In 2005, Top 3 lightweights were better than the ones in 2021.

Oliveira
Porier
Gathje

vs

Gomi
Sakurai - If you don't know, the only guy to have fought Hughes AND Android Silva.
BJ

I really, truly, wholeheartedly, entirely, undoubtedly believe Gomi would have fucking run through Gaethje and dead him. I really think Gomi runs through Poirier too. I know this won't be popular idea, but in 2005 Gomi, the peak Gomi, was pound for pound best fighter on Sherdog alongside Shogun and Fedor.

And BJ is probably the worst style match up you could write up for someone like Oliveira.



BJ is one thing, but if you've actually rewatched the fights of the other 5 fighters recently, and still sincerely believe Gomi and Sakurai would "run through" Poirier, Gaethje, or even Oliviera, you're fucking insane.

The difference in pace, footwork, feinting, head movement, combinations, variety of attacks, etc. between the 2021 fighters and their 2005 counterparts is very clearly significantly superior in favor of the modern fighters.
 
The expectations for Gomi coming into the UFC were really low, very obvious that poster just looked at wikipedia and saw Gomi's age lol. He had already been beaten couple times in Sengoku (that poster will probably have to wiki what Sengoku is also).



Anyway, as for the question at hand.

I'm not sure if that top 3 is the actual top 3, Sakurai and Olivera you could argue are not top 3.

Sakurai I see more as a welterweight. He beat Shinya Aoki, including when Sakurai was past his prime, but his other great LW wins are against Hansen and Pulver who are smaller than Sakurai.


I think Sakurai loses to all 3 of the 2021 guys.

Gomi and Penn are beast, and I would pick them over Olivera and Porior in competitive fights - but I think Gaethje can take them.

I think Penn is overall the best fighter of the 6, but stylistically matches up poorly with Gaethje.
 
BJ is one thing, but if you actually rewatched the fights of the other 5 fighters recently and sincerely believe Gomi and Sakurai would "run through" Poirier, Gaethje, or even Oliviera, you're fucking insane.

The difference in pace, footwork, feinting, head movement, etc. between the 2021 fighters and their 2005 counterparts is very clearly significant.

Gomi would run through Gaethje and Poirier. Bj would run through Oliveira. Oliveira would always be tough for Gomi, but then again Gomi isn't an easy match up either, Bushido version anyways.

What is Poirier and Gaehtje going to do to Bushido Gomi? I think Gomi hits harder, better chin by far, and good enough wrestling to keep it standing.
 
The expectations for Gomi coming into the UFC were really low, very obvious that poster just looked at wikipedia and saw Gomi's age lol. He had already been beaten couple times in Sengoku (that poster will probably have to wiki what Sengoku is also).



Anyway, as for the question at hand.

I'm not sure if that top 3 is the actual top 3, Sakurai and Olivera you could argue are not top 3.

Sakurai I see more as a welterweight. He beat Shinya Aoki, including when Sakurai was past his prime, but his other great LW wins are against Hansen and Pulver who are smaller than Sakurai.


I think Sakurai loses to all 3 of the 2021 guys.

Gomi and Penn are beast, and I would pick them over Olivera and Porior - but I think Gaethje can take them.

I think Penn is overall the best fighter of the 6, but stylistically matches up poorly with Gaethje.

Gaethje won't outslug Gomi though, which is what he does everytime he wins.
 
Oliveira
Porier
Gathje

vs

Gomi
Sakurai - If you don't know, the only guy to have fought Hughes AND Android Silva.
BJ

I really, truly, wholeheartedly, entirely, undoubtedly believe Gomi would have fucking run through Gaethje and dead him. I really think Gomi runs through Poirier too. I know this won't be popular idea, but in 2005 Gomi, the peak Gomi, was pound for pound best fighter on Sherdog alongside Shogun and Fedor.

And BJ is probably the worst style match up you could write up for someone like Oliveira.
<6>
 
Gaethje won't outslug Gomi though, which is what he does everytime he wins.

Gaethje will have moments of brawling, but it's hard to tell how often it'll be. I'm thinking more of him taking Penn and Gomi into deep water with kicks, bigger size and cardio. He'll also mix in some wrestling here and there, maybe push them against the ropes or cage to disrupt them. At least that 's how I figure.

I'm not sure if Gaethje can be put out cold in the spurts he gets wreckless.

To be fair, the Chandler fight is fresh on my mind where Chandler couldn't hurt him relative to how clean he was hitting and no one has really hurt him since Alvaraez/Justin IIRC which I wasn't paying much attention to the UFC at the time, so I don't have a great understanding of his chin.
 
WickedScratchyCygnet-size_restricted.gif


Prime Sakurai for anyone who missed it.
 
Gaethje will have moments of brawling, but it's hard to tell how often it'll be. I'm thinking more of him taking Penn and Gomi into deep water with kicks, bigger size and cardio. He'll also mix in some wrestling here and there, maybe push them against the ropes or cage to disrupt them. At least that 's how I figure.

I'm not sure if Gaethje can be put out cold in the spurts he gets wreckless.

To be fair, the Chandler fight is fresh on my mind where Chandler couldn't hurt him relative to how clean he was hitting and no one has really hurt him since Alvaraez/Justin IIRC which I wasn't paying much attention to the UFC at the time, so I don't have a great understanding of his chin.

Chandler isn't Gomi. Chandler fought literally nobodies in his entire career. His second best win is Dan Hooker.

If Poirier and Eddie can finish Justin, you know Gomi can.
 
Oliveira
Porier
Gathje

vs

Gomi
Sakurai - If you don't know, the only guy to have fought Hughes AND Android Silva.
BJ

I really, truly, wholeheartedly, entirely, undoubtedly believe Gomi would have fucking run through Gaethje and dead him. I really think Gomi runs through Poirier too. I know this won't be popular idea, but in 2005 Gomi, the peak Gomi, was pound for pound best fighter on Sherdog alongside Shogun and Fedor.

And BJ is probably the worst style match up you could write up for someone like Oliveira.
but, but, but what about the evolution of mma?! is it all a big lie?!
 
Gomi would run through Gaethje and Poirier.

Gomi wouldn't even know how to deal with calf kicks, nor did he ever display the pace/output, footwork, feinting, or combinations Poirier or Gaethje have. He looks absolutely primitive by today's standards, despite being exciting.


What is Poirier and Gaehtje going to do to Bushido Gomi?

Outland him with superior techbique, variety, and pace until he wilts over 5 rounds, if they didn't TKO him before then.

Same goes for Sakurai.
 
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