Could Dustin have been WW champ with the right matchmaking?

[ExitLUPin]

Seeing how he and JDM both did against Islam was telling, especially the time frame, where they both fought a similar version. Dustin put on a lot of weight in the latter stages of his career, to the point the 155-lbs cut was extremely tough for him. He wasn't much smaller than Colby.

Then you take a look at Dustin's title fight history:

Max (IC)
Khabib
Charles
Islam

That's literally 4 of the greatest fighters ever. Almost no WW is going to be able to hold a candle to Khabib or Islam and Charles is one of the most dangerous fighters ever, arguably the best finisher we've ever seen. These aren't challenges most WW champs are going to present Dustin.

We know Dustin has lost all the title fights besides the IC against Max, even including the BMF ones (lol), but with the right matchmaking do you think he could have held the WW title? Are you confident guys like Colby, Leon, Belal, JDM clearly beat a prime Dustin?

 

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

He would have had a chance during the Usman Era , Weakest Era at 170...

 

[BFoe]

A little unfair to compare how both guys did against Islam. Islam had 100% takedown accuracy against JDM.
He was 5/16 (31%) against Poirier.

 

[ExitLUPin]

He would have had a chance during the Usman Era , Weakest Era at 170...

The overall talent pool was weak for sure, but Usman seems a bridge too far for Dustin. I think he'd have a much better shot against the champs that followed (Leon/Belal/JDM). We saw a shot Nate on a 1 1/2 year hiatus almost stop Leon, and then Leon would win the WW title his next fight.

 

[Duck Dodgers]

If you threw him into a title eliminator against Burns, he could have won that and then beaten Leon.

 

[Nabs]

Nope!

 

[LEWIS540]

Could say the same for a lot of guys.

Was a time Edgar, Benson and Gray Maynard were the 3 “best” lightweights in the world.

 

[Egészségére!]

Almost no WW is going to be able to hold a candle to Khabib or Islam

Man that is a bold claim so far they’re 1-0 vs Jack

I know you said “almost” but still the Burns that fought Khamzat, Morales, Prates, Usman, Shavkat are all way worse matchups for both of them. Even in the recent past prime Woodley & Lawler would’ve been a handful.

To say these fighters couldn’t hold a candle to Islam & Khabib at ww is a huge reach

 

[jeff7b9]

Part of being a champion is OFTEN being sufficiently skilled to take advantage of being in the right place at the right time.



And respect to Jack that when he did get his shot, he bit down on the mouthpiece, somehow dragged dumbass Belal into a sloppy ass slobberknocker and JDM carved his name in the history book for always and forever.

Dustin beat Eddie Alvarez.
He whooped Justin Gaethjes ass in their first fight
He KOed Conor and then won the trilogy

All those men held a strap at some point.

But when Dustin's number got pulled... Khabib and Islam had the belts. Ain't that a bitch?

Life is unfair.

 

[ExitLUPin]

Man that is a bold claim so far they’re 1-0 vs Jack

I know you said “almost” but still the Burns that fought Khamzat, Morales, Prates, Usman, Shavkat are all way worse matchups for both of them. Even in the recent past prime Woodley & Lawler would’ve been a handful.

To say these fighters couldn’t hold a candle to Islam & Khabib at ww is a huge reach

Usman and potentially, Morales, I think could have been a bridge too far, based on defensive grappling, size, athleticism, overall hardware, but Prates, with his grappling deficiencies is definitely beatable. Shavkat is the goods, but still plenty of questions, especially after the success Ian had against him, and nearly locking in an RNC.

RDA 50-45'd Robbie, who was a fight removed from being champion. Cerrone gave Robbie a competitive 29-28 outing right before that. RDA arguably beat prime Colby as well in an interim title fight. RDA, in the latter stages of his prime, was a top 3-5 WW for a while and steamrolled Magny in a way only the top tier WWs do. Cerrone went on a run at WW. Journeymen Masvidal and Burns received a combined 3 title shots, and were top 5 guys, granted that era of WW was far weaker than the current one.

Bloated Pettis moved up and KO'd Wonderboy, first guy to stop him. Cowboy gave Leon a competitive 48-47 fight. Nate off a 1 1/2 year hiatus almost stopped Leon, who'd win the WW title his next fight. Chiesa was at a crossroads in his career, so he moved up and became a top 10 ranked WW, comfortably. Dude gave Brady all he could handle. There's a long history of LWs moving up and having great success at WW. We just haven't seen one claim the title like Islam did since BJ Penn, and both are among the absolute elite talents in MMA history. It's a shame RDA never got the Woodley fight because I think he would have accomplished it as well.

Woodley?

 

[Cowboy Kurt Angle]

No

 

[Mike]

Absolutely not.

 

[Egészségére!]

Woodley?

Agree on the rest but the prime Woodley that KO’d Koscheck, Condit & Lawler was pretty dangerous. He was also a 2x All-American wrestler & the champ for a reason. He’s not just some scrub that got knocked out by Jake.

In fact he called out Khabib after Porier, even offered to fight him at catchweight, but Khabib wanted nothin to do with him. Maybe because it was just too easy…

 

[ThaiSexPills]

I love Dustin but no. Not at all.

 

[Pierce 34]

A Former FW?

 

[Black0ut]

DP at WW would have still put on a better performance than JDM. JDMs best shot was either landing a HUGE shot or gassing Islam out a bit and adding pressure after. He wasn’t remotely close to either.

 

[Pierce 34]

Usman and potentially, Morales, I think could have been a bridge too far, based on defensive grappling, size, athleticism, overall hardware, but Prates, with his grappling deficiencies is definitely beatable. Shavkat is the goods, but still plenty of questions, especially after the success Ian had against him, and nearly locking in an RNC.

RDA 50-45'd Robbie, who was a fight removed from being champion. Cerrone gave Robbie a competitive 29-28 outing right before that. RDA arguably beat prime Colby as well in an interim title fight. RDA, in the latter stages of his prime, was a top 3-5 WW for a while and steamrolled Magny in a way only the top tier WWs do. Cerrone went on a run at WW. Journeymen Masvidal and Burns received a combined 3 title shots, and were top 5 guys, granted that era of WW was far weaker than the current one.

Bloated Pettis moved up and KO'd Wonderboy, first guy to stop him. Cowboy gave Leon a competitive 48-47 fight. Nate off a 1 1/2 year hiatus almost stopped Leon, who'd win the WW title his next fight. Chiesa was at a crossroads in his career, so he moved up and became a top 10 ranked WW, comfortably. Dude gave Brady all he could handle. There's a long history of LWs moving up and having great success at WW. We just haven't seen one claim the title like Islam did since BJ Penn, and both are among the absolute elite talents in MMA history. It's a shame RDA never got the Woodley fight because I think he would have accomplished it as well.

Woodley?

Poirier is a former FW tho. Even though he hated making 145

 

[orca]

theres lots of MWs out there that coule beat 1 eyed bisping aswell if given a good chance at matchmaking

 

[Legendary]

I think DP would have had trouble with the wrestlers at 170.