How much does beating a fighter before their prime count?

[Miokink026]

this discussion of prime is laughable because people here are not nearly skilled or even smart enough to know how to define such things. kowboyMMA defined past prime so well...

 

[IBeLurkin]

I don't think it means anything to have beaten a man before he becomes a completely new version of himself.

I don't think it means a ton, but it definitely means something.

A guy who has dedicated his life to being a professional fighter and is in his early 20s is a scary dude. If that guy then turns out to be an amazing fighter a few years later, that's a huge win for the guy that beat him.

Fighters can improve their skills and learn with experience, but they can't get younger and remove damage/injuries. Beating a great fighter when they're at/near their athletic prime is a huge accomplishment, and definitely counts.

That's why there's so few guys who have done it in the first place. It's not like you see many amazing fighters with a bunch of losses from the beginning of their career.