Max is Only 31, Probably Will Be Champ Again Realistically

[StonedLemur]

Still wouldn’t put money on it until it happens.

I hold on to my delusions in this particular case sir

 

[markg171]

As cool as this KO was, this was a way closer fight than it should've been. As has his last fights against Yair and Allen. Who at least made sense as top contenders unlike Zombie who had been out for 1.5 years.

Max is still #2, but the gap is getting closer. He's going to lose to someone else soon. He's the Whitakker of FW where he just can't beat the champ until someone else comes around.

That said, he needs to move to 155. He's 0-3 against the champ, the cut IMO is too much and affecting him, he's getting older, and he has the frame that he should probably bulk for like 6 months. He'd have been interim champ had he properly moved up. Khabib was always a bad matchup, as is Islam right now, but him vs Charles would've been fire.

Either way. Yeah it's time to move up.

 

[mkt]

All true, but he did almost pop GSPs head off with a kick lol.
I always liked Carlos though, a real good fighter.

Yeah, the one time he really altered his style was against Nick Diaz. It paid off in a way (he got the win) but he took a lot of flak for it. I think he was trying to emulate Josh Thomson's approach against Nate, which was also a boring fight until Josh landed a really hard head kick. Condit was hoping for that opportunity but it never came. Prime Nick was a tough guy to gameplan against if you didn't have strong wrestling (Condit didn't) or a really good leg kicking game. Carlos did the leg kicks but they didn't have much behind them...like he wanted to score points and didn't want to risk a hard counter. But just standing in the pocket and trading with Nick was a very risky strategy, too.

 

[wisdom blows]

“Max is down 13-2 in rounds vs. Volk, but I swear this time he can do it!” - OP, for no particular reason

 

[TommyBikes]

I can’t believe he’s only 31 I feel like I’ve been watching him forever! He also looks like he’s 56

 

[calavera2]

Zombie is a bad gauge for max at this point...not even sure why this fight was made..it was a guaranteed execution

 

[RockyLockridge]

Nah I'm thinking he eventually ages over night and never looks as he once did

 

[Benoitthegr8]

The only definite answer from TKZ vs. Max fight is that Zombie handed the torch to Max as one of my Just Bleed favorites, War Blessed. I’d like to see him get another shot at the title if Top can topple Volk, however in the climate of hematches it’s unlikely that would ever happen unless Volk loses 2x.

 

[StonedLemur]

Yeah, the one time he really altered his style was against Nick Diaz. It paid off in a way (he got the win) but he took a lot of flak for it. I think he was trying to emulate Josh Thomson's approach against Nate, which was also a boring fight until Josh landed a really hard head kick. Condit was hoping for that opportunity but it never came. Prime Nick was a tough guy to gameplan against if you didn't have strong wrestling (Condit didn't) or a really good leg kicking game. Carlos did the leg kicks but they didn't have much behind them...like he wanted to score points and didn't want to risk a hard counter. But just standing in the pocket and trading with Nick was a very risky strategy, too.

That fight against Diaz disappointed me too tbh.
The fact that he wanted to score points rather than go to war says a lot about how much he respected Nick.

He was a fun fighter to watch though.

 

[mkt]

That fight against Diaz disappointed me too tbh.
The fact that he wanted to score points rather than go to war says a lot about how much he respected Nick.

He was a fun fighter to watch though.

Yep. I'd probably favor Nick if Condit chose to throw down and have a war. He was very hard to finish and could throw high volume punches for 5 straight rounds. Of course Condit would have a chance, though. It's too bad we didn't see Nick against more top WW strikers in his prime years. He spent most of them in Strikeforce. His only real challenge there was Paul Daley. I'm sure Condit saw that fight and saw that even a hurt, wobbly Nick was very dangerous. Nick vs. Lawler around 2013-14 would've been a great fight and more competitive than their earlier or later fights. I really don't know whom I'd pick as Robby was on fire when he first came to the UFC (unlike Strikeforce when he seemed unmotivated in some fights).

