Have Fighters Really Gotten Better?

[RichyN]

I've been watching some old UFC footage and started wondering: have fighters really gotten better over time?

In the post-USADA era, there's a noticeable decline in explosiveness and athleticism. Sure, skill-wise, fighters might be better, but comparing the two eras isn't straightforward.

Take a look at some of the old fights involving Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes, Georges St-Pierre, and even Jon Jones pre-USADA. You'll notice these guys didn't get tired easily and were much more active than most fighters nowadays. The pace was relentless, and the intensity stayed high throughout the fight.

Then there's the entertainment aspect. Honestly, I don't care if they're on gear or not. If it's allowed or not heavily enforced but makes for better fights, let's fucking go! I miss the days of Ubereem vs. Brock Lesnar. Those fights were like watching titans clash.

And let's not forget the epic wars like Wanderlei Silva vs. Rampage Jackson or the legendary Pride FC days with fighters like Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko Cro Cop. Those bouts were all about raw power, aggression, and a level of excitement that sometimes feels lost in today's more technical, but arguably less thrilling, matchups.

In the end, while modern MMA might be more technical, I can't help but feel nostalgic for the sheer intensity and drama of the older fights. What do you guys think? Have fighters truly evolved, or have we lost something along the way?

 

[Prologue]

The ghost of Andrei Arlovski proves MMA peaked 2010.

 

[Ares Black]

At the very highest levels it hasn't improved significantly, but the average skill level of fighters is astronomically higher than It was back in the day.

The 100th best Middleweight or Welterweight today would be a ranked fighter if he had a time machine, but he wouldn't be a champion in the 21st century.They could probably win an early UFC tournament though.

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

I think the fighters are getting much smarter generally speaking and this can lead to less exciting fights, so the UFC basically reward guys who go out and swing for the fences. So i guess we do miss something as fans as compared to the old wild west days, and the UFC try to make the fights and fighters more exciting.

 

[Chayanne]

if you compare mma fighters now and 15 years ago, yes they are better, they are alltound and master the basic techniques of the major martial arts.

 

[DS66]

I think many of the top fighters from past generations could still have a lot of success in today's MMA landscape. However there's little doubt that the overall talent pool has improved. Fighters are way, way more well rounded now. It wasn't unusual to see a striker who had never been on a BJJ mat or a wrestler with zero striking ability competing in the UFC 15-20 years ago. Nowadays, everyone is cross trained in multiple disciplines. I think the talent and skillset of the guys ranked 10-50 in today's UFC is a lot higher overall than the guys with similar rankings in previous generations.

 

[Fact Checker]

Even from a technical standpoint, the current stable of champions say otherwise:

Pantoja - BJJ specialist/ MM downgrade

O’Malley - one dimensional striker/ industry plant another downgrade

Topuria - so far so good, need a bigger sample size

Islam - Poor man’s Khabib

Belal - would be a journeyman in any other WW era

DDP - sloppy unathletic dude who came up at the right time

Pereira - obviously elite at his one dimension but not well rounded. Remains to be seen

Jones - dude from the old guard

Aspinal - Fights like a golden era HW, probably because he’s been training under his father (who’s a legit OG black belt) since he was a kid. Grew up on that stuff.

 

[RichyN]

Even from a technical standpoint, the current stable of champions say otherwise:

Pantoja - BJJ specialist/ MM downgrade

O’Malley - one dimensional striker/ industry plant another downgrade

Topuria - so far so good, need a bigger sample size

Islam - Poor man’s Khabib

Belal - would be a journeyman in any other WW era

DDP - sloppy unathletic dude who came up at the right time

Pereira - obviously elite at his one dimension but not well rounded. Remains to be seen

Jones - dude from the old guard

Aspinal - Fights like a golden era HW, probably because he’s been training under his father (who’s a legit OG black belt) since he was a kid. Grew up on that stuff.

Facts!

 

[Gamer007]

The advancement of the newer generations will always be exaggerated for marketing purposes. I'd say the average skill of mid-level fighters has risen due to technology and ease of information, any guy off the street can visit a nearby gym or learn basics on Youtube.

Guys get into MMA solely to make money and gtfo now, the actual love for the sport is far less than it used to be. We absolutely aren't getting another generation of savages like the early and mid 2000's, those days are over.


Whatever minor to moderate gain in skill level occurred, we lost in excitement, unpredictability, and authenticity. At the end of the day skills don't make a fighter anyway, it's the will. I'd say plenty of top 10 guys from previous generations would either be champ now or wreck shop in their respective division.

