Curtis Blaydes getting a raw deal

[Ripp0ntare]

winner of him and Pav will clearly get a title shot, whats the problem?

Stipe never even got his re-up dude and if anyone is deserving of a re-up it is him.

 

[Ripp0ntare]

If Jon fights Blaydes, bet you $10 the next day will see Sherdog full of threads of who the UFC is protecting him from next (Pav, Aspinall, etc.)

I would not bet against this my dude, these guys look for every reason to hate Jon and to throw up their goofy ass conspiracy theories.
It really is humorous. lol

 

[mudrubble]

I would not bet against this my dude, these guys look for every reason to hate Jon and to throw up their goofy ass conspiracy theories.
It really is humorous. lol

I get that he's a weirdo sociopath, but he's also the damned GOAT and the idea that they are protecting Jon Jones just sounds ludicrous when you say it out loud.

 

[mudrubble]

Much appreciated!



I could certainly see Curtis doing it in the sense that the roadmap is theoretically there but I say this with the disclaimer that it may be my fanboyism for Blaydes speaking. As for the idea that the secret to beating Jon is to wrestle him... I don't see it. Jon is one of the most thoroughly unwrestlefuckable fighters ever. 95% TDD with 41 seconds of bottom position time across his entire career is fucking absurd considering how many fights he's had and how many of those were against elite wrestlers/BJJ guys. Again, I get that people may think that he's fighting bigger men now while outside of his athletic prime and maybe he's lost a step... but those skills don't just disappear and Heavyweights in general just aren't as technical, especially when it comes to grappling. The idea of Jon Jones being the Alex Pereira of the Heavyweight Division who's being protected from those dreaded wrestlers looking to take him down is just... really weird.

If the narrative was framed in such a way as "Yeah, but put him against more big natural Heavyweights that have actual grappling/wrestling bases that they can use defensively against Jon's wrestling to try and keep the fight standing and then we'll see how he does!" Then I would objectively understand it more.



No, I totally get it. I agree that Jon looked just fine standing in that fight to me, he landed some solid punches on Gane and was able to implement his game on him. I think he was being self-deprecating. I'm just saying that if there is something he legitimately feels he's struggling with and it does rear its ugly head in a fight that makes it out of the first round against someone like Stipe, then that's something that would cause me to take notice and potentially fade Jones moving forward. I don't necessarily believe it will be an issue. I was just building a potential hypothetical for what things might have to happen to get me to back Blaydes.

Tbh, I think Jon's boredom was the biggest factor in the Dominic and Santos fights. His lack of commitment and light training.

The idea that either of them beats a motivated Jon is not really credible to me. Same with Alex. When Jones WANTED to beat him, as a serious goal, he did it with relative ease. I think Blaydes only recreates Dominic's win if Jon sleeps on him, which is possible. But if Jon comes well trained and motivated? He beats the division, I think. I could be wrong.

You outlined the host of reasons that he will never need to be protected from wrestlers and should do quite well in the HW division, and you did a great job of it!

I get you that if his striking looks bad against Stipe we have stuff to discuss but until/unless then/that.... this is all fantasy talk. He probably handles himself well against Stipe and PROBABLY beats anyone he's motivated to beat.

Psycho or not, he really is that great a fighter. Considering all the ways he's a fuck up it's only fair he's absolutely great at something!

 

[Ripp0ntare]

I get that he's a weirdo sociopath, but he's also the damned GOAT and the idea that they are protecting Jon Jones just sounds ludicrous when you say it out loud.

exactly, lol.

Dude if the ufc was actually RIGGED or they were PROTECTING certain fighters, wouldnt they want a pristine record, clean cut athlete like Gane as their champion? Wouldn't they have awarded him the relatively close decision over Francis to completely delegitimize Ngannou?

That is why when people say this shit I can't help but laugh.

 

[mudrubble]

exactly, lol.

Dude if the ufc was actually RIGGED or they were PROTECTING certain fighters, wouldnt they want a pristine record, clean cut athlete like Gane as their champion? Wouldn't they have awarded him the relatively close decision over Francis to completely delegitimize Ngannou?

That is why when people say this shit I can't help but laugh.

I've seen a few questionable decisions on low level fights that struck me as betting corruption, sure. But the league, the UFC itself, fixing fights - like works?

Yeah, I don't buy it. I've seen Dana's red, disappointed face way tooooo many times to even give this credence.

