Fighters who were exciting before becoming champions

[Gilday]

I have never been a fan of this idea that champs stop being exciting. They simply no longer get the luxury of gimmie fights. Once the level of competition goes up things dont look the same.

If you take a guy like Aldo who comes up through the ranks just killing people but they are not really on his level so he looks like a god. Than he beomes champion and almost all of his fights are now against people on his level or close the field evens and they look more human. Are they playing it safer probably because the slightest mistake can cost them everything. Which is why the challenger is responsible for it as well.

It is why once a champion losses their belt but is not to the point that they have aged and their skills are gone they ussually look like world beaters in their next fight if they get someone several levels below them.

To be fair, Aldo did KO Cub Swanson in seconds. Wouldn't say he was a gimme fight. But overall I think I'd agree with you

 

[maxi diablo]

Benson was exciting before becoming champ.

 

[michi972]

Answer? ALL

Get rid of belts and 5 round (coasting / point fighting) fights!

Add tournaments!

Miocic is exciting
Whittaker
Conor is exciting if we see him fight
Holloway and Tj as well
MM sometimes does amasing stuff, but well

 

[Fight Professor]

Everyone except Lawler.