 

[jko1355]

Prime Anderson Silva and GSP would still be champions today the guys they beat are just as good as the guys today or better... Jones is obviously still a champ today in his prime... if you go further back then that it gets weird... Coleman Couture Tito Hughes Big Nog... they are probably average today so yes it evolved but hasn't as much for a while

 

[TheBulge]

These timelines and descriptions don't make any sense, atleast the way the posters here have described them. The early 2010s certainly had all top fighters training heavily in all major disciplines of MMA. Sure you had a few one dimensional fighters but are you gonna act like there weren't any of those around a decade later? There aren't any now?

Hell even some of the champs today are only great at one thing. Look at the state of LHW and MW the past few years. Historically the most well rounded and skilled divisions became striking-heavy divisions, that's how Adesanya and Pereira took over.

If it wasn't for the Russian dominance today, you'd have even less claim that MMA is better now than early-mid 2010s. As grappling has faded in the game today somewhat, it was at its peak back in 2010. Werdum, Maia, Shields, Jacare, Palhares, Jones, not to mention all the D1 wrestlers. Most of the best grapplers fought back then. Even a guy like Anderson who was known as a striker had a dangerous ground game.

The most well rounded fighters we've seen too, their peaks were in that era. GSP, Cruz, TJ Dillashaw, Jones, Edgar, Penn, Rua, Jose Aldo, Cain, Faber, Rockhold I'll even mention MM since some of you like him so much. 2010-2015 was the shit. Never seen anything better.

 

[BJJ4Tone]

These timelines and descriptions don't make any sense, atleast the way the posters here have described them. The early 2010s certainly had all top fighters training heavily in all major disciplines of MMA. Sure you had a few one dimensional fighters but are you gonna act like there weren't any of those around a decade later? There aren't any now?

Hell even some of the champs today are only great at one thing. Look at the state of LHW and MW the past few years. Historically the most well rounded and skilled divisions became striking-heavy divisions, that's how Adesanya and Pereira took over.

If it wasn't for the Russian dominance today, you'd have even less claim that MMA is better now than early-mid 2010s. As grappling has faded in the game today somewhat, it was at its peak back in 2010. Werdum, Maia, Shields, Jacare, Palhares, Jones, not to mention all the D1 wrestlers. Most of the best grapplers fought back then. Even a guy like Anderson who was known as a striker had a dangerous ground game.

The most well rounded fighters we've seen too, their peaks were in that era. GSP, Cruz, TJ Dillashaw, Jones, Edgar, Penn, Rua, Jose Aldo, Cain, Faber, Rockhold I'll even mention MM since some of you like him so much. 2010-2015 was the shit. Never seen anything better.

This was certainly a moment in which all of the champs were all-time greats...
I could ABSOLUTELY be wrong, but I don't see Pantoja, Belal or DDP reaching that status.

 

[Killer Kadoogan]

No. they've figured out the meta-game but skill wise, no.

 

[ArtardFiesta]

They have more skill and their training is dialed in.

You can't compare to pre usada guys as roids makes a huge difference. Those guys did what they did with less skill and retarded training because tehy were juiced.

Put the guys of today on roids now and you won't even think twice about this question.

 

[marvinparsons]

They've got significantly better, on the whole, but the top end guys aren't much more athletic or anything. It isn't night and day.

Things that have improved:
- weight cutting
- gameplanning
- TDD/getting up
- Defensive grappling
- Kicking

Things that aren't much better:
- offensive grappling
- boxing
- overall athleticism
- people with specialized skills (BJJ, kickboxing, judo, whatever)

 

[Neck&Neck]

It’s par for the course, for the diverse inclusive Apex Era

 

[SuperNerd]

Take a look at some of the old fights involving Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes, Georges St-Pierre, and even Jon Jones pre-USADA. You'll notice these guys didn't get tired easily and were much more active than most fighters nowadays

And let's not forget the epic wars like Wanderlei Silva vs. Rampage Jackson or the legendary Pride FC days with fighters like Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko Cro Cop. Those bouts were all about raw power, aggression, and a level of excitement that sometimes feels lost in today's more technical, but arguably less thrilling, matchups.

Drugs.

and more drugs.

 

[Thy]

some have, some havn't?

 

[chinarice]

The best of the late 2000s to early 2010s were just as good as the best fighters in 2024.

Real talk. The only difference now is I'd say on average, there are more solid fighters than before due to MMA getting a lot more popular and bigger.

 

[dipstickjimmy]

The real question is could Slappers from the past compete in today's highly evolved POWER SLAP!!!
Here is an example of how slapping has truly evolved
Early Primal Animal era

NHB era notice the slap from behind

Civilized Era but lacking the organization of rules to make it a sport

Today's high level athletes