And the idea that they could keep something like that quiet. Fighters retire and spill beans. Most I've heard is disgruntled fighters SUSPECTING/ALLEGING fixing. But nobody said "I was in a fixed fight" like they did in Pride.

If it was real, I'd expect a trail of evidence.

 

[Ripp0ntare]

I've seen a few questionable decisions on low level fights that struck me as betting corruption, sure. But the league, the UFC itself, fixing fights - like works?

Yeah, I don't buy it. I've seen Dana's red, disappointed face way tooooo many times to even give this credence.

And the idea that they could keep something like that quiet. Fighters retire and spill beans. Most I've heard is disgruntled fighters SUSPECTING/ALLEGING fixing. But nobody said "I was in a fixed fight" like they did in Pride.

If it was real, I'd expect a trail of evidence.

Couldn't have said it better myself brother.

And Sherdog has like.....the most selective memory ever.

Aspinall tore is his ACL 10 seconds into the blaydes fight, so if anything this "raw" deal is warranted.

 

[Stagger Lee]

I don't really understand why he is taking so few fights. His got a good skillset against anybody and should just rack up wins.

 

[Cartiac]

If Jon fights Blaydes, bet you $10 the next day will see Sherdog full of threads of who the UFC is protecting him from next (Pav, Aspinall, etc.)

We've just got to accept it. One day Gane is the "new breed HW" gonna destroy fat Jones, 2 minutes later it is Jones won't fight Blaydes because he is scared. This place is entertainment, it is not supposed to make sense

 

[Safton]

Tbh, I think Jon's boredom was the biggest factor in the Dominic and Santos fights. His lack of commitment and light training.

The idea that either of them beats a motivated Jon is not really credible to me. Same with Alex. When Jones WANTED to beat him, as a serious goal, he did it with relative ease. I think Blaydes only recreates Dominic's win if Jon sleeps on him, which is possible. But if Jon comes well trained and motivated? He beats the division, I think. I could be wrong.

Personally, I have never been one who's put much stock into excuses regarding Jon's lack of motivation or "hunger". Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it played a factor in some of his fights... but I don't think it tells the whole story. As an explanation by its lonesome it just sorta... rings hollow to me for whatever reason, almost like they're a get-outta-jail-free card for any less-than-stellar performance. This isn't just something limited to Jon. When people try to extend the same excuse other fighters like Conor for losing to Khabib or what have you, I find it just as unconvincing. I know I'm probably with the minority with this opinion and I accept that I could very well be wrong.

Mind you, I think Bones possesses all the technical skills and physical attributes to beat anyone in the division on any given day. It wouldn't surprise me if he was able to be about as dominant at HW as he was at 205. But I'm not necessarily sold that no one at Heavyweight has anything for him at all... yet. I need to see more than him destroying Gane in less than a minute.

You outlined the host of reasons that he will never need to be protected from wrestlers and should do quite well in the HW division, and you did a great job of it!

Don't get me wrong, I still think it would be fun to see a big unit of a man like Blaydes, Spivak, Romanov or even Almeida try to take Jon down and work him over. I just don't think it's going to get them very far lol

I get you that if his striking looks bad against Stipe we have stuff to discuss but until/unless then/that.... this is all fantasy talk. He probably handles himself well against Stipe and PROBABLY beats anyone he's motivated to beat.

Psycho or not, he really is that great a fighter. Considering all the ways he's a fuck up it's only fair he's absolutely great at something!

Well, I never pretended it was anything other than a fantasy discussion I pointed out as much in my first or second post when I was saying who I would favor between the two and that it would depend on how they looked in their respective fights and if their fights went like X or Y, then I might very well fade Jon and back Curtis. As a formerly rabid Stipe fan, I am currently leaning in his direction to beat Miocic. If you took Stipe in his absolute prime it might have been interesting, but I have just really lost faith in him as an elite contender due to his age, wear & tear, inactivity, etc. And I think stylistically Jon brings some things to the table that he hasn't really had to deal with in some time. It may not be as quick and dramatic and one-sided as the Gane fight was, but yeah Jon should be the rightful favorite if his striking looks like even 75% of his old self IMO even putting aside questions of "motivation".

 

[RizinSon88]

I think if Blaydes/Aspinall had a more satisfactory outcome either way that the winner would probably have faced Jones ahead of Gane coming off a win over Tai. This Sergei match is like a redo to create a top contender like that match should have created. Blaydes has anther shot to prove himself as the best of somewhat younger HWs.

 

[Tapioca Cold]

Fuck that guy. He loses to Jones.

