Name a fighter that has a lot of popularity but not as much talent

[StonedLemur]

Very good, sir.

I thought so too sir lol.

 

[JakePaulMMA]

Now that I think of it, I also don't think I know any rosas fans
I think I confused hype and push from the ufc with popularity

Cha-wee-wee!

Future of the sport

 

[ChosenOne]

Brock Lesnar is the epitome of this, when it comes to MMA talent, which includes ability to fight when you cannot just dominate your opponents.

 

[RedMountain]

jonny walker

 

[Luckyme]

Brock Lesnar is the epitome of this, when it comes to MMA talent, which includes ability to fight when you cannot just dominate your opponents.

Considering he won the HW title in only his 4th pro MMA fight and went on to defend it twice, I'd say he was pretty talented at least by HW standards.

 

[Urluberluu]

MVP
Costa
Lewis
Pimblett

 

[SalvadorAllende]

lol at all you noobs saying Nate Diaz. Won his season of TUF. Beat Gomi, Cerrone, and Miller back to back to back. Fourth most submission wins in UFC history. Fifth most strikes landed in UFC history. Y'all just mad because he beat one of your favorite fighters.

Still shat the bed anytime he got a step up in competition.

 

[ChosenOne]

Considering he won the HW title in only his 4th pro MMA fight and went on to defend it twice, I'd say he was pretty talented at least by HW standards.

Brock was amazing talent in his main strength area of top control wrestling and GnP. I give him full credit for that. He also seemed capable of learning BJJ (defense) quite well.

But there is a thing in fighting called 'getting exposed' and it is not myth or hype.

Houston Alexander, if given the right 4 fight path to championship, with the right Champ in place at the time, could arguably have been champ before his weakness was exposed. Once Houston was exposed he instantly became a D level fighter from the A some where surmising him to be.

Many guys who quit before your weakness is exposed do not quit after, which is exemplified by Conor/Poirier. No matter how much Conor hammers him (any top fighter) early, Poirier know he just has to survive, eat the beating and Connor will gas and he will win.

That was Brock. ONce it was realized that all any top fighter had to do was land one good punch on Brock's face and his entire fight falls apart he was never going to win consistently again, other than fights he could dominate and avoid that hit from beginning to end.

Had Brock not had the shortcut path to the Title, and instead was forced, like any other knew to MMA HW, to go thru a gauntlet of different fighters all with different styles, Brock would have been exposed far earlier, imo. I think he does not even make it in to the Top 10 as he just would not consistently win.

 

[Local Plata]

Colby, Chael, McGregor

 

[YSB]

Molly McCann
Paulo Costa
Tai Tuivasa
Stamp Fairtex
Stephen Thompson
Paige VanZant
Alex Oliveira
Michael Johnson
Jorge Masvidal
Jorge Masvidal
Jorge Masvidal
Jorge Masvidal
Jorge Masvidal

 

[FlowchartRog]

Prime Nate was very talented

Holland

How did these 2 get banned?

 

[FlowchartRog]

Still shat the bed anytime he got a step up in competition.

Nate's popularity probably does exceed his talent/skill yeah, but he's nowhere near scrubby enough to fit this category.

He beat a prime Pillowfists McGregory on short notice, who would at least go on to become a 2 weight champ. As overrated as he was, it was a great win for Nate. He also did surprisingly well against the current WW champ.

If Nate had taken his career/training more seriously, not fucked around as much in fights, I think he had the combined ability/toughness to have a better career than he did.

Paddy is the perfect example of this. A fairly legit level of popularity for basically no reason at all. Minimal skill/talent, no good wins.

O'Malley used to fit this bill, but he's somehow morphed into a legit elite fighter in the UFC.

 

[Tchernobog]

Nate is the poster boy for this topic

Also Shael

 

[Gigacardio]

Roxanne Modafferi
Leslie Smith
Angela Hill

 

[filthybliss]

Colby Covington comes to mind

he had cardio for days tho, he was never the best in the division but definetely a lock for top 3 at a point

 

[filthybliss]

Nate is the poster boy for this topic

Also Shael

Chael would be champ if Bisping managed to. He just left/peaked at the wrong time.

 

[justmark]

Holland

Rest in piss, KOPPE.

 

[Rationality]

Brock was also a D1 wrestling champion so saying he had very little talent is ridiculous. Now back to the topic at hand:

Sorry but Korean Zombie.
Diego Sanchez.
Miesha (sorry)
Cowboy Cerrone
Clay Guida
Mike Perry at one time was popular on these boards

 

[Doctor Grudge]

Still shat the bed anytime he got a step up in competition.

Conor McGregor was a step in competition for him...he was literally the champion.

 

[Neck&Neck]

Ngannou