Marvin Vettori being a top 5 MW for 5 years and got a title shot shows how HORRIFIC that era of MW was when Izzy and Rob were the top dawgs

[chinarice]

We ignoring excitement, finishes, and memorable moments? Max is in a different universe when it comes to this human cockfighting shit.

What is Marvin's capstone performance? I'm not being rude, I cannot think of a single fight related thing. Marv has some memorable times for sure. Just not while fighting.

Are you denying 2 of Max's greatest attributes are not his chin and cardio?

 

[evergreenrider]

Are you denying 2 of Max's greatest attributes are not his chin and cardio?

Just a weird way to throw shade at one of the greats of the sport. Comparing him to an ogre with an anvil for a head is strange. Sure, those are a few of Max's stellar attributes. Crazy thing is, he actually knows how to use them to his advantage.

 

[wwkirk]

What is Marvin's capstone performance? I'm not being rude, I cannot think of a single fight related thing.

His most notable performance was probably his UD over Costa. People were pissed at Costa at the time because he came in considerably overweight. Vettori blew off the weight difference and managed to out-tough him.

That's it. I think that's the one fight where he got a lot of cheers.

 

[evergreenrider]

His most notable performance was probably his UD over Costa. People were pissed at Costa at the time because he came in considerably overweight. Vettori blew off the weight difference and managed to out-tough him.

That's it. I think that's the one fight where he got a lot of cheers.

A fighter better known for backwards shorts and missing cups, who's greatest achievement inside the octagon is a UD over an overweight opponent. UFC, only the best.

 

[maximus__]

Jacare was 40, unranked and washed. He also had COVID from the first wave IIRC he was the 1st UFC fighter to be diagnosed with it. Point is beating 2020 COVID Jacare means nothing. Muniz snapped his arm with a armbar months later.

Hollands only good win @ MW was a meme 20 second KO against Fluffy who wasn't near the fighter he is now. Markus Perez was also finishing Fluffy back then. His other good win was probably a SD against journeyman GM3.... Who swas robbed of the decision.

MW Holland was simply not that good. And yet he was ranked back then and a win over him got Marvin a title shot.

Holland was ranked for the same reason Hernandez is now. He was beating decent opponents and progressively working his way up the rankings. He won 5 fights that year culminating in the win over Jacare. He did 3 years worth of work with a signature ko off his back. The hype was massive at that time for him, which is why he was ranked.

Sure he isn't a champ level fighter, but he still is beating non ranked guys when he fights them.

You can do that to anyones career. Doesn't change the fact that he was beating those guys when they were still decent wins.

 

[ExitLUPin]

I think you're exaggerating a bit, my friend. Middleweight has never really been that deep, even going back to the days of Dave Menne. Don’t get me wrong—at any given time, the division had two or three really good fighters besides the champ, but it was mostly filled with guys coming up from 170 or down from 205. It never had the depth of lightweight or welterweight. That said, one big advantage middleweight had was that its big names stuck around for a long time, even if they bounced between weight classes—guys like Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson, Vitor Belfort, and Bustamante.

MW after Strikeforce merge might have been the deepest division in the UFC.... That period was STACKED and best MW has ever been by far

Prime Chris
Prime Luke
Prime Yoel
Prime Jacare
Prime Kennedy
Lyoto droppin down
Prime Moose Saucy
TRT Vitor
Bisping

Past prime Anderson who was still legit he went to a 29-28 FOTN with prime Izzy and beat Brunson

Munoz
Rob Whittaker climbing ranks
Brunson
Branch
Phillipou

Brunson wasn't even a top 10 guy in that era and then we saw a 39yo Brunson be top 5 and in title eliminator with Cannoneer who he almost finished in Izzy and Rob era

 

[ExitLUPin]

I said it for years... that being said this current era is even worse.

The previous era is merely phasing out due to age and mileage, allowing even less impressive fighters to rise to the top.

Yes read that right. The current era is even worse

No it's not.

Dricus, Khamzat, Caio, Imavov, Sean is a much stronger top 5 than Izzy and Rob era ever had. And MW division is far deeper now when you get out of the top 10 to unranked MW talents now. Fluffy, Roman, Brendan, Bo, Pyfer, Kopylov, Robocop, Iron Turtle, Bruno, Aliskerov, Malkoun, Reinier.

In that Izzy and Rob era we had to pretend Edmen fucking Shahbazyan was the next big thing and universally regarded as best MW prospect LMAO boi stop it 2025 is WAY better.

