Does it feel like the era of invincible champs is over?

[HHJ]

TS is right in the sense that you never felt like the contenders had a chance. Fedor, Anderson, and GSP had the perception of destroying everyone in their path. You can even see it in the odds. They were typically at least around -400 to -500 betting favorites and sometimes it was completely lopsided.

You had to experience it to understand. There was an aura that something completely crazy needed to happen in order for them to lose. That hasn't really been the case since, except for Jones. BJ spent time going up and down so it wasn't easy to build the same momentum, but he was still up there.

Those three were also truly dominant in that they wouldn't just eek out close decisions. Most of the time it was complete domination or embarrassment. It will be a long time before we see that level of dominance at the same time again.

I thought BJ,Fitch,and Hendricks, were all legit threats to GSP at the time those fights were made. I wasnt the only one.

 

[HHJ]

Those three were also truly dominant in that they wouldn't just eek out close decisions. Most of the time it was complete domination or embarrassment. It will be a long time before we see that level of dominance at the same time again.

I mean wasnt most of Khabib's career like this? He was more dominant than those 3,if not for as long.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Imo it's much more interesting to have close divisions with lots of fighters who could potentially win the belt.

But Khamzat is going to be pretty dominant I feel.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

We are in an era where the HW division is weaker than the HW divisions from the previous two generations spanning back to 2004. Derrick Lewis and Tuivasa are top 3 HWs today. They wouldn't be top 10 in 2013 and they woudlnt be top 10 in 2005.

The LHW division is also weaker today than the last two generations. Today's version of Glover Texeira is the champion at 43 years old and took the belt from a 39 year old journeyman Jan. Not to mention journeyman MWs like Anthony Smith still hanging around the top 5 at LHW. Today's Glover and Jan wouldnt be champions from 2011-2015 and they wouldn't have been champs from 2005 -2010. Anthony Smith wouldn't even be in the top 5 in the last two generations.

The MW division today is weaker than the MW division from the previous generation from 2010-2014. Guys like Vettori wouldnt be title contenders from 2010-2014 when you had Anderson, Hendo, Vitor, Jacare, Weidman, Romero, Rockhold and Bisping.

I don't know why but the talent level is lower today across the board. The smaller divisions are a lot better today. LW is better than ever. BW is better than ever but these guys also make a lot less money than the big guys. The bigger athletes are obviously seeing more opportunities in other sports.

I don't think it's the money, money in MMA has always been shit.

 

[Sweater of AV]

I thought BJ,Fitch,and Hendricks, were all legit threats to GSP at the time those fights were made. I wasnt the only one.

Those three were probably the closest but GSP was still a decent favorite. Depends on what you mean by legit threats. I was hoping BJ would win but I was fairly certain he would lose. I didn't have much hope for Fitch. I was barely paying attention around Hendricks. Those were his closest and yet they were at least as big as the odds for every Usman fight.

 

[Frode Falch]

Usman has a whole stable of monsters he's about to deal with. Khazmat 100% might make easy work of him. Even if he doesn't, the fact I can say that at all means Usman doesn't have that aura.

You dont think right. Or dont know anything about fighting

 

[kellier]

Usman is quite dominant at WW, Izzy has almost cleared out MW, Volk is 2-0 against the clear #2 guy at FW, while Shevchenko has cleared out W FLW.

We're also not too far removed from Khabib at LW, Jones at LHW and Nunes holding on to 2 belts.

Dominant champs are cyclical

 

[Sweater of AV]

I mean wasnt most of Khabib's career like this? He was more dominant than those 3,if not for as long.

Not to the same level, and the title is invincible champs. He had the same number of defenses as BJ. The odds for Khabib-Conor were probably pretty close no? I never felt it was close to the same.

 

[Jewish Lightning]

I don't think it's the money, money in MMA has always been shit.

Then what could it be brather?

 

[HHJ]

Not to the same level, and the title is invincible champs. He had the same number of defenses as BJ. The odds for Khabib-Conor were probably pretty close no? I never felt it was close to the same.

