The current HW division is embarrassing

[Doctor Grudge]

What are you rambling about? NFL defensive ends (edge rushers) are on average 6'4, 285lbs, and top 1% athletes in strength, speed, and agility for their size.

Even the low end DE prospects who don't even make the NFL are incredible athletes.

Well, mentioning one league (a domesticated one at that) and one position doesn't exactly disprove what he said.

Vast majority of sports are dominated by people who are not incredibly large.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

These great fighters just prefer to cut 15-30 pounds for no reason? It's a personal challenge thing?

They'd just rather avoid getting hit by heavyweights I think.

 

[aogiri]

Robelis Despaigne being the divisions most hyped prospect tells you everything you need to know lmao

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Robelis Despaigne being the divisions most hyped prospect tells you everything you need to know lmao

The frustrating thing with Robelis is that he was the kind of guy everyone thought HW was missing. The elite athlete from another combat sport who wasn't a fatty.

Unfortunately a bunch of fatties just took him down.

 

[krelianx]

Gane & Tuivasa would be grapplefucked by all of these guys.
Tuivasa would probably lose to them on the feet too.
Romanov has shitty striking. Good wrestling, though... for the first 3 minutes.

Still, Aspinall can be next generation talent. He is well rounded and talented.

Aspinall is clearly very good but if you asked me who I would pick between him and a prime Aleksander or Sergei or even someone like Kongo or Schilt, I wouldn't be confident in picking.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Aspinall is clearly very good but if you asked me who I would pick between him and a prime Aleksander or Sergei or even someone like Kongo or Schilt, I wouldn't be confident in picking.

Oh come on dude he'd absolutely wreck any version of Cheick fucking Kongo

 

[Mick Dojang]

What can actually be done to fix it though?

Surely some kind of rugby prop -> MMA HW pipeline could be set up. That's the kind of guy you need in that division

 

[Thesnake101]

The frustrating thing with Robelis is that he was the kind of guy everyone thought HW was missing. The elite athlete from another combat sport who wasn't a fatty.

Unfortunately a bunch of fatties just took him down.

Worse than that, the fatties stood in front of him and exposed his inability to strike as well. Olympic TKD medalist and he couldn't punch or kick.

 

[Thesnake101]

Aspinall is clearly very good but if you asked me who I would pick between him and a prime Aleksander or Sergei or even someone like Kongo or Schilt, I wouldn't be confident in picking.

Brother, the mutilated corpse of Aspinall would be enough to KO Kongo and sub Schilt.

 

[krelianx]

Oh come on dude he'd absolutely wreck any version of Cheick fucking Kongo

I am not so sure. I would certainly have picked prime Minakov over Aspinall, I'll tell you that.

 

[Deleted member 110072]

Aspinall is clearly very good but if you asked me who I would pick between him and a prime Aleksander or Sergei or even someone like Kongo or Schilt, I wouldn't be confident in picking.

I'd say the reality is he's clearly skilled but the current standard of the HW division makes it hard to judge HOW good.

Most of the top 10 today is made up of guys who would be struggling to get into the top 20 in the late 00's if you ask me.

 

[krelianx]

I'd say the reality is he's clearly skilled but the current standard of the HW division makes it hard to judge HOW good.

Most of the top 10 today is made up of guys who would be struggling to get into the top 20 in the late 00's if you ask me.

I agree. I would argue even in the mid-2000s.

 

[Deleted member 110072]

I agree. I would argue even in the mid-2000s.

Someone like Rothwell for example couldnt crack the top 10 during the 00's yet I would pick him over someone like Tybura anyday.

 

[HHJ]

Sound like HW division has always been. Mostly jobbers with a handfull of good guys at the top.

Not really, no. These are from 2004.

Nobody back then was saying HW sucks or always sucked or any of that fuckin revisionist history bullshit. It and LHW were the premiere leagues.

 

[HHJ]

or even someone like Kongo or Schilt, I wouldn't be confident in picking.

Now you are just being silly.

Anyone with good boxing skills and a good double leg can beat Kongo

Anyone with a good double leg can beat Schilt

Aspinall has got that shit covered.

Fights with Prime Arovski and Sergei would have been fun as fuck.

 

[CroCopsLHK]

I feel like MMA as a whole has a drought of athletic "natural" heavyweights. Like most of them can fight at 205

So the heaviest fighters fight under that 265 lb window

 

[Deleted member 110072]

Not really, no. These are from 2004.

Nobody back then was saying HW sucks or always sucked or any of that fuckin revisionist history bullshit. It and LHW were the premiere leagues.

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Thats really just become the latest UFC brand fanboy line, HW has gotten so bad its indefensible so you have to push the idea it was never any good.

You look back to that era and really there were VERY few "overweight guys swing at each other and we get either and early KO or they gas" kind of matches, at least now on big shows.

U Fight Cheap style promoting has been felt worst in the higher weightclasses.

 

[Xoleth]

Aspinall is clearly very good but if you asked me who I would pick between him and a prime Aleksander or Sergei or even someone like Kongo or Schilt, I wouldn't be confident in picking.

You can never be too confident, but I would pick Aspinall in all 4 cases, especially Schilt who was easy to take down.
Aspinall vs Fedor or Cain or Barnett... hmm, a more difficult choice.

 

[HHJ]

Aspinall vs Fedor or Cain or Barnett... hmm, a more difficult choice.

As it should be.

Even a prime DC or Stipe is not to be understimated.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

I am not so sure. I would certainly have picked prime Minakov over Aspinall, I'll tell you that.

I'd probably have taken prime Minakov over just about anyone. But prime Minakov didn't really get to fight anyone elite unfortunately.