Jon is an old lion now and we need to accept that...

[Cold187um]

Nope, we all know he lost therefore he is a can. Garbage, never beat nobody, fought bums..........just like that Fedor guy

 

[SG123]

How would you differentiate the effects of aging/wear-and-tear vs. missing PEDs?

Jones has fought 70 rounds in the UFC. That's roughly the equivalent of 23 "regular" MMA fights.

And been training for five-round fights (compared to three) for nearly a decade.

How many MMA greats have had periods of dominance at the absolute top for close to a decade?

Fedor: 2003 to 2009/2010
GSP: 2006ish to 2013
Anderson: 2007ish to 2013
Aldo: 2009ish to 2014

He's had a longggggg run. He just started it way earlier than most. He might have an advantage in terms of fight years because he started his run so young...but a decline is perfectly predictable, PEDs or not.

Jon hasn’t taken much damage in his fight career and is still pretty young. He trains sensibly too, it’s not like he’s at Chute Box. Granted the miles still add up, but there isn’t much delineation needed, when he’s not been using he’s generally looked an inferior fighter; latifi & post DC 2.

There’s a chance it’s just a coincidence, but I’d wager that coming off substances that enable you to train at superhuman levels is the key factor rather than age.

He would have still been successful without PEDs, but the extreme heights he hit were a product of cheating.

 

[boingyman]

I agree to an extent as every fighters longevity in this sport is different so it's difficult to gauge, however I think because he was already so far ahead of the pack and has very little weaknesses he is still a formidable champ. Plus the LHW division isn't the most stacked division. He already took out DC, who was a top tier opponent. The only good matchup we never got to see was against Rumble, but even then Jones would be a strong favorite. Despite the peds and issues outside the cage he is definitely one of the GOATs.

 

[Intellidamus]

I’d say with his fights seeming to be getting closer and closer and finally getting off (or cutting back) on the gear, it’s gonna be sooner than later that we see an official loss.
*Hamill fight not included

 

[PalmStrike]

He ran because he was gassed, what part don't you understand?

Unacceptable.

 

[kalabula]

32 isn't old at all, look at Yoel Romero. But I think the issue is that now that he's coming off all the steroids he was using to get those wins early in his career. That's really hard on the body, especially when you've been using for multiple years.

It’s not so much trips around the sun as it is mileage in the ring and fight camps. He’s got a lot of both.

 

[BForrester]

Yep, nothing special.

Just 4-0 since he KOed DC and just handed a LHW destroyer his first loss ever.

You probably just don't like black people bro.

Funny, when I look at his record against DC, he has a decision win and a No Contest...I don't see a KO anywhere...

 

[PalmStrike]

Reyes absolutely did not do enough in 3 rounds to run while gassed and do very little in the championship rounds and take home a belt. Jones has been hurt much worse than anything Reyes did. You are vastly exaggerating his "hurt"

Maybe but this is the only fight, other than Gus 1 and Vitors armbar where I was worried for Jon.

Midway through the 3rd I was saying to myself...Fuqq, Jons losing this fight on the cards and im not sure he can finish this dude.

Reyes gave the fight away in the championship rounds...he could have bit down on the mouthpiece and stood his ground in the 5th, at least.

Jon wasn't gonna finish him.

 

[BForrester]

Hmm...32 is "old" now. In most sports they say 27 - 33 is your physical prime...

 

[KlLLEmAll]

What you're seeing is the same Jones, but the difference is Reyes was constantly moving around and making it difficult for Jones to land.

 

[FlyingDeathKick]

32 isn't old at all, look at Yoel Romero. But I think the issue is that now that he's coming off all the steroids he was using to get those wins early in his career. That's really hard on the body, especially when you've been using for multiple years.

Has Romero had 15 title fights though? Can you imagine somebody like Max Holloway for example still going strong at 42? Romero hasn't been fighting at the highest level for very long. Aldo isn't that old either but he's going downhill as well.

 

[Al Stone]

Maybe but this is the only fight, other than Gus 1 and Vitors armbar where I was worried for Jon.

Midway through the 3rd I was saying to myself...Fuqq, Jons losing this fight on the cards and im not sure he can finish this dude.

Reyes gave the fight away in the championship rounds...he could have bit down on the mouthpiece and stood his ground in the 5th, at least.

Jon wasn't gonna finish him.

I thought the same thing. I rewatched the fight in detail round for round and Round 2 had nothing significant and Jon all but dictated the pace for the majority. It truly was a toss up round. In 100% of cases toss up rounds in championship fights should go to the champ imho

 

[ReadWrite]

Jones isn't a boxer. We have to accept that.

 

[TheViking]

I only think Rumble can KO jones.

 

[kenetics]

Unacceptable.

I agree but meh.

 

[Superzorro]

Seems much likelier that his recent performances are a result of him being forced off PEDs. Nobody has attempted to do anything different when fighting Jon, he just looks like he’s missing a little something extra. Which we know he is,

So was he off of steroids for the first Gustafsson fight? I think that’s just what you rather believe. In reality, Thiago Santos and Dominick Reyes— even Anthony Smith threw different combos and employed different strategies than any of Jon’s previous opponents. Steriods aren’t the difference between them being able to land on Jon or not land on Jon.

 

[Superzorro]

Reyes absolutely did not do enough in 3 rounds to run while gassed and do very little in the championship rounds and take home a belt. Jones has been hurt much worse than anything Reyes did. You are vastly exaggerating his "hurt"

Yeah I don’t get the uproar. Conor was a coward for running from Nate in the championship rounds. Now Reyes gets to win a belt off of it? Sorry, even if I did happen to think Reyes edged it on the scorecards— in order for me to think someone is deserving of a belt in a tough fight like this, I’m gonna’ have to see them dig deep and show that they really want it. Not say “oh well I won this game of tag, so I’ll just take my ball home,” ie coast. It’s why I had zero sympathy for Hendricks. He thought he had it in the bag so he stopped trying.

 

[Al Stone]

Yeah I don’t get the uproar. Conor was a coward for running from Nate in the championship rounds. Now Reyes gets to win a belt off of it? Sorry, even if I did happen to think Reyes edged it on the scorecards— in order for me to think someone is deserving of a belt in a tough fight like this, I’m gonna’ have to see them dig deep and show that they really want it. Not say “oh well I won this game of tag, so I’ll just take my ball home,” ie coast. It’s why I had zero sympathy for Hendricks. He thought he had it in the bag so he stopped trying.

At least GSP actually took a beating in his contraversial win. They literally want Reyes to win off rounds that the most spectacular thing was Jones doing the matrix and dodging punches. The rest of the round was uneventful

 

[Superzorro]

At least GSP actually took a beating in his contraversial win. They literally want Reyes to win off rounds that the most spectacular thing was Jones doing the matrix and dodging punches. The rest of the round was uneventful

He didn’t prove to me that he is better than the champion. So personally, I don’t care that he didn’t get the nod. These same people, I wonder what their take on his win over Oezdemir is. I doubt they were saying a judge needed to be fired.

 

[Al Stone]

He didn’t prove to me that he is better than the champion. So personally, I don’t care that he didn’t get the nod. These same people, I wonder what their take on his win over Oezdemir is. I doubt they were saying a judge needed to be fired.

Nothing was proven as far as who was the better fighter. Nothing. My eyes dont deceive and Reyes was on his way out even though Jones got pieced up in the start. One motherfucka was on his way out and it wasnt Jones. How dare anyone demand the belt on Jon Jones and you didnt beat his ass. That shit is preposterous