"Mixed martial arts is a young man's game" - Dana White

[krelianx]

It wont take long before champions over 32 become rarer and rarer.

 

[theincognito]

mma fighters first start training very late, around age 25-30. unlike other sports where athletes start training when they are kids.

Not anymore besides the notable exception of Cormier. Most of today's fighters started in their late teens - early 20s.

 

[Kertol]

Your prime years are from 25-35, and you'll likely be your strongest at 32-35. A 21 year old is physically and mentally still a kid.

WTF you talking about. I was fully developed at 16 along with most of my male friends. I was grappling with grown men at 16 and even throwing some of them around.

21 is a grown man by any way you look at it. Most people look very similar at 21 as they will at 31.

 

[acannxr]

What do you think Sherdog?

I already ran the numbers on fighter age (see signature):

 

[Willek]

Lol @ believing anything dana says.

UFC will be neck and neck with soccer by 2020.

 

[Kertol]

A man looks his best between 32-35.
Rockhold got his POLO thing then.
Jouban
Beckham
Pitt
Gosling
Cooper

etc

In terms of athletics, they lose their speed around 30. Stamina is different but explosiveness they go downhill by 30. We have seen in in Ronaldo and Messi. Strength is the last to go.

I'd say the prime of MMA fighter is 28-35. Just because you don't need to sprint and run a lot. As long as ur reflexes stay sharp

All those guys you listed probably looked better when they were younger. Rockhold, Pitt, Depp, Beckham. These guys are celebrities yet still don't look as good once they hit their 30s. That should say something about the average man.

Prime age for picking up chicks in the club is like 23-25. You'll have the experience of picking up chicks by that age and understanding how the female brain works, you still look young enough after shaving to get the hot 19 year olds who aren't attracted to older looking men, and at the same time you look old enough after growing your facial hair to smash the hot 30 year olds looking for a good time.

 

[Lone Wolf]

All those guys you listed probably looked better when they were younger. Rockhold, Pitt, Depp, Beckham. These guys are celebrities yet still don't look as good once they hit their 30s. That should say something about the average man.

Prime age for picking up chicks in the club is like 23-25. You'll have the experience of picking up chicks by that age and understanding how the female brain works, you still look young enough after shaving to get the hot 19 year olds who aren't attracted to older looking men, and at the same time you look old enough after growing your facial hair to smash the hot 30 year olds looking for a good time.

LOL. Google Rockhold when in Strikeforce. No beard babyface.

Brad Pitt was over 30 in Fight CLub almost 40 in Troy.

Just look here brah.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_(magazine)#Sexiest_Man_Alive

 

[Fraz]

Thats why there's so many 35-40 year olds at the top of divisions

 

[tasticles]

Back in the 1960s-70s when you were 33 you were an old man on his eve of retirement when it comes to pro sports.

without supplements and using retarded training methods it is at the end of the line. It still is for some that haven't caught on. i think 30-39 is still young enough if your body isn't beat to shit but for most it is by then.

 

[tasticles]

LOL. Google Rockhold when in Strikeforce. No beard babyface.

Brad Pitt was over 30 in Fight CLub almost 40 in Troy.

Just look here brah.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_(magazine)#Sexiest_Man_Alive

if you've taken good care of yourself your 30s are easily your best years in attracting women. You have a deep pool to select from at this point. Young enough to still attract a lot of young ones but old enough to attract older ones, plus those your own age.

 

[Gatti111]

I was born on the same day as TJ Dillashaw. How many of you kunts can say you share a birthday with a UFC champ?

 

[tasticles]

I was born on the same day as TJ Dillashaw. How many of you kunts can say you share a birthday with a UFC champ?

I was born the same day as Diego Sanchez and that makes me feel special.

 

[shino]

Isn't Ngannou like 40 or sumthin?

 

[MescalineDreams]

But is it really?

Flyweight: Henry Cejudo (31 years old); Demetrious Johnson (32 years old)
Bantamweight: TJ Dillashaw (32 years old); Dominick Cruz (33 years old)
Featherweight: Max Holloway (26 years old); Brian Ortega (27 years old)
Lightweight: Khabib Nurmagomedov (29 years old); Conor McGregor (30 years old); Tony Ferguson (34 years old)
Welterweight: Tyron Woodley (36 years old); Colby Covington (30 years old)
Middleweight: Robert Whittaker (27 years old); Yoel Romero (41 years old)
Light Heavyweight: Daniel Cormier (39 years old); Alexander Gustafsson (31 years old)
Heavyweight: Daniel Cormier (39 years old); Stipe Miocic (36 years old)

Outside of a few fighters, the majority of UFC Champions or #1 contenders are over 30 with the average age being 33. I think Dana might be wrong again.

With all of that being said, which under-30 contender are you most excited about?

- Darren Till (25 years old)
- Kevin Lee (25 years old)
- Paulo Costa (27 years old)
- Zabit Magomedsharipov (27 years old)
- Curtis Blaydes (27 years old)
- Volkan Oezdemir (28 years old)
- Renato Moicano (29 years old)
- Israel Adesanya (29 years old)

I think it's Darren Till.

Sure, the guy is probably a natural Middleweight but I think he matches up well against Whittaker. The guy already has elite striking. His takedown defense is still relatively unknown but at 25, he has YEARS to work on his wrestling.

My second choice would be Zabit Magomedsharipov. So far he looks as good as advertised but I am very curious to see how he fares against top-level competition.

The under-30 contender that I am least high on is Kevin Lee. He's in a stacked division (honestly he'll eventually be forced to move up to Welterweight) and after seeing this, I am not sure he has the chin to stand and trade with the top of that division.

What do you think Sherdog?

Kevin Lee, Darren Till, Whittaker still, Gastelum seems like he's one of those guys that's pretty close to hitting his peak. Israel adesanya. Could see all of them being future champs, other than whittaker of course.

 

[Legendary]

The number tends to be lower at the lighter weight classes and as you go up the average age goes up.

Not many elite 135-145 fighters older then 35, where as the average Top 10 heavyweight is that age.

 

[MRT]

The issue isn't be in your 30s, it's trying to start in your 30s which is why it's a young mans game.

in what other major pro sport can someone start in their 30s and make it to the top (except maybe golf, lol)?

so Dana saying MMA is a 'young man's game' is pointless when it is true of sports, in general.

 

[MescalineDreams]

O yeah I forgot Brian Ortega too.

I think his striking Is very underrated atm, along with obviously very high level jiu jitsu.

and he's fucking massive

can definitely see him being a future champ relatively soon as well

 

[Hester65]

In the grand scheme of things 30-35 isn’t old but you ain’t young either. What’s life expectancy, 70-80 range?

Mma really isn’t a young man’s sport. Olympic weightlifting (or Olympic anything) is a young man’s sport. It’s rare that someone competes into their 30’s at an Olympic level. NFL running backs rarely play into their 30s, too.

There are a lot of factors that make up this equation (the athletes starting age, their past, etc) so making a blanket statement like Dana did is par for the course. It’s not exactly accurate and it’s not exactly wrong all at the same time.

 

[Super Grover]

Compared to other sports MMA is an old man's game.

This. Most sports you are done or on your way down at 30+.

 

[Super Grover]

mma fighters first start training very late, around age 25-30. unlike other sports where athletes start training when they are kids.

Thats because they have to washout of another sport before they turn to MMA.

I love the sport, but MMA is the last resort for alot of athletes Let's not pretend otherwise