How many more times will Stipe defend?

[smellmyfarts]

I think he loses his next fight to Werdum. If he survives that, I think he loses to Cain even if Cain is not 100%. If he survives that, I think he has a 50/50 shot at beating Francis again. He could have easily been KO'd in that fight, and I think Francis will come back far more patient and reserved. Francis isn't a guy that's built to go five rounds, but if he fought differently, he could be very dangerous for 3 rounds IMO. There was nothing in that fight that leads me to believe Stipe consistently beats Francis without Francis gassing. If Cain loses to him, I also could see DC moving up to fight him, and I would have DC as a big favorite. Finally, if he sticks around for another 4-5 fights a young lion is sure to show up, and there is also the possibility of Jones taking a shot at him by that point. Hell, I think Gus could give him some big problems if he prepared his body corectly for a HW fight. A 230lb Gus would do pretty damn well in the HW division imo.

The odds of him winning his next 4 fghts are REALLY low. It's HW. Anything can happen with guy that big.

But Stipe keeps surprising me. The guy is now the HW GOAT, but I'm still not sold on the guy as being a good as his record. I think he's fighting in a week division with a lot of past prime fighters. I think there are at least 4 HW fighters in the division that were better than Stipe is at one point. I think prime Cain, Werdum, JDS, and Overeem all beat current Stipe the majority of the time.

 

[Rampage_Jackson]

Ask me after his next fight is made

 

[Pequeño Corey]

I think he loses his next fight to Werdum. If he survives that, I think he loses to Cain even if Cain is not 100%. If he survives that, I think he has a 50/50 shot at beating Francis again. He could have easily been KO'd in that fight, and I think Francis will come back far more patient and reserved. Francis isn't a guy that's built to go five rounds, but if he fought differently, he could be very dangerous for 3 rounds IMO. There was nothing in that fight that leads me to believe Stipe consistently beats Francis without Francis gassing. If Cain loses to him, I also could see DC moving up to fight him, and I would have DC as a big favorite. Finally, if he sticks around for another 4-5 fights a young lion is sure to show up, and there is also the possibility of Jones taking a shot at him by that point. Hell, I think Gus could give him some big problems if he prepared his body corectly for a HW fight. A 230lb Gus would do pretty damn well in the HW division imo.

The odds of him winning his next 4 fghts are REALLY low. It's HW. Anything can happen with guy that big.

But Stipe keeps surprising me. The guy is now the HW GOAT, but I'm still not sold on the guy as being a good as his record. I think he's fighting in a week division with a lot of past prime fighters. I think there are at least 4 HW fighters in the division that were better than Stipe is at one point. I think prime Cain, Werdum, JDS, and Overeem all beat current Stipe the majority of the time.

So you think all four of them beat Stipe, in their primes?

Certainly debatable.

Werdum is as good as he’s ever been, and Stipe wrecked him. In fact, Werdum was coming off a dominant ass beating of the guy that everyone thinks can beat Stipe.

Cain and Stipes wrestling cancel eachother out. Cain has the edge on cardio, but Stipe’s hands and chin are better. Stipe ate bombs from Ngannou.

JDS? Cain may have taken years off JDS’s life, but his boxing and power are still in tact. Stipe arguably beat him in their first fight, and finished him in their second. Case closed. Stipe > any iteration of JDS.

Fedor in his prime presents problems for Stipe. He has Chin, cardio, ko power, and a grappling skillset to nullify, if not control Stipe’s wrestling. This fight would boil down to whether it’s a ring or a cage.

 

[Duck Dodgers]

I see rematches with Overeem and Ngannou going differently. Then there is Velasquez. Miocic can go on a streak.

Yeah, I can see him knocking out Reem next time instead of getting subbed.

 

[bambammccoy]

Does a healthy Cain even exist anymore? If I remember correctly his last surgery didn’t go as planned. Hopefully he is healthy.

You realize people said this his first 3 or 4 surgeries? He wouldn't compete if he wasn't.

 

[smellmyfarts]

So you think all four of them beat Stipe, in their primes?

