The Disrespect for Stipe Is Unreal — and I’m Not Surprised Coming from Tom’s Fans

[icemun]

The disrespect for Stipe is unreal, and honestly, I’m not surprised coming from Tom’s fans.

Stipe fought Cormier three times, man. I don’t think people realize how good Cormier really was. The fact that people were already putting Tom above Stipe is just wild to me — straight-up disrespect.

I’m being honest here — I’ve got nothing against Tom. He seems like a genuinely good guy. But his fanbase? Absolutely disgusting. No respect for you guys, you don’t know sh*t.

Stipe was that man at some point. If you were there, you remember.

I think it stems from his lost to Jones.

Sadly fighters get reduced to shit after losing to Jones.

 

[nostradumbass]

"At some point", and that point wasn't 2024.

It was not a valid title defense to pull a 42 year old man out of years of retirement as your only title defense, and it's not "disrespect" to point out that someone is years out of their prime.

 

[mkess101]

You're not new but you apparently lack any perspective if you don't think Sherdog is way different now. You said people were just being honest about Stipe. Do you think he was just fighting for a paycheck and thought he couldn't win? I got news for you there, man. Everybody is fighting for a paycheck whether they're in their prime or not.

Was that you who went off on me for saying someone chose to believe a former heroin addict in Matt Brown because he agreed with their point of view about Aspinalll? You asked me why I would bring up such a thing while not even being bothered by all the ad hominem thrown out towards Chael, Smith, TJ and Arlovski and anyone else all because they thought Tom quit.

I think everyone (you and I included) let our biases influence what we type. That was true 20 years ago and still is. The people saying those things about Stipe could be motivated by different things, but that doesn't mean it's not TRUE that he was washed. Because he was. Washed. So I guess I don't understand what your issue is with people saying it.

And yeah, I'd question why you'd bring up Matt Brown's previous addiction yet be just fine having known steroid cheats like Dillashaw and Chael opine and their words have value. Which applies more to situation involving cheating/fouling, a previous addiction to non-performance enhancing drugs, or getting caught cheating with PED's?

You're so eager to label everyone else as warped by their bias that you refuse to see your own. You admit that your issue is that people want to "downplay Jones win over Stipe"...but don't have the self awareness to realize that you're doing everything you can to defend Jones regardless of whether that means accurately assessing where Stipe was at that point.

 

[egk]

I think everyone (you and I included) let our biases influence what we type. That was true 20 years ago and still is. The people saying those things about Stipe could be motivated by different things, but that doesn't mean it's not TRUE that he was washed. Because he was. Washed. So I guess I don't understand what your issue is with people saying it.

And yeah, I'd question why you'd bring up Matt Brown's previous addiction yet be just fine having known steroid cheats like Dillashaw and Chael opine and their words have value. Which applies more to situation involving cheating/fouling, a previous addiction to non-performance enhancing drugs, or getting caught cheating with PED's?

You're so eager to label everyone else as warped by their bias that you refuse to see your own. You admit that your issue is that people want to "downplay Jones win over Stipe"...but don't have the self awareness to realize that you're doing everything you can to defend Jones regardless of whether that means accurately assessing where Stipe was at that point.

I'm a fan of the fighters when they fight. I couldn't care less about out of cage activities. I don't know any of them personally. I think Jones is the best to ever do it but said a long time ago after another positive steroid test that I didnt care if he ever fought again. I'm anti-steroids in sports but at the same time not naive. I think they're all on or have been on something at one time or another. How is that defending Jones? I've given my reasons for why I think Tom quit. They have nothing to do with Jon Jones at all. I'm just tired of all the name calling on these forums and it's even branched out to doing it to the fighters. That's not something that was tolerated years ago.

 

[mkess101]

I'm a fan of the fighters when they fight. I couldn't care less about out of cage activities. I don't know any of them personally. I think Jones is the best to ever do it but said a long time ago after another positive steroid test that I didnt care if he ever fought again. I'm anti-steroids in sports but at the same time not naive. I think they're all on or have been on something at one time or another. How is that defending Jones? I've given my reasons for why I think Tom quit. They have nothing to do with Jon Jones at all. I'm just tired of all the name calling on these forums and it's even branched out to doing it to the fighters. That's not something that was tolerated years ago.

So let me be clear: if you have examples of people actually calling Stipe names, truly bashing him, etc--I'm absolutely not on board with that. At all. There's a difference between that, and with calling a once great fighter washed up when they are...washed up.

 

[MigitAs]

it’s an embarrassment to the UFC and HW division that Stipe ever did as well as he did

 

[Viking Power]

Yes, they're saying it. It's a thinly veiled way to bash Jones some more. Stipe sucked and was just taking a paycheck when he fought Jones. He was just a part time, retired fireman, etc, etc...

