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If the world was to end today, Junior dos Santos, Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum would go down as three of the best fighters to have ever fought in MMA, not just their weight class.
I say all that, to say this.
Has Stipe beaten a great fighter, who isn't either shot, on the decline or clearly outside of their prime?
There is this misconception that if you are winning fights you're still in your prime - this is incorrect. Roy Jones Jr. didn't magically become out of his prime when he was KO'd by Tarver, he had been out of his prime years for quite some time. Bernard Hopkins whooped Kelly Pavlik's ass and he was WAY PAST his prime years. Anderson Silva was almost 40 and was still winning fights. Shogun Rua can still beat top 10 talent but is way past his best days.
Let's have a look at Stipe's best wins:
Mark Hunt was almost 41 years old. He had already fought in 63 fights (Kickboxing and MMA combined). He fought Stipe after being absolutely beaten to death to Junior dos Santos, having a 25 minute all-time brutal war with Antonio Silva, and being TKO'd by Werdum. His most recent win coming into that fight was Roy Nelson.
Andrei Arlovski was almost 37 years old. He had already fought in 41 fights, alongside being knocked out 7 times prior to that fight. Andrei was on a run of dull decisions, put alongside the odd good performance against shot fighters like Antonio Silva, and a Travis Browne who trained under Edmond. Arlovski was arguably shot years before this fight, never mind this late on in his career. He has lost his last 4 fights after Stipe, so it shows that it wasn't exactly and exception.
Fabricio Werdum was almost 39 when Stipe knocked him out. Not the same longevity as Hunt and Arlovski, but 29 fights and a 14 year career in MMA is still a long stint. Werdum was not shot, but I personally believe that his inactivity before the fight (took a year off after Cain) took a toll on his physique and overall fitness. He was never shredded, but the love-handles were on full show against Stipe. USADA perhaps? Definitely not the best version of Werdum, at least not athletically. Still Stipe's best win in my opinion.
Overeem was 37 at the time, and had been knocked out 8 times prior. We all know how talented Overeem is, but his chin is severely compromised. The guy has 59 MMA bouts, alongside a small kickboxing record also. The guy has been competing for 17 years in combat sports (at the time of the fight) and through all of that, he almost won the contest.
Junior dos Santos. Yes, only 33 years old, the youngest elite competitor that Stipe has beaten, but there is more to the story. Many agree that JDS has not physically looked the same, nor performed the same, since the inception of USADA. This is hearsay, but I don't believe he's the same guy anymore. Then you throw in the two monumental beatings he took from Cain Velasquez, a stunning KO at the hands of Overeem, and a prior war with Stipe himself.
Begs the question though doesn't it, which Heavyweight in their prime has Stipe really taken out?
Don't get me wrong, the resume is incredible on paper, but when you take the deeper dive, it's not so clear.
Thoughts?
I say all that, to say this.
Has Stipe beaten a great fighter, who isn't either shot, on the decline or clearly outside of their prime?
There is this misconception that if you are winning fights you're still in your prime - this is incorrect. Roy Jones Jr. didn't magically become out of his prime when he was KO'd by Tarver, he had been out of his prime years for quite some time. Bernard Hopkins whooped Kelly Pavlik's ass and he was WAY PAST his prime years. Anderson Silva was almost 40 and was still winning fights. Shogun Rua can still beat top 10 talent but is way past his best days.
Let's have a look at Stipe's best wins:
Mark Hunt was almost 41 years old. He had already fought in 63 fights (Kickboxing and MMA combined). He fought Stipe after being absolutely beaten to death to Junior dos Santos, having a 25 minute all-time brutal war with Antonio Silva, and being TKO'd by Werdum. His most recent win coming into that fight was Roy Nelson.
Andrei Arlovski was almost 37 years old. He had already fought in 41 fights, alongside being knocked out 7 times prior to that fight. Andrei was on a run of dull decisions, put alongside the odd good performance against shot fighters like Antonio Silva, and a Travis Browne who trained under Edmond. Arlovski was arguably shot years before this fight, never mind this late on in his career. He has lost his last 4 fights after Stipe, so it shows that it wasn't exactly and exception.
Fabricio Werdum was almost 39 when Stipe knocked him out. Not the same longevity as Hunt and Arlovski, but 29 fights and a 14 year career in MMA is still a long stint. Werdum was not shot, but I personally believe that his inactivity before the fight (took a year off after Cain) took a toll on his physique and overall fitness. He was never shredded, but the love-handles were on full show against Stipe. USADA perhaps? Definitely not the best version of Werdum, at least not athletically. Still Stipe's best win in my opinion.
Overeem was 37 at the time, and had been knocked out 8 times prior. We all know how talented Overeem is, but his chin is severely compromised. The guy has 59 MMA bouts, alongside a small kickboxing record also. The guy has been competing for 17 years in combat sports (at the time of the fight) and through all of that, he almost won the contest.
Junior dos Santos. Yes, only 33 years old, the youngest elite competitor that Stipe has beaten, but there is more to the story. Many agree that JDS has not physically looked the same, nor performed the same, since the inception of USADA. This is hearsay, but I don't believe he's the same guy anymore. Then you throw in the two monumental beatings he took from Cain Velasquez, a stunning KO at the hands of Overeem, and a prior war with Stipe himself.
Begs the question though doesn't it, which Heavyweight in their prime has Stipe really taken out?
Don't get me wrong, the resume is incredible on paper, but when you take the deeper dive, it's not so clear.
Thoughts?