Werdum is as good as he’s ever been, and Stipe wrecked him. In fact, Werdum was coming off a dominant ass beating of the guy that everyone thinks can beat Stipe

Cain and Stipes wrestling cancel eachother out. Cain has the edge on cardio, but Stipe’s hands and chin are better. Stipe ate bombs from Ngannou.

JDS? Cain may have taken years off JDS’s life, but his boxing and power are still in tact. Stipe arguably beat him in their first fight, and finished him in their second. Case closed. Stipe > any iteration of JDS

Fedor in his prime presents problems for Stipe. He has Chin, cardio, ko power, and a grappling skillset to nullify, if not control Stipe’s wrestling. This fight would boil down to whether it’s a ring or a cage.
.

Werdum isn't as good as ever. He's 40 years old and can't take a punch anymore. His game is better than it was in his 20's because of improved striking, but the best version of him was probably when he first came to the UFC in his mid 30's. He still had a decent chin, and he was visibly faster than he's been in his last few fights. As for Stipe wrecking him, I think you need to watch the fight again. Werdum was actually outscoring him until the he got rocked and then flash KO'd.

LOL at Cain and Stipe's wrestling canceling each other out. Prime Cain wrestle-fucks Stipe all day, and his all around striking game is better too. Stipe does have a great chin. I'll give him that for sure.

Are you really going to say that the JDS that fought Stipe looks and fights the same as he did before the two wars with Cain? GTFO.....He's a different fighter. No way Stipe consistently beats prime JDS, as washed up punch drunk JDS already beat hin with a unanimous decision, and the fight was not controversial . Case Closed.

Stipe would beat the fucking piss out of a clean Fedor in a cage, ring, or a parking lot. Pride Fedor would be interesting, but it's hard to say what Stipe would look like in Japan

 

[Gambit MMA]

Werdum isn't as good as ever. He's 40 years old and can't take a punch anymore. His game is better than it was in his 20's because of improved striking, but the best version of him was probably when he first came to the UFC in his mid 30's. He still had a decent chin, and he was visibly faster than he's been in his last few fights. As for Stipe wrecking him, I think you need to watch the fight again. Werdum was actually outscoring him until the he got rocked and then flash KO'd.

LOL at Cain and Stipe's wrestling canceling each other out. Prime Cain wrestle-fucks Stipe all day, and his all around striking game is better too. Stipe does have a great chin. I'll give him that for sure.

Are you really going to say that the JDS that fought Stipe looks and fights the same as he did before the two wars with Cain? GTFO.....He's a different fighter. No way Stipe consistently beats prime JDS, as washed up punch drunk JDS already beat hin with a unanimous decision, and the fight was not controversial . Case Closed.

Stipe would beat the fucking piss out of a clean Fedor in a cage, ring, or a parking lot. Pride Fedor would be interesting, but it's hard to say what Stipe would look like in Japan

I agree with most of your post I just wanna add my take on some of it

On Werdum vs Stipe, I don't think Werdum has anything to offer to Stipe other than getting a submission. He's out muscled, out gunned on the feet, Stipe has a better chin, cardio is about the same for both guys, and Stipe can control where the fight goes whether he holds him up against the cage and wears him out or he stuffs all of Werdums takedowns. If it stays on the feet he'll get finished again, Stipe was eating bombs from Ngannou I don't think Werdum has the power to really stop him (doesnt mean stipe should take him lightly tho, Werdum can still land some crazy shit)

As for Stipe vs Cain, Cain def has better wrestling - not by a wide margin where he's gonna take Stipe down effortlessly but if it came down to who wanted the takedown more and who was more relentless I'd expect Cain to win. In the striking dept id say they're about equal with Cain applying more pressure like DC does where as Stipe kinda sits back and waits for his moments to do damage

JDS - Cain beat the piss outta him in II and III but I wouldnt say he was totally washed when he fought Stipe the first time - no other HW in the world at that time would give JDS a tough fight like that and Stipe has gotten better since then where as JDS has obviously declined, Any other HW aside from Cain or Stipe woulda got a ass whooping.