Does Stipe have the worst striking defense out of any current UFC champion

[MichaelT]

To me those punches from DC always looked so weak, I was never surprised that Stipe wasn't dodging them, they looked like the type of punches you could just walk through

 

[drbolony]

Conventional head movement and defense doesn't work against someone who uses a mummy guard in the way Cormier did.

Stipe is a good MMA boxer.

I'd say Kamaru Usman has the worst striking defense amongst active UFC champions.

 

[VAfan]

it's not great, but at HW what do you have to compare it with. You'd have trouble naming 3 guys there with even decent head movement. the whole division just sucks.

 

[Joonyer]

Legit head movement against Francis

He does have good head movement, he's just so goddamn fearless about damage he just walks right into the pocket knowing he's going to have to take a shot or two.

I hate it, too, but it's a fistfight. Gotta get after it and get it done. No time for much defense. Stipe definitely wins more of those exchanges than he loses, but there's always a price.

 

[KORMAN]

I don't think his striking defense is terrible, but using Francis as a benchmark for his head movement and defense isn't exactly convincing either. Francis has good technique for 1,2,3 combos, and when that doesn't get the job done his technique flies out the window. Can't knock him too hard, as I have in the past, because for the most part it's worked for him. But he has an amateur boxers mentality, and if he fights anyone with better boxing, ala Stipe or Cormier, that can see what's coming, he's in trouble.

He also tends to lunge in with all out power haymakers, and leaves his chin completely exposed. It's his power that's the equlizer. If he lands clean on you, it's usually resulting in a KO.

 

[Medulla Omoplata]

Khabib's is weird. Looks terrible but it does seem to work so maybe there is a method, or maybe his dominant wrestling takes people so far out of their games that he never has to pay for it.
Usman is stiff as fuck,

 

[spacetime]

We should have stats on getting hit, just as we have strike avoiding

 

[spacetime]

I guarantee you Holyfield got hit more than Stipe

 

[TheItalianStallion]

Jones got boxed up by Reyes despite having a 50 centimeter reach advantage.

 

[Grenades]

We should have stats on getting hit, just as we have strike avoiding

They’re out there, takes some looking on the inter webs though. Can be a little frustrating.