Heavyweight might be the weakest it's ever been

[GluttonforPunishment]

This dumb narrative comes up every other day. I think we got it. You dont like the UFC's current HW's. So stop

 

[Psychojoe86]

Number one reason why ufc heavyweight division is weak now is because it doesn’t have have a valid champion. Ngannou was the first legit champion in years, since stipe and Cormier stalled the division for years. Ngannou left the ufc, and Jones, gane, and stipe are in the title picture without earning it.

pavlovic is on a 6 fight winning streak with first round knockouts in each one.

Almeida undefeated in the division and dominating everyone

aspinall destroying everyone save for a crazy injury loss

yet instead of these guys getting title shots and getting the opportunities to showcase themselves as champions, Jones and stipe are in the title picture, where they’ll likely be retiring win or lose. Just like Cormier before that. Guys about to retire shouldn’t be in the title fights

 

[Trabaho]

Everyone sucks. OK let's move on and watch some fights

 

[Sean_wongster_wongmastter]

You cannot tell me the skills in the heavyweight division has not decline after watching this

wow, that fight was not nearly as good as how I remember it 15 years ago. No feints a bunch of naked kicks by Cro Cop.

I did not recall Cro Cop’s guard game being so bad.

 

[colorles]

I just realized there are so many questions about everyone at the top of the division. Either they are unproven in certain areas or they have a glaring weakness.

Jones - looked bad against Santos and Reyes, got a quick sub against a striker. No idea what he looks like standing against other heavyweights or fighters who can grapple.

Stipe - is 40 and hasn't fought in two years. We have no idea how good he is at this point.

These two will fight each other and both retire, leaving us without any answers.

Aspinall - very promising but still fairly unproven, hasn't fought a top 5 guy. Beating Tybura doesn't mean much.

Pavlovich - we really don't know much about him other than he hits hard and ends fights quickly. His ground game is still completely unproven.

Gane - very good striker but with Jones subbing him easily he still needs to show he can hang with grapplers.

Almeida - promising grappler, hasn't shown any striking and hasn't fought anyone relevant.

I feel like Blaydes and Volkov are the only guys near the top that I have a good read on their skill set and they aren't good enough to be champion.

Jones looks much stronger with the extra weight on his body. was moving just fine and nimble againsg

Stipe: good point

Aspinall: good point but clearly well rounded and promising.

Pavlovich: freak athlete. and he does has a proven grappling predigree, the source being his fights in Russia before coming to the UFC. also stuffing Blaydes takedown like a thanksfiving turkey

Gane: good point but still a gazelle of a fighter

Almeida: good point but still very promising

Blaydes and Volkov are both very tough guys and, even if they might not become champion, are still very solid and respected fighters

Tuivasa for all the shit he takes around here is a solid fighter despite his diet and workout regimine consisting of cornbeef, drinking beer from a shoe and fucking ladyboys

Luis is still an explosive and dangerous fighter

Spivak is a solid fighter


that is a solid group of fighters right there

 

[dipstickjimmy]

Bro, there was a time when 40 year old, way past their prime former Pride Hw's dominated the rankings(Werdum, Overeem, Mark hunt, JDS, AA)

Dude JDS is only 39 and never fought in Pride.

 

[nonoob]

The weakest part of the HW division is the so-called "champ".
Pico has shown cowardice toward Francis and the top contenders for the past 3 years plus, except when gifted his paper belt present from Gane.

 

[Pitier of Fools]

Disagree. Even without Jon or Stipe, the division is pretty good relative to what it is historically.

You think the current crop of heavyweights is better than prime JDS, Velasquez, Werdum, Overeem, Bigfoot, Mir, etc.?

 

[Ibm]

it's not so bad. I mean, how would Tim Sylvia, fare against the current crop of HWs?

Prime Tim would have been champ. Dead serious.

 

[Oz.Pride]

MMA HW will never reach its potential unless something drastic causes the pay to double. Athletes that size are much happier throwing a ball through a hoop, smashing homeruns or chasing the QB instead of eating punches.

Only the chasing the QB guys from that list have remotely close to the heart it takes for MMA

 

[Bret 'The Hitman' Hart]

Wanna go back to the Tim Sylvia era?

Historically, it always has been a pretty weak division, but it's better now than it was in the past with a good mix of veterans and promising younger guys imo

 

[kenetics]

You cannot tell me the skills in the heavyweight division has not decline after watching this

This

 

[Glove]

With heavyweights being 260 these days, its a far different style of fighting than the early periods of Nogueira, Filipovic and Emilanenko, who weighed no more than say 225-230. This could afford them to be quicker and more apt to grapple. The latest heavyweight division there is hardly a decent grappler, its basically very heavy handed strikers but at east the latest young fighters have much promise in Pavlovich, Aspinal, Gane and Spivak.

 

[BJJ4Tone]

I'm trying to get a gif Avatar of this image. not sure how I go about doing that.

 

[Deleted member 110072]

I think the issue is much more of the top end of the division is made up of non elite guys these days compared to 10-15 years ago to the degree that "top 10" does not really count for much anymore.

It tends to mean you get rise up to a title shot without ever fighting an elite opponent, we get guys who chew though mid level opponents but come unstuck when the level shifts up.

 

[Private Whatley]

I just realized there are so many questions about everyone at the top of the division. Either they are unproven in certain areas or they have a glaring weakness.

Jones - looked bad against Santos and Reyes, got a quick sub against a striker. No idea what he looks like standing against other heavyweights or fighters who can grapple.

Stipe - is 40 and hasn't fought in two years. We have no idea how good he is at this point.

These two will fight each other and both retire, leaving us without any answers.

Aspinall - very promising but still fairly unproven, hasn't fought a top 5 guy. Beating Tybura doesn't mean much.

Pavlovich - we really don't know much about him other than he hits hard and ends fights quickly. His ground game is still completely unproven.

Gane - very good striker but with Jones subbing him easily he still needs to show he can hang with grapplers.

Almeida - promising grappler, hasn't shown any striking and hasn't fought anyone relevant.

I feel like Blaydes and Volkov are the only guys near the top that I have a good read on their skill set and they aren't good enough to be champion.

Aspinall subbing Volkov in the first round did nothing for you?

 

[William Munny]

good man.

 

[ninja boot]

Only the chasing the QB guys from that list have remotely close to the heart it takes for MMA

tell me you never heard of Bo Jackson without telling me you've never heard of Bo Jackson.

 

[blaseblase]

Aspinall subbing Volkov in the first round did nothing for you?

Doesn't say anything about whether he can stand with Pavlovich, Gane or even Blaydes.

 

[Cowboy Kurt Angle]

Heavyweight died when Werdum won