The "35 Curse" for lower weight classes is horsesh*t

[TITS]

Volk not only broke the curse (for men's weight classes) but he'll be 37 in a few months, so he's almost 2 years past the expiration date for that stupid myth.

Pantoja will be 35 literally in 2 days, and I don't see him losing to any of the bums at flyweight in his next couple of fights. He'll probably still be champ at 36. If 38-year-old DJ was still in the UFC he'd probably be champ.

Merab will be 35 in January, so unless he loses to O'Malley (who he already dominated) he'll most likely still be champ in 2026.

Wheelie was 35 when she defended her title in a one-sided beating against Tatiana, who everyone already crowned the future champ/female Khabib.

Chef Chenko 36/37, will probably put a grappling clinic on that massive weight-cutting French kickboxer.

Juliana Pena recaptured the belt at age 35, but it's WMMA so who cares.

 

[BowserJr]

The younger fighters just suck bro

 

[Goat Poster]

100 bux a fight and I take the guy under 35(in a title fight obviously) and you take the guy over 35. No Wmma.

We got a deal?

 

[Young Calf Kick]

It’s only been horseshit since 2 days.

 

[Doctor Grudge]

Most of the people you mentioned are not older than 35. You're talking in future tense. Also, two of the older champions you mentioned did lose their title since turning 35. (Shev and Volk)

 

[TITS]

Also, two of the older champions you mentioned did lose their title since turning 35. (Shev and Volk)

And they won them back at 36. Pena also won it back at 35.

Whelie will be 36 soon too.

 

[gentel]

35+ is still a cursed age for the lower weight classes, Volk just raised the absolute bar for "this has never happened" to 37 by winning it at 36

Shoutout to GOATlal for being one of the few WWs to win the belt at that age as well

 

[TITS]

It’s only been horseshit since 2 days.

You've been horseshit since 2021.

 

[Doctor Grudge]

And they won them back at 36. Pena also won it back at 35.

No one said they couldn't win them back under no circumstance. Turning older than 35 at the lower weight classes means that they are going to get worse (allegedly), which at least for the case of Shev seems to be true.

Pena and Volk got their titles back because the champions vacated the belts and they were given automatic title shots. They arguably did not even fight the best contenders available for the vacated title. Kayla Harrison and Movsar Evloev would likely be favored over Pennington and Lopes, definitely the former at the very least.


Anyway, most of the people you mentioned are 34 years or just turned 35 (at least wait until they turn 36 to say the curse is bs). Also, Pena is in the heaviest weight class for the women's division, so I am not really sure she counts as a "lower weight class" fighter.

 

[volcom5]

Volk not only broke the curse (for men's weight classes) but he'll be 37 in a few months, so he's almost 2 years past the expiration date for that stupid myth.

Pantoja will be 35 literally in 2 days, and I don't see him losing to any of the bums at flyweight in his next couple of fights. He'll probably still be champ at 36. If 38-year-old DJ was still in the UFC he'd probably be champ.

Merab will be 35 in January, so unless he loses to O'Malley (who he already dominated) he'll most likely still be champ in 2026.

Wheelie was 35 when she defended her title in a one-sided beating against Tatiana, who everyone already crowned the future champ/female Khabib.

Chef Chenko 36/37, will probably put a grappling clinic on that massive weight-cutting French kickboxer.

Juliana Pena recaptured the belt at age 35, but it's WMMA so who cares.

People won’t agree with you, but the years go by modern fighters and champions are being competitive at a much older ages, be it due to being smarter with their training practices, skill sets and overall intelligence to adapt as they do get older.

It’s the PrideFC fan girls who are still trying to project their heroes downfalls to them being “out of their primes.” Towards modern MMA fighters.

 

[TITS]

No one said they couldn't win them back under no circumstance. Turning older than 35 at the lower weight classes means that they are going to get worse (allegedly), which at least for the case of Shev seems to be true.

Pena and Volk got their titles back because the champions vacated the belts and they were given automatic title shots. They arguably did not even fight the best contenders available for the vacated title. Kayla Harrison and Movsar Evloev would likely be favored over Pennington and Lopes, definitely the former at the very least.


