"Stipe's win over Francis was better than Francis' win over Stipe"

[The Bloody Nine]

Curtis Blaydes sat down with MMA News to discuss what he makes of the champion and the rest of his possible competition. He spoke a bit about the differences between Ngannou and former champion Stipe Miocic. Blaydes isn’t ready to give the title of GOAT to Ngannou just yet and even feels that Miocic’s win over Ngannou was more impressive to him than Ngannou’s win over Miocic.

“No, no. That still goes to Stipe… Ngannou has not done enough, in my opinion, to be the greatest ever,” Blaydes said. “He’s very, very good, but when we’re talking the GOAT, you have to start to nitpick, and I’m gonna nitpick,” said Blaydes. “He’s lost rounds. Like, he got owned when he fought Stipe the first time. That wasn’t a good look. He got owned. I’ve never seen, even when Stipe lost, he never got owned. Like, he got knocked out by Ngannou; at heavyweight, anybody can get knocked out.

“I’m a lot more impressed by decisions. I know that’s weird to say, that a unanimous decision is more impressive than a knockout, but at heavyweight, anybody can get knocked out,” added Blaydes. “That’s just what heavyweights do. But for you to skillfully beat a guy for five rounds, that’s very impressive. I’ve yet to see Ngannou do that. He hasn’t had to do that yet, but I don’t think he has that ability. I don’t think he wants to be in the Octagon for five rounds. He knows that’s not how he wins.”

https://www.mmanews.com/2022/01/blaydes-miocics-win-over-ngannou-impressive/


Your thoughts, gentlemen?

 

[SeattleFightFan]

2 topics here:

1) does a guy who beat a GOAT (not saying Stipe was, just for argument sake) become GOAT, or does it take consistency, many wins, many title defenses? Blaydes is saying the latter, and many agree with him (me included).

2) is winning 25 minutes more impressive than winning in 7? Blaydes is saying so, and many agree with him (but I don’t).

Most importantly, that 3rd paragraph in the OP has compelling arguments. Even if I don’t agree with them all, he makes better arguments than most sherdoggers. And for that, kudos to Blaydes.

 

[Azyy]

Finishes are always more impressive than decisions.

 

[mjfan23]

First fight only proved Stipe is pillow fisted and can’t finish Francis

 

[Final Say]

I don’t want to put any extra weight on one victory versus the other. Both were incredibly impressive in their own right. Not like it was an instant KO the second time, Francis worked for that victory.

I want to see it a third time, myself

 

[NoSmilez]

Francis has never won a decision in his career. He either goes big or he brain farts to a loss.

 

[The Bloody Nine]

I can't decide whether I agree with him or not. I can see both sides. Five round total domination vs one punch. Which indicates the better fighter? I'm inclined to say the former.

 

[spinup]

Finishes are always more impressive than decisions.

When you fight like a human blanket and are happy to grind a ugly decision like Blaydes is, you will obviously say the opposite.

 

[Final Say]

I can't decide whether I agree with him or not. I can see both sides. Five round total domination vs one punch. Which indicates the better fighter? I'm inclined to say the former.

To Francis’ credit, it was more than one punch. It was calmness, new combos, takedown defense and multiple hard punches. Nobody has ever rightly turned stipe away with one punch and neither did Francis. Stipe was hurt a couple times before the KO.

 

[spinup]

I can't decide whether I agree with him or not. I can see both sides. Five round total domination vs one punch. Which indicates the better fighter? I'm inclined to say the former.

Ngannou didn't beat Stipe on one punch. He outstruck him 36-12, ouwrestled him, knocked him down, then knocked him out cold.

 

[The Bloody Nine]

I'm aware of what happened in the fight. I'm talking in terms of his overall argument.

 

[Busgosu]

“I’m a lot more impressed by decisions. I know that’s weird to say, that a unanimous decision is more impressive than a knockout, but at heavyweight, anybody can get knocked out,”
Well, Blaydes mainly wins by decision and all his losses were by KO/TKO. This is the reversal "I only count knockouts" by Conor. Both are dumb as bricks.

 

[Deleted member 110072]

Finishes are always more impressive than decisions.

Not always but in this case yes, I think Stipe managed to basically exploit a few flaws in a relatively green fighters game in the first fight, in the second their was really no question of who the better fighter was.

First fight Stipe vs Second Fight Ngannou I'd definately pick Francis.

 

[Mr Moist]

First fight only proved Stipe is pillow fisted and can’t finish Francis

15 out of 20 of Stipe’s wins have been by ko or tko. Not bad for a guy with pillow fists. Black beast must have pillow fists too cause he couldn’t finish Francis.

 

[Bojka]

Stipe's win was better because he's essentially a weight class smaller. Method of victory isn't relevant.

 

[MillingMeSoftly]

curtis is right

 

[Jason7227]

When Ngannou sprawled it became the best performance of his life.

 

[spinup]

I'm aware of what happened in the fight. I'm talking in terms of his overall argument.

Flawed logic. Who can prove that the guy who lands a 1st round KO wouldn't land 5 or 6 more KOs if it went the full 5 rounds? That's non sense.

Sure landing a KO doesn't necessarily mean you're the better fighter, but pretending a decision is better is nonsense.

At best you can say a dominant decision win gives you more certainty in who is the better fighter, because it doesn't involve any luck. But a quick KO in no way discredit the winner.

 

[The Bloody Nine]

Flawed logic. Who can prove that the guy who lands a 1st round KO wouldn't land 5 or 6 more KOs if it went the full 5 rounds? That's non sense.

Sure landing a KO doesn't necessarily mean you're the better fighter, but pretending a decision is better is nonsense.

At best you can say a dominant decision win gives you more certainty in who is the better fighter, because it doesn't involve any luck. But a quick KO in no way discredit the winner.

I'm not arguing it does. As I said, I can't really make up my mind either way. Gun to my head, I'd say a dominant decision win would suggest the better fighter, over an early KO. But it's not like a KO is a fluke. So again, hard for me to decide.

 

[Schoolboy Q]

No question to me, Francis absolutely had the better performance. Not to say Stipe’s win wasn’t impressive but a dominant performance en route to a brutal KO is more impressive.