Who is the most talented fighter: Blaydes, Ngannou or Stipe?

[The Moloko man]

I gauge athletic potential based on perceived combine numbers, not cardio.

Explosiveness (vertical, short sprint, quick turns)
Power (punching power, overall strength)

Well your idea of an athlete is shallow then...and influenced by a sports zeitgeist that told you what to think

But really anybody can say whatever they want about what their ideal athlete would be since even the dictionary definition is very broad and ambiguous....

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/athlete

But since most sports require and most definitions include stamina as a prerequisite...I'd say you are at least somewhat wrong

 

[MMA since 1993]

Stipe has been impressing me a lot lately with his stoic resolve. If he can beat someone like Cain Velasquez he will have truly cemented his legacy in my eyes.

that should be his nickname.

"Stoic" Stipe Miocic

 

[The Moloko man]

I'd call Stipe the better fighter, not the better athlete. Depends on how you look at it.

I'd say stipe is the better athlete and fighter

Stronger, quicker, more agile, better stamina, better awareness

 

[A.S. Deep]

Stipe beats Ngannou in a rematch and Blaydes.

 

[executionermma]

Werdum goes 5 rounds with Browne, outclassing him in the process, do the same against Tybura, outworks Cain making him gas just to a idiot come to sherdog and say that "he was 38, totally out of his athleetic prime" LOL, Werdum prime is his second UFC run, he lost to Stipe because of a big mistake of rushing in, not because of lack of athleticism.

That said, as far as natural TALENT goes, Stipe > Blaydes > Ngannou

 

[MCS]

Well your idea of an athlete is shallow then...and influenced by a sports zeitgeist that told you what to think

But really anybody can say whatever they want about what their ideal athlete would be since even the dictionary definition is very broad and ambiguous....

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/athlete

But since most sports require and most definitions include stamina as a prerequisite...I'd say you are at least somewhat wrong

I've changed my opinion many times and probably will again. Watching other sports the best athletic talent is gauged via those attributes. You're supposed to be in shape and compete smart at the highest levels. Part of this is genes, which is another physiological debate based on body types and muscle types, from where I'd always choose fast-twitch over a leptosome, which won't go away from endurance training or dropping some weight.

 

[CastletonSnob]

I'd say Miocic is the most well-rounded fighter of the three.

 

[I WILL CUT YOU]

TS is gonna turn this into a "Gus beats Stipe" thread.

 

[The Moloko man]

I've changed my opinion many times and probably will again. Watching other sports the best athletic talent is gauged via those attributes. You're supposed to be in shape and compete smart at the highest levels. Part of this is genes, which is another physiological debate based on body types and muscle types, from where I'd always choose fast-twitch over a leptosome, which won't go away from endurance training or dropping some weight.

If your idea and concept of an athlete is ever evolving and open to change , then that's very smart

I always look for athletes with a combination of both slow twitch (for strength/muscular endurance) and fast twitch...yea and definitely not leptosome type slender physique...so of course I'm hot on guys like JJ watt, gronkowski, jimmy graham



To me combine stats can be a pretty superficial guage at time, with some of the tested abilities more overrated or not conventially usable than others when its game time...
And some guys are just better at playing sports than doing actual athletic feats....I can still remember how Megatron put up almost the same combine numbers as Matt jones(6'6 240 lbs, 4.3 sec 40 yd dash, 40 inch vert) did years before, but he ended up having a hugely sucessful career compared to jones

I guess the concept is always going to be somewhat subjective...but I can understand what you're saying6

 

[Wardu1]

Exactly.

How is Stipe not the better athlete? This is absolutely insane to me that Dana can brainwash everyone to think Francis is the better athlete. I would bet that Stipe is better than Francis in every single sport there is.

Geez, people on here must think bodybuilders are the worlds greatest athletes. Stipe has a far more athletic background. If he wasn't white, he would probably be touted as one of the best athletes to ever compete in mma...

If you are white you can't be athletic because you don't look athletic. I don't understand the obsession on here with black guys and athleticism it's pretty weird.

 

[SoSoSmart]

I'd say stipe is the better athlete and fighter

Stronger, quicker, more agile, better stamina, better awareness

Stronger? Quicker? More agile? Those only happened after Ngannou gassed. You're stupid. Stfu and dont comment again.

 

[RagingBeringola]

What defines talent in your eyes if being smart, adapting well and sticking to gameplay isn’t talent.

Might be a personal definition, but for me, talent implies a natural gift.

If I had to find examples in other domains, i woulds point at football/soccer, where guys like Ronaldinho or Balotelli are incredibly technical and play(ed) at incredible levels despite not liking to train or sometimes barely training.

Having a solid gameplan adapted to the opponent you'll face shows more hard work, awareness and patience. But it's not something that is there.

 

[Bumblebeef]

Sipe is the better fighter with much higher fight IQ... Ngannou has the better physique but lacks on fight IQ.
Ngannou is like the brainless and haughty beast in the Octagon.
I dont think that Ngannou is a intelligent fighter he relies much on his body, power and speed... but he will learn for sure.

 

[I_IZ_BACK]

Best win: Blaydes: Out of prime Oliynyk, Ngannou: Out of prime Overeem, Stipe: Out of prime Werdum
Discuss.

So, Werdum was the UFC champ, 6-0 before fighting Stipe (KOed Hunt and submitted Cain) but he wasn't in his prime ... yeah ok. Please tell me when Werdum was in his prime then? In his Pride days when he was green, or in his Strikeforce days (3-1 before going back to the UFC)

<{CMPALM}>

 

[RagingBeringola]

There is a part of talent in everyone. I'm just not sure if they're more gifted naturally than their peers, or if they just raise above others because they complete their talent with hard work.

Just my view

You don't think stipe and blaydes are gifted and naturally talented athletes?

They couldn't have had the athletic careers they've had and stipe would not be who he is without being an athletic freak!

You don't get 12 varsity letters in high school ,play two division 1 college sports, win golden gloves,fight future heavyweight boxing championship contenders and the reigning defending record breaking champion of the heavyweight division and have the second most ko's in the history of the division all having a day job fighting fires by gameplanning,being smart or sheer willpower...ridiculous

 

[PEDS Help me Post]

I gauge athletic potential based on perceived combine numbers, not cardio.

Explosiveness (vertical, short sprint, quick turns)
Power (punching power, overall strength)

What does your vertical or short sprint have to do whatsoever with fighting?

 

[Melas Chasma]

So, Werdum was the UFC champ, 6-0 before fighting Stipe (KOed Hunt and submitted Cain) but he wasn't in his prime ... yeah ok. Please tell me when Werdum was in his prime then? In his Pride days when he was green, or in his Strikeforce days (3-1 before going back to the UFC)

<{CMPALM}>

Werdum was easily the closest in his prime against Stipe, if that helps. He did not look good against old Nog in a rematch, though, or against Hunt until the knee, and he got the belt from Cain in a very sloppy brawl where both fighters looked horrible, imo. His fight against Stipe was a year after that when he was already 38 and a 14 year career behind him. HW is just a terrible division. The main reason people think these old fighters still look good is because their opponents are just as old and past it.

 

[MCS]

What does your vertical or short sprint have to do whatsoever with fighting?

They're part of explosiveness.

 

[PEDS Help me Post]

They're part of explosiveness.

.... in areas that have no use whatsoever in MMA unless you're Khalib Starnes.

 

[MCS]

.... in areas that have no use whatsoever in MMA unless you're Khalib Starnes.

Explosiveness is a tool comprised of many variables. Combine tests it that way to give an indication of athletic potential, which transfers to other areas, like closing distance and bucking up from the bottom in fighting.