When he fought Jones he did suck. He was waaaaaayyyy past his prime.

 

[Portland8242]

I've seen so many extreme opinions when it comes to Stipe.

First he was some bum who lost to Stefan Struve (remember that eyepoke?!?!) and wasn't worthy of even being mentioned in the same sentence as Fedor and then when Jones fought him apparently he's the HW GOAT who just never got enough respect.

 

[samoajoe]

Yes and all that is true but Stipe being utterly washed at 42 and not having won a fight in almost 5 years does NOT undermine his overall body of work.

There's no way you don't understand this, I refuse to believe it.

Stipe is clearly the more accomplished fighter and would probably win against Tom during his prime imo, HOWEVER retired Stipe coming off of a brutal loss 4 years prior for a money grab fight is a far inferior fighter than current Tom in my mind and it's not close.

 

[CatchtheseHands]

I don't think I've seen any Tom fans try and say Stipe wasn't good and I don't really think it's fair to blanket ALL Tom fans as toxic. From what I see there are Tom fans and Tom fan boys. The Tom fans are ones who are fans of him but don't have an unrealistic view of him, where as the Tom Fan boys not only have an unrealistic view of him but also worship the ground he walks on. The latter are the worst kind of Tom fans.

 

[MMACro]

Yes, they're saying it. It's a thinly veiled way to bash Jones some more. Stipe sucked and was just taking a paycheck when he fought Jones. He was just a part time, retired fireman, etc, etc...

Uhm Stipe was there for paycheck against Jones. Brought out of retirement and thats a fact. Nothing to do with being a fan or a hater
Im Croatian,Stipe is "ours" and his last fight was for him to earn money and for Jones to write another legend on his resume though far from prime but doesnt matter to him,name is a name.
But lets not pretend Stipe was a world beater when he fought Jon

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

Stipe fought Cormier three times, man. I don’t think people realize how good Cormier really was.

Stipe was that man at some point. If you were there, you remember.

 

[joy2day]

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

Did any of this actually happen? Just asking bc I've never seen anyone say what you're complaining about, and you failed to cite an actual example

I'm pretty sure the complaint is based on how fans treated fighting/beating Tom as better than beating Stipe because legacy is historical concept, not a present day one.

 

[Bobby Boulders]

I'm pretty sure the complaint is based on how fans treated fighting/beating Tom as better than beating Stipe because legacy is historical concept, not a present day one.

Ah. My only issue with the situation was that the UFC forced the interim title into the equation. At that point it didn't make sense for there to be any other fight. Though I know that that fight was supposed to have happened prior to the interim belt factoring in. The UFC flat out sucks at doing HW

 

[Rampage_Jackson]

If anyone else around here is disrespecting Stipe, knock it off. Thats my thing.

 

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

I don't think its much to do with Stipe, its more about who is current and in the 15 second memory of everyone, everyone who is fighting next is the greatest thing since sliced bread, that seems to be the way its gone now, no one can remember anything and its no longer relevant. Its the tiktok generation isn't it, people only remember what it currently happening, the news cycle is at a pace I've never seen it at.

 

[Pierced7681]

Stipe got plenty of disrespect long before Tom. Largely because a lot of people never truly brought into him being as good as the UFC wanted to push him as being.

The ufc never pushed Stipe, they were busy hyping Ngannou and DC

 

[AndrewGolota48]

The disrespect for Stipe is unreal, and honestly, I’m not surprised coming from Tom’s fans.

Stipe fought Cormier three times, man. I don’t think people realize how good Cormier really was. The fact that people were already putting Tom above Stipe is just wild to me — straight-up disrespect.

I’m being honest here — I’ve got nothing against Tom. He seems like a genuinely good guy. But his fanbase? Absolutely disgusting. No respect for you guys, you don’t know sh*t.

Stipe was that man at some point. If you were there, you remember.

They really are low class people, willing to shit on Stipe and Gane just to try to reduce the status of Jones. Gane and Stipe have nothing to do with Jones on a personal level, yet they are willing to character assassinate innocent men to idol worship Aspinall, which goes against Protestant doctrine anyway.

 

[Fedorgasm]

I have no problem giving prime Stipe his props. The only criticism I have is that he was old, washed up, and did not deserve a title shot after losing his last fight badly then sitting on the couch for 2 years.

That's not really a criticism of Stipe though. But more a criticism for Jones in calling out a guy who's way past his prime rather than unify the HW title against the interim champ.

And a criticism of the UFC for allowing it.

Stipe's cool. He just took the opportunity that was offered to him.