 

[theleerygoose]

Max has taken more headshots than any other mma fighter ever. His career is almost over.

 

[VAfan]

he's got a ton of miles on him at this point. he just KOed an old retiring guy who rushed at him like a drunken bum, i don't know if that makes him a shoo-in for volk's replacement. although i admit he still looks pretty sharp.

 

[Shoguns Prodigy**]

Condits chin held up, and he fought in kickboxing before MMA sir.

Sir condit is not Holloway vice versa. Mma life is like Braden shaub, you never know when you gona get knocked out.

 

[StonedLemur]

Sir condit is not Holloway vice versa. Mma life is like Braden shaub, you never know when you gona get knocked out.

That Schaub dig should be preserved in gold sir lol.

 

[Kb7]

He could be 145 isn’t a stacked division but max is an ancient 31.
Zombie is ancient in fight years and hasn’t looked good for many years. Ortega looked like Roy jones jr against kz.
Nd I don’t think max looked great yesterday b even Allen. He’s at the top by circumstance. Not because he’s a great fighter.

And what circumstances is that? He's beating everyone not name Volkanovski. If you're sticking with 145 isn't stacked division then Volkanovski isn't great fighter either.

 

[Rationality]

His win over Rodriguez shows he's still got it.

 

[NoSmilez]

He is just in a bad spot. He is kind of in that Jon Fitch realm. Eventually some up and comer will catch him. Max might be young but he is old in terms of competition age.

 

[StonedLemur]

Yep. I'd probably favor Nick if Condit chose to throw down and have a war. He was very hard to finish and could throw high volume punches for 5 straight rounds. Of course Condit would have a chance, though. It's too bad we didn't see Nick against more top WW strikers in his prime years. He spent most of them in Strikeforce. His only real challenge there was Paul Daley. I'm sure Condit saw that fight and saw that even a hurt, wobbly Nick was very dangerous. Nick vs. Lawler around 2013-14 would've been a great fight and more competitive than their earlier or later fights. I really don't know whom I'd pick as Robby was on fire when he first came to the UFC (unlike Strikeforce when he seemed unmotivated in some fights).

Lawler is another favorite of mine, him and Nick when Robbie came back to the UFC would've been violence for sure.

Carlos knew how dangerous Nick was and played his hand the way he seen fit, but would've loved to see a war between them.

That Diaz vs Daley fight though, that shit was fuckin chaos from beginning to end.
Nick was so dangerous at that point.
He'll always be a what if to me.

He had a lot of skill, a ton of heart, and he was straight up mean when the bell rang.
Jon Jones can pop for steroids a million times, but Nick gets 5 years for weed smh.

 

[Oeshon]

31 isn't young for light weight classes. 31 is young for heavyweights but not featherweights. He could drop off fight now.

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

He has been in quite a few wars.
It’s only a matter of time before the rest of the division catches up.
His main problem is that he was beaten soundly in his last fight with the champ.

Also, are you really trying to tell someone else what type of arguments that they’re allowed make?
Is that something that you do in real life?
Does it work?



So one instance must obviously disprove the entire thesis.

it wasn't one instance though. he's literally beat 3 of the last 4 title contenders, 2 of them he beat within 3 fights of them getting their title shot AFTER losing to him. the only reason he hasn't beaten 4 out of the last 4 contenders is because he's the other contender who last fought for the title and the UFC stupidly made Allen fight Max before he could fight Volk.

unless Ilia can sleep him i don't see anyone but maybe Giga being able to beat Max at 145lbs. in striking he's weak to outside fighters who have good footwork, and people who can kick. Giga is the only one who fits that bill. Ilia will just walk into the pocket and try to bomb him out and that's what Max wants. someone who will stand in front of him. on the grappling side is there anybody even remotely good enough to pressure Max like that? i don't see it right now.

of course you're right. eventually you're always right because the majority of fighters will fight passed their expiration date but i just don't see the matchups barring freak KOs there that can give him problems, on paper, and he hasn't really diminished a ton skillwise or physically.