Anyway, most of the people you mentioned are 34 years or just turned 35 (at least wait until they turn 36 to say the curse is bs). Pena is in the heaviest weight class for the women's division, so I am not really sure she counts as a "lower weight class" fighter.

Why do you always like to argue the most mundane bullshit? You really love moving the goalposts too. You also left out Weili.

Volk - FW GOAT candidate who everyone thought was going to get destroyed by Lopes, now he's just some jobber who won a vacant belt.

Pena - finished WMMA GOAT Nunes in 2 rounds, and might actually finish Kayla.

Pantoja - already beat the next title challengers/contenders multiple times.

 

[TITS]

People won’t agree with you, but the years go by modern fighters and champions are being competitive at a much older ages, be it due to being smarter with their training practices, skill sets and overall intelligence to adapt as they do get older.

It’s the PrideFC fan girls who are still trying to project their heroes downfalls to them being “out of their primes.” Towards modern MMA fighters.

Yeah, Feeder Elmerfuddenko was getting finished by MWs/LHWs at 33 so he was "out of prime".

 

[volcom5]

Why do you always like to argue the most mundane bullshit? You really love moving the goalposts too. You also left out Weili.

Volk - FW GOAT candidate who everyone thought was going to get destroyed by Lopes, now he's just some jobber who won a vacant belt.

Pena - finished WMMA GOAT Nunes in 2 rounds, and might actually finish Kayla.

Pantoja - already beat the next title challengers/contenders multiple times.

eventually another fighter will a title at 36, then goal post will be 37 and so on. Seriously people on here just can’t fathom fighters being competitive & even winning a championship post 35. But by the looks of things it’s trending towards 33-37 as the cut of date of MMA fighters competitive prime. But yes, goal posts are moving because MMA seriously might be the worst fans of the sport that constantly will cast fighters aside after a loss and never give even their opponents the proper respect they deserve, instead they beat a washed fighters.

 

[Young Calf Kick]

You've been horseshit since 2021.

Nah, way longer tbh

It’s pretty early for another one of your cute little temper tantrums though, titty boy. Reluctance to another week at a shitty job, I take it?

 

[SamuraiBro]

It’s 170 and under isn’t it? If so Belal also broke the curse

 

[wildchild88]

Why are sherdoggers so grumpy / critical? 35 curse has def been a thing (up until recently apparently).

Takes a lot to impress you guys doesn’t it..

Lopes looked really, really good in his last fight. Volk beating him is huge.

Yes Volk lost to Top, but if Volk still had his chin for that fight, he probably would have decisioned him. He was outpointing him till the KO.

 

[Prazeres]

Volk became the first to regain the title above 35, but that's only under the circumstence where the current champ vacated and he fought for the vacant title against somebody who let's face it was fast tracked to a title shot.
It's like Conor being the first simultanious double champ, he just was one of the first guys that the UFC allowed to try, Aldo could have easily done it had he been given the opportunity to fight Frankie at lightweight, hell might have also been able to beat Dom Cruz at 135.

All depends on matchmaking and circumstences for those kinds of things.

 

[BabyBlue_Bomber]

I’ve always felt that, in fighting, experience is more important than youth…

Older fighters just normally don’t get another shot once everyone things they’re washed, and the UFC would rather build new stars…

 

[Meathead Jock]

Why do you always like to argue the most mundane bullshit? You really love moving the goalposts too. You also left out Weili.

Volk - FW GOAT candidate who everyone thought was going to get destroyed by Lopes, now he's just some jobber who won a vacant belt.

Pena - finished WMMA GOAT Nunes in 2 rounds, and might actually finish Kayla.

Pantoja - already beat the next title challengers/contenders multiple times.

Volk was a small betting favorite against Lopes. Evloev I feel like can gas out Volk as he gets even older and a guy like Silva might be able to shock him right now. Volk beats Yair though of they try pulling that B.S.

Pantoja - no real threat seems to be coming up aside from 24 year old Mokaev. If they don't offer that he could keep the belt for a couple of fights and be the oldest champ below 155.

 

[Prazeres]

People are oddly confident in Pantoja remaining champ for a while like he wasn't within a hair breath of losing to Erceg and Moreno in 2 out of his 4 title wins.