 

[Tweak896]

I always was sus about guys like Costa, Vettori, and Cannonier holding top rankings. Especially Vettori I would get chewed out for saying how bad the MW rankings are. He's kind of like Roy Nelson with no KO power and more cardio. Either father time has come or they are finally getting exposed. I'm just glad new blood has come.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

I think this current crop of MW is the worst the division has had in 20 years.
Imavov, who was written off as a seriously contender a few years ago, is somehow now a top 5 fighter.
Imavov being in the top 5 is a reflection of the division getting worse not Imavov getting better.

 

[burningspear]

MW has always been weak, LW is actually MW.

 

[ExitLUPin]

I think this current crop of MW is the worst the division has had in 20 years.
Imavov, who was written off as a seriously contender a few years ago, is somehow now a top 5 fighter.
Imavov being in the top 5 is a reflection of the division getting worse not Imavov getting better.

Imavov wasn't even his prime years ago that's why. Did you miss him just STARCHING Izzy? He got in UFC during COVID WTF do you mean written off as a contender years ago? He got in UFC in 2020 with 10 fights to his name. He was a prospect WTF are you talking about lol. He and only cleanly lost to LHW Sean since in a short notice fight.

Edmen was the best MW prospect and top 10 ranked during the last MW era. He was supposed to be the next big thing and Imavov ran through him. As did others there are way better talents than Edmen now.

 

[ExitLUPin]

I always was sus about guys like Costa, Vettori, and Cannonier holding top rankings. Especially Vettori I would get chewed out for saying how bad the MW rankings are. He's kind of like Roy Nelson with no KO power and more cardio. Either father time has come or they are finally getting exposed. I'm just glad new blood has come.

Mostly agree but Cannonier is legit IMO he was the 3rd best MW of that 2019-2023 era behind Izzy and Rob. I think he's a tough out for a lot of MWs historically and he's defied age.

 

[Tweak896]

Mostly agree but Cannonier is legit IMO he was the 3rd best MW of that 2019-2023 era behind Izzy and Rob. I think he's a tough out for a lot of MWs historically and he's defied age.

True I hesitate bringing him up, but fact is he came to MMA late without real background. He's done much better than the other guys, but still I would say he's old and lacks technical skills. Shocked he beat Robocop especially at his age.

Before this Izzy/Whittaker era we had a stacked division with Silva, Weidman, Machida, Belfort, Souza, and others. Hoping a new generation takes its place.

 

[pankrat]

You don't watch much MMA if you think Marvin is a top 20 rank guy in another era.

He matches up well against Okami, Evan Tanner, Rich Franklin, Patrick Cote, and other good-but-not-the best fighters at MW.

Tanner is from the old-school era, of course Vettori matches up well against him.
Cote was never top5 even if he got tittle shots as injury replacement.
Franklin and Okami would be tough ones, I think those are close competitive fights. They fought in a tittle eliminator almost 20 years ago though.
I think large majority of top5ers at MW since Strikeforce merge are favoured to beat Vettori

 

[pankrat]

Marvin being top 5 for years and getting a title shot shows how garbage that era of MW was. He is not good at anything striking or grappling, mid athlete, one of the worst finishers of all time I think his last one was during the Obama administration. Roman won the 1st fight too should have had it 29-28. Rob beat the piss out of him. Cannonier pushing 40 recorded the most significant strikes landed in a MW fight against him. Roman dominated most of the rematch now. Marvin's last CLEAN win was fucking Paulo Costa in 2021 LMAO.

He just has one of the best chins ever he is tough as shit but that's literally it no power, no speed, no technique.

A Marvin Vettori is a top 15-20 ranked guy AT BEST in any half decent division. Fact that he was top 5 for years shows how HORRENDOUS that era of MW was.

Now we finally have the MW division BACK.

Dricus, Khamzat, Imavov, Caio, Sean, Fluffy, Roman, Brendan, Bo, Pyfer, Kopylov, Robocop, Iron Turtle, Bruno, Aliskerov, Malkoun.

Izzy and Rob were great in their prime and the top 2 by far but their era of MW was dogshit with the talent they competed against. They wouldn't have had near the same success with this crop of MW talent. Izzy already getting rekt left and right don't be surprised if same happens to Rob. There are no more Marvins or Costas to pad their record against.

Costa and Hermansson are legit wins for a MW, at any era.
He wasnt really top5 material I agree but he was better than you make him out to be.
Great pace and chin, serviceable boxing and takedowns with solid TDD and ground game.