“We’re watching the ascendence of the HW GOAT right now” - DJ

[Rob Battisti]

Literally none of those guys would be favored to beat the current version of Aspinall. Not one. That doesn't mean none could or would, but none would be favored.
Now, if we get more data on Aspinall showing weaknesses that we haven't seen during his UFC run? Different story. But right now, he'd absolutely be the betting favorite over every one of those guys based on what he's looked like in the UFC.

You wouldn’t favor Ubereem?

 

[Gamer007]

This is embarrassing


Aspinall has beaten Bladyes, Sergei, Volkov, and Tybura. We can also throw in a very old Arlovski too. Everyone just needs to calm down, when he gets slept most of his "fans" will be nowhere to be found.

Let the man fight and carve out his own story, it's the Jones situation that's made this whole thing pathetic. You've got half the fans hoping he becomes the HW goat so they can continue selling the duck narrative, then another half who hopes he loses

None of us have seen enough of Aspinall to make any definitive claims about how all-time great he is. He's one or two bad losses from you guys burying him and trying to forget this ever happened.

 

[mkess101]

You wouldn’t favor Ubereem?

No, but my reply was based on what I think the actual odds would be at the books. Thus far (discounting his loss in his 4th pro fight, a decade ago) we've yet to see any actual weaknesses from Aspinall that have cost him. That doesn't mean they don't necessarily exist. In fact, one that does exist but he's overcome because of how quickly he moves is that he leans straight back to dodge punches. Which again works until it doesn't (Anderson Silva did it all the time, then along came Weidman and Silva did it and...yeah). Aspinall is faster than other HW's by a wide margin so he gets away with it. But...at some point he may not.

We don't know his gas tank. We don't know how much he's improved off his back. His chin looks good from limited times we've seen him hit (eating a good shot from Pavlovich when most guys have crumbled makes me think his chin is good, but very small sample size).

Anyway, oddsmakers are gonna favor a dynamic finisher that has yet to be exposed in his UFC career. Personally, I think Overeem would struggle with the speed. And I'd trust Aspinall's chin more. Could prime Overeem beat him? Absolutely. Would I favor it as the most likely outcome? Nah.

 

[TheGreenMachine]

Being in the discussion itself automatically means that SOME will at the least CONSIDER him for the top spot. Which is basically all anyone could ever expect anyway because there's pretty much never a consensus. And again, this isn't even taking into account he's only 32. The landscape can change a lot in 2-4 years. We may (or may not) think differently of the HW division when he's 35. Maybe 2-3 killers arrive and he beats them all. Not super likely but also far from impossible. Maybe he loses multiple fights and this whole discussion ends up pointless.

Trying to write someone's legacy (or even put parameters on it)so early makes very little sense.

Even if the landscape changes in 2-4 years, HW has a big problem of continuity. Normally the top fighters of a division lose to up and comers who end up getting the rub. With HW, the only cases of that are maybe Gane (beat JDS and Lewis), Pavlovich (who beat Derrick Lewis), Derrick Lewis himself (former title contender), and Volkov (beat Werdum, Overeem, Nelson, and Pavlovich). Since HW is so weak, a lot of others in the top 15 have never beat any top fighters, just other lesser name up and comers or non title contenders. It's real hard to judge the quality of fighters at HW when most of the division was never proven against, beat, or challenged for the title against the likes of the last title holders in Jones, Ngannou, Stipe, Werdum, Cain, or JDS.

The only one from the above list who fought any of them was Lewis vs. Cormier in 2018 (title fight) and Volkov against a washed Werdum in 2018.

 

[TeenageMutantLesnarTurtle]

Let's not forget that Randy has taken down:

Randleman
Vitor
Ricco
Barnett
Nogueira
Sylvia
Liddell
Ortiz
Smith
Rizzo
Van Arsdale
Gonzaga


After all those takedowns against all those killers, I believe he could take Tom down and keep him down. Could Tom win? Yes, it could go either way. But Randy has fought and beaten more killers than Tom so as it stands, Randy is more proven and higher on all time rankings. Maybe if Tom gets a few more quality wins he could surpass Randy.

He beat more "names" but a lot of them were LHW sized, i'm not sure he ever beat anyone that i'd comfortably favour over Pav, Blaydes or Volkov head to head tbh. He also had double digit losses and they were dotted throughout his career, making it hard to ever really define a "prime" for him, same deal with Coleman, who went off the rails big time within 3 years of making his debut then had a mini comeback.

Hes a legend of course and did well all things considered, but he was old the moment he first stepped into the cage, and was also very small for a HW. He weighed in at like 220 for the Brock fight which was atypical for HW then and would be considered even more so today. I get that he had times where he overcame a size disadvantage, but there is a massive difference in athleticism and power between Tom and a guy like Big Tim.

 

[Killer Kadoogan]

the sad part is, new fans believe this shit. it is up to your MMA pedigree of knowledge, to make burner accounts, and combat the revisionist history that noobs purport. seriously.

 

[Hotora86]

by a couple goobers on shertard who declare goat status constantly on whoever looks good at the moment

Jon Jones has publicly stated that Stipe Miocic is the greatest HW of all time after Miocic defeated Daniel Cormier for the UFC HW title in August 2019.

 

[Gregoire1]

This week the future GOAT ascending to... defeat

 

[empsim]

He definitely has a chance if he stays active.

Nostalgia is a helluva drug. A lot of the legend names people are listing were pretty much LHWs and would get mauled by guys like Blaydes, Volkov, Pavlovic.

 

[SuperAlly]

the sad part is, new fans believe this shit. it is up to your MMA pedigree of knowledge, to make burner accounts, and combat the revisionist history that noobs purport. seriously.

Noobs like DJ?

 

[m249viking]

Jon Jones has publicly stated that Stipe Miocic is the greatest HW of all time after Miocic defeated Daniel Cormier for the UFC HW title in August 2019.

Oh yes the incredibly insightful jones

 

[Hotora86]

Oh yes the incredibly insightful jones

What's your point bro?
You asked if anyone thought Stipe was HW GOAT.
I answered that yes, many ppl.
You retorted that it was only sherdoggers.
I answered that Jones also did, before he had eyes on HW.
You keep making fun of my serious answers and I'm wondering - why are you here?

 

[m249viking]

What's your point bro?
You asked if anyone thought Stipe was HW GOAT.
I answered that yes, many ppl.
You retorted that it was only sherdoggers.
I answered that Jones also did, before he had eyes on HW.
You keep making fun of my serious answers and I'm wondering - why are you here?

Many people did not. Jones was hyping for the company