of the UFC’s “guys,” then how does sitting out help him? The UFC called Ferguson before calling Poirier. He turned it down, and now he has to suffer the consequences.

Has Ferguson been treated fairly? Probably not, but that’s how the fight game goes. The promoter has all the power and leverage. There have been a select few fighters who have been able to tip the scales in their favor, but “El Cucuy” isn’t one of them.

Ferguson has two options. He can either jump through all the hoops and hope the UFC delivers, or he can sit on the sidelines and hope the UFC gives him a title shot. It may suck to do all that extra jumping, but at least he has some control because he’s fighting. The second option is totally passive.

It’s kind of interesting to think of the alternate universe where Ferguson takes the fight. Poirier had asked to be released, but changed his tune now that he has an interim title shot. He got what he wanted, but it happened because he agreed to take a fight.

Let’s say Holloway or Poirier get injured and can’t fight. In theory, Ferguson still wouldn’t agree to the match because it’s not for the “real” belt. Is he going to turn down two title opportunities. Ferguson is waiting for a better deal, but if he’s expecting the UFC to come begging he’ll be waiting a long time.

Just ask the Diaz brothers.

Ben Fowlkes is MMAjunkie and USA TODAY’s MMA columnist. Danny Downes, a retired UFC and WEC fighter, is an MMAjunkie contributor who has also written for UFC.com and UFC 360. Follow them on twitter at @benfowlkesMMA and @dannyboydownes.

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