IIRC most people thought Khabib was gonna kick his ass. Conor may have alot of fans who wouldve said otherewise,but in their bum souls they knew this was probably the end.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Then what could it be brather?

I'm not really sure, I tend to think that part of it is that there's a much better basic understanding of MMA fundamentals so that even low tier fighters aren't out there with no idea what's going on in different facets of the game to their specialty.

Beyond that I don't know, but the money wasn't good then either apart from briefly with Affliction when they paid way over market rate for whatever reason.

 

[HHJ]

Then what could it be brather?

It could just be a cycle.


It happened in Boxing too,where the HW's werent as interesting,and the focus shifted to Money and Pacman and the lower weight divisions

But the HW's are really starting to entertain lately with Joshua,Fury,Usyk,and Wilder

 

[Jewish Lightning]

I'm not really sure, I tend to think that part of it is that there's a much better basic understanding of MMA fundamentals so that even low tier fighters aren't out there with no idea what's going on in different facets of the game to their specialty.

Beyond that I don't know, but the money wasn't good then either apart from briefly with Affliction when they paid way over market rate for whatever reason.

I don't see how a better understanding of MMA would lead to less talent over time when there's more interest and money in the sport than ever before.

 

[Jewish Lightning]

It could just be a cycle.


It happened in Boxing too,where the HW's werent as interesting,and the focus shifted to Money and Pacman and the lower weight divisions

But the HW's are really starting to entertain lately with Joshua,Fury,Usyk,and Wilder

That's true about boxing. Wilder and Joshua woudlnt be nearly as special in the 90s.

It could be cycles. Hopefully these cycles break soon.

 

[HHJ]

That's true about boxing. Wilder and Joshua woudlnt be nearly as special in the 90s.

It could be cycles. Hopefully these cycles break soon.

I dont worry about it. If it does,it does,if it doesnt,it doesnt. Ill still watch Gane and GOATspinall anytime those guys are on.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

I don't see how a better understanding of MMA would lead to less talent when there's more interest and money in the sport than ever before.

I'm probably not explaining what I mean very well. There's not so much mystery in skill sets anymore. So it's probably more difficult to stand out. I can train BJJ in the North of England with a black belt and also access good level training in other martial arts and I only do it on a recreational level. Back in the day you'd have people who knew pretty much literally no BJJ, these days even awful HW's are usually blue belts at the least.

 

[HHJ]

And Huggy bear! LETS NOT FORGET HUGGY BEAR,Y'ALL

 

[HHJ]

I'm probably not explaining what I mean very well. There's not so much mystery in skill sets anymore. So it's probably more difficult to stand out. I can train BJJ in the North of England with a black belt and also access good level training in other martial arts and I only do it on a recreational level. Back in the day you'd have people who knew pretty much literally no BJJ, these days even awful HW's are usually blue belts at the least.

I remember feeling this way when I watched the preperation of both fighters going into the Clay Guida/Roger Huerta fight.

The training these guys was doing was INSANE. They were KILLING themselves to be the best,and neither one of them ended up being CLOSE to being the best at LW.

This shit is alot harder than people give it credit for.

 

[Jewish Lightning]

I'm probably not explaining what I mean very well. There's not so much mystery in skill sets anymore. So it's probably more difficult to stand out. I can train BJJ in the North of England with a black belt and also access good level training in other martial arts and I only do it on a recreational level. Back in the day you'd have people who knew pretty much literally no BJJ, these days even awful HW's are usually blue belts at the least.

I see what youre saying maybe this could apply to the training in 90s but by the 2000s guys were already cross training with specialists in multiple disciplines. There wasn't much mystery then either.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

I remember feeling this way when I watched the preperation of both fighters going into the Clay Guida/Roger Huerta fight.

The training these guys was doing was INSANE. They were KILLING themselves to be the best,and neither one of them ended up being CLOSE to being the best at LW.

This shit is alot harder than people give it credit for.

Yeah, I've rolled with people who were pretty average MMA fighters by bigger league standards and they're fucking awesome.