The initial UFC run of JDS was insane

[jeff7b9]

The 3rd fight really shouldnt have happened at that point IMHO, one of those matches were the UFC knew how it would go but wanted to give Cain the trilogy anyway to help him.

Agreed.

the entire third fight was unnecessary damage for JDS.

After the 2nd fight, the only way a 3rd fight should have happened should have been if Cain lost the belt and JDS reclaimed it.

 

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

I totally agree brother, JDS was so awesome when he first came too UFC, his hand speed was EPIC, yes he has big power but it was his hand speed that impressed me so much, you don't see HW's with hand speed like that really.. he was so fun to watch and super nice guy.

JDS in his first few years in UFC had hand speed that was better than many WW fighters in UFC, he could get off combo's so quickly and fast. He has slowed down in recent years, but yeah prime JDS was so good

 

[blaseblah]

Had he been given a title shot as easily as these modern times he would've been the best heavyweight in UFC history. He practically cleaned it out before fighting Cain

I never understood that. These days if a newcomer knocked out the number one contender at heavyweight they'd either get a title shot or a number one contender fight. Dos Santos had to fight 6 other guys to get a title shot.

 

[g*r*b]

It’s true that it showed he had bad habits defensively, but he was still a tough outing. Opponents might have realized what the holes in his game were, but many were not skilled enough to exploit them.

Dos Santos was able to beat a Ben Rothwell who finished 4 straight opponents (including Barnett and Overeem), Miocic, Tuivasa (who was a highly regarded prospect at the time), and Lewis (fresh off of a title shot) all after the two beatings he suffered at the hands of Velasquez.

To be sure it wasn't and isn't simple; it's rare that there is an "all ya gotta do is" antidote for elite talents. Rothwell's too lumbering to close the distance sharply enough, Tai too unpolished to press efficiently and effectively, even Miocic needed one close-but-no-cigar try before he got the hang of it (though it can be argued it was his inexperience at rationing his energy out over 5 rounds that dealt him the L). But it is a persistent and apparently unfixable flaw, always there to be gameplanned against confidently.

 

[Pakman]

In hind sight this was one of the most impressive HW runs in the ufc we’ve ever seen. He was so dominant before the second fight with Cain.

JDS career was completely altered by the 2nd n 3rd Cain fights.

 

[Red Dragoniop]

First Wife JDS is a legend..

she was affecting his performance

 

[ColombianFist]

JDS steamrolled the HW division. I think at that time no one had better boxing skills than him.

Once Cain lost he was set to beat the shit out of him, and he did. Those 2 fights took JDS' chin and prime.

 

[100action]

Pre usada not the real factor. He became timid with his power shots after he got KO'd a few times.

look at the way he threw vs werdum, Gonzaga, Cain 1 and Nelson vs now.

 

[TeenageMutantLesnarTurtle]

That first UFC on Fox fight between him and Cain felt huge because both of them looked like monsters going in. Reem slaughtered Brock around the same time as well. It genuinely felt like whoever came out on top between JDS/Cain/Reem would go on to be HW GOAT, sadly it didnt play out that way in the end, but it was one of the most exciting times for HW MMA.

 

[FutureBwChamp]

In hind sight this was one of the most impressive HW runs in the ufc we’ve ever seen. He was so dominant before the second fight with Cain.

He was like an Ngannou just not blown up & black. Yes I'm being serious!!!! People forget JDS was dusting fools.

 

[fedoriswar37]

Ufc hw goat imo

Close with stipe but i could definatly agree.

 

[pick999]

Goat ufc title run or jon

 

[piepie]

Yep, Cain quite literally beat him out of his prime unfortunately.

I remember watching him and Cain both coming up and running through guys, waiting for them to inevitably cross paths. Probably my most exciting time following the UFC HW division.

Yep PRIME Cain, JDS and Daniel Cormier are in my book the most competent HWs ever in the UFC.

i just dont see the best Stipe beating PRIME(pre-usada), Cain and JDS.


(honorable mention Werdum)
random vid
Damn even young Brock Lesnar could have been a champ today, great fight...

 

[clutchCAT420]

I think the way he destroyed Werdum really helped, it meant there was an instant fear factor around him and everyone tended to give him space which actually played to his strenghts.

It was actually against Mir I felt you started to see a few cracks appearing, Frank did actually have a surprising amount of success early in the fight when he pushed forward.

Easiest $200 i made in san Antonio. Some local CAN had mir winning. Lol! Bought him a beer after with his own money

 

[moreorless87]

Yep PRIME Cain, JDS and Daniel Cormier are in my book the most competent HWs ever in the UFC.

i just dont see the best Stipe beating PRIME(pre-usada), Cain and JDS.

(honorable mention Werdum)
random vid
Damn even young Brock Lesnar could have been a champ today, great fight...

I do think Stipe would have a good shot against Cain who's defence coming forward was always iffy, it was Jnr's weakness to being pushed back and lack of counters to it that won him the rematches but Stipe is obviously better there as we saw vs Werdum.

 

[dildos]

Def one of the best title runs in ufc history imo. Just a path of destruction.

 

[dog y]

Yep, Cain quite literally beat him out of his prime unfortunately.

I remember watching him and Cain both coming up and running through guys, waiting for them to inevitably cross paths. Probably my most exciting time following the UFC HW division.

Cain got dropped by Kongo twice tho, at the time I thought Ciggie would murk him. And he did the first time around.

 

[Doug Money]

My 2nd favorite run oat. Smashing top comp in brutal manners.

 

[campbecc]

First Wife JDS is a legend..

For some reason he was probably more motivated to go to the gym every day

 

[BROWNPRIDE]

Yes jds was a straight killer then and that run was super impressive.