The 5 Sherdog Stages for fighters

[Rationality]

1. Unknown stage. Only on hardcores' radar. Journeymen may stay here for their entire career.
2. Hype stage. Strings together ranked wins and/or gets PR with personality. Active fighter. May become a gatekeeper too.
3. Prime stage. Major wins and/or competitive losses against top contemporaries. Must extend this stage to leverage endorsements, PPV and legacy.
4. Downturn stage. Commences with a tough, sometimes brutal loss. Starts stringing losses together. Good retirement time to protect legacy.
5. Overrated stage. Finishes career with a series of losses. Described as "never that good" and "fought weak competition". Worst case: Can stage.

 

[deanambrose]

5? There are 2 :

1. He wins his fights - he is GOAT!
2. He lost his last fight - he was never that good... retire.

 

[Rationality]

5? There are 2 :

1. He wins his fights - he is GOAT!
2. He lost his last fight - he was never that good... retire.

Some people progress through the stages quickly lol

 

[Clark Rogers]

5? There are 2 :

1. He wins his fights - he is GOAT!
2. He lost his last fight - he was never that good... retire.

Spot the fuck on

 

[ArtardFiesta]

this post should be a sticky!

 

[Liverkick-king56]

Poor Belal still stuck in the unknown stage.

 

[that Indian]

1. Unknown stage. Only on hardcores' radar. Journeymen may stay here for their entire career.
2. Hype stage. Strings together ranked wins and/or gets PR with personality. Active fighter. May become a gatekeeper too.
3. Prime stage. Major wins and/or competitive losses against top contemporaries. Must extend this stage to leverage endorsements, PPV and legacy.
4. Downturn stage. Commences with a tough, sometimes brutal loss. Starts stringing losses together. Good retirement time to protect legacy.
5. Overrated stage. Finishes career with a series of losses. Described as "never that good" and "fought weak competition". Worst case: Can stage.

this is the law of the jungle. of course, you get those unicorns like Robbie Lawler who entered the can stage and then went back to the prime for a bit

 

[AmericanMMA]

5? There are 2 :

1. He wins his fights - he is GOAT!
2. He lost his last fight - he was never that good... retire.

You’ll see this in full effect after hand sanitizer boys next fight

 

[Get To Da Choppa]

1. Unknown stage. Only on hardcores' radar. Journeymen may stay here for their entire career.
2. Hype stage. Strings together ranked wins and/or gets PR with personality. Active fighter. May become a gatekeeper too.
3. Prime stage. Major wins and/or competitive losses against top contemporaries. Must extend this stage to leverage endorsements, PPV and legacy.
4. Downturn stage. Commences with a tough, sometimes brutal loss. Starts stringing losses together. Good retirement time to protect legacy.
5. Overrated stage. Finishes career with a series of losses. Described as "never that good" and "fought weak competition". Worst case: Can stage.

Great description.

Machida exemplifies this 5 stages perfectly

1. Who is Ryoto Machida?

2. 14-0 Machida about to give Rashad the Shad face

3. The Machida Era!

4. The Machida Error!

5. Lyoto Ma-cheetah

 

[Harlekin]

Uh no, those are the Sherdog stages:

1. First UFC fights: He's a nobody
2. Outside the top15: Why isn't he fighting better competition?
3. Top15: He hasn't even fought a top 10 opponent. Hypejob
4. Fights for the title: He will get destroyed by the champ
5. Wins the title: GOAT - new era
6. Loses once: Never was that good

 

[Rationality]

Great description.

Machida exemplifies this 5 stages perfectly

1. Who is Ryoto Machida?

2. 14-0 Machida about to give Rashad the Shad face

3. The Machida Era!

4. The Machida Error!

5. Lyoto Ma-cheetah

Yes, exactly.

 

[Harlekin]

Great description.

Machida exemplifies this 5 stages perfectly

1. Who is Ryoto Machida?

2. 14-0 Machida about to give Rashad the Shad face

3. The Machida Era!

4. The Machida Error!

5. Lyoto Ma-cheetah

6. Drinks pee
7. Secret Vince McMahon fan

 

[Rationality]

Uh no, those are the Sherdog stages:

1. First UFC fights: He's a nobody
2. Outside the top15: Why isn't he fighting better competition?
3. Top15: He hasn't even fought a top 10 opponent. Hypejob
4. Fights for the title: He will get destroyed by the champ
5. Wins the title: GOAT - new era
6. Loses once: Never was that good

If you never acknowledge a fighter's "prime" era you can't discuss them on Sherdog though lol!

 

[Dr. Rose]

Some people progress through the stages quickly lol

Yeah, from round to round within a single fight. Only think I would add is 4 and 5 can be interchangeable at times and that 4 can be implemented in tightly fought decision win.

Interesting thread!

 

[Dr. Rose]

Uh no, those are the Sherdog stages:

1. First UFC fights: He's a nobody
2. Outside the top15: Why isn't he fighting better competition?
3. Top15: He hasn't even fought a top 10 opponent. Hypejob
4. Fights for the title: He will get destroyed by the champ
5. Wins the title: GOAT - new era
6. Loses once: Never was that good

That is the Sherdog stages for future champions. Ts is for all UFC fighters, but this is an accurate corollary!

 

[DarthChen731]

I think it's more like:

1. Future GOAT - Makes it to the UFC
2. GOAT - Finishes a fight
3. Fucking bitchass HACK who was never that good - Loses 1 fight / wins a decision

 

[Fight Professor]

5? There are 2 :

1. He wins his fights - he is GOAT!
2. He lost his last fight - he was never that good... retire.

There is also the "who the f*ck is that guy?" stage.

 

[Rationality]

There is also the "who the f*ck is that guy?" stage.

Each stage has the perfect meme.

 

[deanambrose]

There is also the "who the f*ck is that guy?" stage.

Yeah maybe it is more than 2.

1. Who the F is that guy?!
2. Hyping the guy who won

3. Guy is constantly winning

4. Guy lost once -

5. Never that good phase -

retire, you are washed

 

[Rationality]

This thread deserves a bump as Izzy is now a Stage 4.