Maybe you’re seeing my Geist of why I say I don’t subscribe to the whole “out of prime” posts. It’s just people are too quick to jump to that conclusion whenever a fighter losses, it’s always that same old excuse. That’s why I use Aldo as an example, people wrote him off, when in reality he adapted and evolve, exponentially worked in his Boxing and Striking defense as leg injuries hindered him, that’s what great elite fighters do, adapt. That’s why I say Adesanya I don’t think is done, Page is probably done, but his skillset is hard for anyone similar to S.Thompson.
MMA to me isn’t like the NFL where it’s common athletes are done in their early 30’s, I think skillset and fighting style can stand through the later for fighters but that’s dependent on their fighting style, a guy like Gaethje isn’t going to last but fighters like Makhachev l skillsets are ahead of their opponents that the gap in age and decline of physical will not hinder them that much.
Not sure if you watch the NFL, but one of the league running MVP is S.Barkley who plays for the Eagles which is a team going into Superb Owl, was considered washed for a few years now, ACL surgeries and ankle injuries made everyone believe he was done which made a team in NY Giants trade him. This year he’s putting up numbers at HOF level. IMO it’s just circumstances and people are just too quick to count out these athletes without ever giving them a chance based on age and or past performances.
Not even sure if I’m making sense here but, my point is. I don’t count out fighters like many people do on here based on age and consider them wash when they lose after a nice streak when clearly they still have the abilities, imo it’s coping mechanism.
In the end it’s my opinion.