First weak era of MMA?

[Kenji Tomiki]

Do you agree? I really think that the talent pool under 23y old is just not what it used to be the past 20 years.

 

[LongTermLurker]

Do you agree? I really think that the talent pool under 23y old is just not what it used to be the past 20 years.

I feel like the talent in mma had always been older than 23. When has the sport now skewed a little older?

 

[ortizgnp]

MMA has never been better skill wise.

 

[Kenji Tomiki]

MMA has never been better skill wise.

I agree but I'm talking about the near future, the next generation doesn't look as talented as the previous ones. I see more hard work, less talent.

 

[mudrubble]

I agree but I'm talking about the near future, the next generation doesn't look as talented as the previous ones.

I disagree. The ranks of young up and comers are full of killers that would annihilate the same pool of fighters of 5, 10 or 20 years ago.

There are literally SOOO many promising young prospects when in the past it's been one or two at a time. Maybe there are so many solid prospects that you're losing sight of them because they're not pushing one or two as hard as they would have in the past??

 

[camelfarmer1]

People are better at everything. They're better defensively and have less easily exploitable holes in their game.

 

[Kenji Tomiki]

I disagree. The ranks of young up and comers are full of killers that would annihilate the same pool of fighters of 5, 10 or 20 years ago.

There are literally SOOO many promising young prospects when in the past it's been one or two at a time. Maybe there are so many solid prospects that you're losing sight of them because they're not pushing one or two as hard as they would have in the past??

More average to good fighters, but less elite fighters IMO. I just don't see the next Fedor, GSP, JBJ or AS in these "prospects".

 

[beephin]

These fighters are more well-rounded and skilled than ever before. Constantly evolving.

 

[raconnor]

More average to good fighters, but less elite fighters IMO. I just don't see the next Fedor, GSP, JBJ or AS in these "prospects".

lol. so unless they're as good as 4 of the greatest of all time by the age of 23, they just make up a weak era? what are you even going on about in this thread....

 

[AceCooch]

I completely disagree with this...

The young fighters now would kill the young fighters back then, its because the fighters who are older than 25 have more experience at a much higher level, and so its much harder to be 22 years old and be the best. This is why JBJ is such an incredible story.

 

[eiyuu]

Yeah it was much better when we had fights like Ranger Stott vs Mark Kerr, LA Giant vs Sergei Kharitonov.

 

[BRASIL WAND]

MMA has never been better skill wise.

Idk man the prospects and young talent pool was so much deeper back around 08-10...



JDS, Jones, Aldo, Mendes, Rockhold, KZ, Mendes, Rory, etc all under 23.


Top Flight Prospects aren't coming around as often as they used too.

 

[sllimkcaj]

Completely disagree when you have two young stars in the making headlining the card this weekend.

 

[mudrubble]

More average to good fighters, but less elite fighters IMO. I just don't see the next Fedor, GSP, JBJ or AS in these "prospects".

Those four came up at a time when the playing field was not as robust as it is now, so it was easier to stand out. IMO a young Anderson wouldn't be shining as much today as he would have been when the general level was lower. Who knows how many Andersons or GSPs we have? At 23, neither Anderson nor GSP were guaranteed to go where they went.

There are a number of young fighters currently fighting who are just as poised as Anderson or GSP were at 23. Just now they are more the rule and less the exception.

 

[mudrubble]

Idk man the prospects and young talent pool was so much deeper back around 08-10...



JDS, Jones, Aldo, Mendes, Rockhold, KZ, Mendes, Rory, etc all under 23.


Top Flight Prospects aren't coming around as often as they used too.

I hear that but to me only Jones, Aldo, Rockhold went on to become champions eventually. I'm CERTAIN we have way more than 3 fighters under 23 who will go on to become champions eventually. It's just that the older guys are much better so these young guys have to wait longer to shine.

 

[mudrubble]

You guys are looking for a "future GOAT" test.

But the only such test is "time".

You'd have to check back in in 10 years and see who, among the young guys fighting now, took that path in life. No way to predict now anymore than there ever was. Other than Jones, who else did we know at 23 would eventually be a GOAT?

 

[B-Man]

Men seems to hit their prime at around 30 so it would make sense that most top fighters are in their early thirties. Young phenoms coming in and dominating will always be incredibly rare.

 

[Kelman]

Do you agree? I really think that the talent pool under 23y old is just not what it used to be the past 20 years.

Some divisions are weak in this way (ie 185 & 205) but that doesnt make it a weak era. Rarely will you ever get a time that all classes are vibrant.

 

[Torrid]

I don't know about that exact age range, but the up and comers look fucking fierce to me below 205lbs.

Almeida, Rivera, Gabrandt, Holloway, Chiesa, Dariush, Brooks, Magomedov, Gunnar, Magny, Whittaker, etc. There's a lot of talented guys moving their way up the ranks.

205lbs needs a shot in the arm though, because after the top 5 it drops off severely.

 

[BRASIL WAND]

I hear that but to me only Jones, Aldo, Rockhold went on to become champions eventually. I'm CERTAIN we have way more than 3 fighters under 23 who will go on to become champions eventually. It's just that the older guys are much better so these young guys have to wait longer to shine.

Yeah that's true, BUT I was referring to "Can't miss" prospects.

You looked at freak athletes like Jones and Aldo before they were champions and YOU KNEW they would eventually be champions with little resistance. It was just a matter of time.

Guys like Rory and Mendes are still young, they can turn things around. Rory still has upside and Mendes could drop to BW and wreak havoc there.

The closest thing we have now are guys like Almeida, Garbrandt, Ngannou(young for his division), etc who are phenomenal prospects BUT far from "Can't miss".