 

[mudrubble]

Personally, I have never been one who's put much stock into excuses regarding Jon's lack of motivation or "hunger". Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it played a factor in some of his fights... but I don't think it tells the whole story. As an explanation by its lonesome it just sorta... rings hollow to me for whatever reason, almost like they're a get-outta-jail-free card for any less-than-stellar performance. This isn't just something limited to Jon. When people try to extend the same excuse other fighters like Conor for losing to Khabib or what have you, I find it just as unconvincing. I know I'm probably with the minority with this opinion and I accept that I could very well be wrong.

Mind you, I think Bones possesses all the technical skills and physical attributes to beat anyone in the division on any given day. It wouldn't surprise me if he was able to be about as dominant at HW as he was at 205. But I'm not necessarily sold that no one at Heavyweight has anything for him at all... yet. I need to see more than him destroying Gane in less than a minute.



Don't get me wrong, I still think it would be fun to see a big unit of a man like Blaydes, Spivak, Romanov or even Almeida try to take Jon down and work him over. I just don't think it's going to get them very far lol



Well, I never pretended it was anything other than a fantasy discussion I pointed out as much in my first or second post when I was saying who I would favor between the two and that it would depend on how they looked in their respective fights and if their fights went like X or Y, then I might very well fade Jon and back Curtis. As a formerly rabid Stipe fan, I am currently leaning in his direction to beat Miocic. If you took Stipe in his absolute prime it might have been interesting, but I have just really lost faith in him as an elite contender due to his age, wear & tear, inactivity, etc. And I think stylistically Jon brings some things to the table that he hasn't really had to deal with in some time. It may not be as quick and dramatic and one-sided as the Gane fight was, but yeah Jon should be the rightful favorite if his striking looks like even 75% of his old self IMO even putting aside questions of "motivation".

Interesting. I consider that everyone has on and off days and phases of life when they're not doing their best, and I feel like we've all seen many fighters in this phase, including Bones. Conor, I just personally believe wasn't as good outside of 145 as he was in it. But Bones I believe to be truly well rounded and intelligent in that octagon. Unless he's bored, lol. I can see not buying it but I bought it. At full price.

And yeah you were clear it was a fantasy discussion. I just need to see Jon trying his best, talking that "I'm fired up" talk and STILL getting tested to really know what his limits are. Everytime I've seen him fired up he's won convincingly so I have to bet on that being his pattern - that he might be able to beat all humans in that octagon if he's fired up and "on". Stipe fight will, hopefully, show us something. Maybe I'm wrong. I'm curious to find out!

 

[mudrubble]

We've just got to accept it. One day Gane is the "new breed HW" gonna destroy fat Jones, 2 minutes later it is Jones won't fight Blaydes because he is scared. This place is entertainment, it is not supposed to make sense

You got it, brother. That is the Sherdog rulebook.

 

[ryun253]

"I came to watch Curtis Blaydes fight" is something I've never heard or seen in my life.

 

[deadshot138]

Stipe puts more butts in seats at the end of the day, it's a business. I'm sure if he beats Pavlovich he'll get to fight for the title next regardless if Jon vacates or not.

Is it rumored he will vacate if he beats Stipe?

 

[svmr_db]

Is it rumored he will vacate if he beats Stipe?

Jon said after the Gane fight was announced that the fans will get "at least 2 fights" out of his return at heavyweight. It is widely assumed there is a high likelihood that after he beat Gane & possibly Stipe, that's the two fights and he will retire and not end up fighting Blaydes, Pavlovich or Aspinall etc.

 

[Thawing Mammoth]

Blaydes would be the grappling version of the Reyes fight

 

[goOb]

The problem with Blaydes is he doesn't fit the UFC's: Jon Jones can beat the best of the division right now theme. Honestly Jones beats Blaydes 10 out of 10 times.

 

[SaltedVinegarfootstomps]

I love me some Blaydes, but he reeeeaally shit the bed against Lewis. If he wins that fight, prior to the wheels literally launching off Derrick, he inherits the glory and fanfare of sending BlackBeast down the barrel of a losing streak. But he lost, and then Lewis just sort of gave up, and despite MMAath being a hollow, irrelevant concept, it looks bad to casuals. If anything, I would say the UFC is trying to rebuild Blaydes with some gentle match padding (Aspinall not included) so his record looks sufficiently monstrous come Jones. If Jones defeats Steeps, you know he’s going after the “Best HW of all time” moniker and will have to go through the division.