How is Cormier and Yoel fighting consistently in their 40s?

[Misanthropist]

So, how does Cormier and Yoel fight consistently in their late 30s and 40s while 99% of the other fighters usually decline in their mid 30s and they either retire or downgrade to retirement MMA organizations filled with cans?

Cormier cleared all the LHW division (except his kryptonite Jones) in his late 30s and was crowned as a Heavyweight champion as a 40 years old.

Romero is still giving nightmares to all the MWs who are never the same after facing him and he’s frigging 42 years old who is always 1 fight away from getting the title shot.

 

[Iron Nick]

Age is not necessarily as important in the bigger weight classes, since you don't need to rely on a fast reaction time as much anyway.
Another factor is that age isn't as important as "fight-mileage".
Romero surely is special though considering his longevity..

 

[Deported]

They didn’t start til their 30’s

 

[gevoudane]

Early in their combat career they wrestled. No real accumulative damage.

 

[20falarVerdades]

They started MMA late. Fighters usually have around 10 years of fighting years before they decline hard ( their first fight was in 2009)

That and

-Good genetics
-Proper supplementation, I'm sure they are using all their knowledge acquired in wrestling and the olympics on how to tackle their supps

 

[moosaev]

Age matters less at HW, George foreman won the title at 45, and even now avg age of UFC HWs seems to be late 30s. So it’s not a shock to see DC perform at a high level at 40, 40 isn’t that old in higher weight classes.

Yoel, either he’s juiced to the gills or he’s a freak of nature. Maybe both, but at least one.

 

[Parapikoo]

So, how does Cormier and Yoel fight consistently in their late 30s and 40s while 99% of the other fighters usually decline in their mid 30s and they either retire or downgrade to retirement MMA organizations filled with cans?

Cormier cleared all the LHW division (except his kryptonite Jones) in his late 30s and was crowned as a Heavyweight champion as a 40 years old.

Romero is still giving nightmares to all the MWs who are never the same after facing him and he’s frigging 42 years old who is always 1 fight away from getting the title shot.

They started relatively late and also didnt take too much damage.

It's not the age, it's the mileage honey...

 

[TheJohnnyWalkerEra]

Dan and Randy fought until almost 50

wrestling is where it's at

 

[Axe720]

Good genetics, smart training, taking care of their bodies, and starting MMA later in their lives.

 

[GrayArea]

They have less fight mileage than others their age. Plus they’re both Olympic wrestlers...which means they were well versed in passing usada tests years before fighting

 

[BossBin]

PEDS, steroi- I mean, they have good genetics and work hard blah blah blah. They are just naturally this gifted bro.

 

[5crew]

As other posters have mentioned, it's not age, it's mileage. Just like how Randy Couture was fighting well in his late 40s.

This show the recent threads about how taking damage "doesn't" take life off the fighters life is POOOOOOOOO.....

 

[Dirge]

Werdum was fighting in his 40's as well and ran circles around the much younger Tybura.

Oh wait....

 

[FrontNakedChoke]

Steroids.

 

[Dirge]

Early in their combat career they wrestled. No real accumulative damage.

? Wrestlers get the shit beaten out of their bodies. What are you on about?

 

[KID Yamamoto]

DC is in a weaker division and has been athletic his entire life. Trains at a very good camp and has a great chin.

Yoel is the natty goat

 

[gevoudane]

? Wrestlers get the shit beaten out of their bodies. What are you on about?

Just what I said. Weight cutting does more long term damage to a wrestler then wrestling does.
Their body gets beat but doesnt take injury damage like mma/boxing/kick boxing.

 

[epluribusunum]

Old man strength is not a myth.

 

[El Fernas]

Low miles is a real thing, good genetics, style, and i guess both started a bit late into MMA.

Bernard Hopkins won a belt way into his 40's, not just compete, he was a world champion, some guys age better, Floyd beat Conor being 40, Pacman beat Thurman being like 10 years older as well, fight game is complicated.

 

[Dirge]

Just what I said. Weight cutting does more long term damage to a wrestler then wrestling does.
Their body gets beat but doesnt take injury damage like mma/boxing/kick boxing.

Wrestlers tend to get fucked up backs, necks and knees as well as recurring shoulder injuries. That kind of stuff doesn't rehab at 100%.

Hendo had a fucked up back and knees which is why he stopped wrestling in fights and started headhunting. So did Rampage. They didn't get their backs or knees fucked up by punches or kicks in MMA.