The time on top is short lived

[13 others]

The exceptions to the rules are guys like Silva, GSP, Jones, MM.

But the majority are lucky to defend the belt two or three times. I just saw embedded with Weidman and it's crazy to think how dominant he was and one mistake in the fight with Rockhold seemed to derail everything.

He had a great career but everyone is so vulnerable to that 1 sudden loss that changes everything. Garbrandt, Rockhold, Whittaker, Cyborg, Ronda, Tate etc. It comes then it's gone. And it's very hard to get back in the win column consistently after that happens. It'll be interesting to see what happens to someone like Usman after dropping two to Leon, the first one tht he was winning comfortably. Sort of like Yan, DQd from a fight he was gonna win then loses the rematch convincingly and hits a skid.

Put into perspective those long reigning champions like JJ and GSP who literally retired before losing the belt. Impressive.

 

[VinceArch]

The nature of the beast.

 

[theleerygoose]

This sport is brutal, and the mistake almost everyone makes is not knowing when to get out. Only GSP and Khabib did it right, Silva, Fedor, BJ Penn and many others stuck around far too long. If you get KOd in your mid to late 30s you should hang it up, it only goes down hill from there.

The people who retired early are the only ones who retired on time.

 

[textwarrior]

The exceptions to the rules are guys like Silva, GSP, Jones, MM.

But the majority are lucky to defend the belt two or three times. I just saw embedded with Weidman and it's crazy to think how dominant he was and one mistake in the fight with Rockhold seemed to derail everything.

He had a great career but everyone is so vulnerable to that 1 sudden loss that changes everything. Garbrandt, Rockhold, Whittaker, Cyborg, Ronda, Tate etc. It comes then it's gone. And it's very hard to get back in the win column consistently after that happens. It'll be interesting to see what happens to someone like Usman after dropping two to Leon, the first one tht he was winning comfortably. Sort of like Yan, DQd from a fight he was gonna win then loses the rematch convincingly and hits a skid.

Put into perspective those long reigning champions like JJ and GSP who literally retired before losing the belt. Impressive.

Sport has finally said, wait, if you can put someone on their back at will but with no damage should that count as points? ...

I thought Jack Della lost to Hafez who was only putting Jack on his back but with no damage. I thought Jack lost, but, was glad he won since the rules have changed...under this condition, the Diaz brothers would have done well.

 

[Aegon Spengler]

Even GSP and Anderson had short runs compared to Floyd, or Ali.

MMA does not lend itself to long careers. It’s a meat grinder. And Dana’s BBQ is always on high heat

 

[Jackonfire]

Time at the top is what separates the GOATS from the rest of the champions. GSP said It's hard to be champion, it's harder to stay champion

 

[CrimsonFan]

Time at the top is what separates the GOATS from the rest of the champions. GSP said It's hard to be champion, it's harder to stay champion

I think in the case of all the goats, there is for sure some good luck on their side aswell.

 

[TriangleMonkey]

Heavy is thy crown

 

[Ozze]

Time at the top is what separates the GOATS from the rest of the champions. GSP said It's hard to be champion, it's harder to stay champion

Both Anderson and Aldo talked about it as well. How is much harder to stay on top. The pressure, everyone gunning for you, the amount of people just waiting to see you fall, etc.

A lot of people in those GOAT discussions doesn't give title defenses enough credit, like it's just the same as have some 9-10 fight winning streak before the belt.

 

[Fergelmince]

The exceptions to the rules are guys like Silva, GSP, Jones, MM.

But the majority are lucky to defend the belt two or three times. I just saw embedded with Weidman and it's crazy to think how dominant he was and one mistake in the fight with Rockhold seemed to derail everything.

He had a great career but everyone is so vulnerable to that 1 sudden loss that changes everything. Garbrandt, Rockhold, Whittaker, Cyborg, Ronda, Tate etc. It comes then it's gone. And it's very hard to get back in the win column consistently after that happens. It'll be interesting to see what happens to someone like Usman after dropping two to Leon, the first one tht he was winning comfortably. Sort of like Yan, DQd from a fight he was gonna win then loses the rematch convincingly and hits a skid.

Put into perspective those long reigning champions like JJ and GSP who literally retired before losing the belt. Impressive.

It is NOW. GSP fought like TWICE in the UFC then got his first shot at the WW belt when he was 22ish yrs old. then he fought FIVE MORE TIMES IN ONE YEAR and got another shot. Johnson won the Flyweight belt when he was 26. Of course Jon Jones fought 7X in 3 years and won the belt when he was 24ish. You just don't see men (who knows with WMMA) come in at such young ages now, get a few fights in a couple or 3 years and get a shot at the belt, do you? It seems now that most people who get a shot are in their early 30's now. Once you have 10 fights plus under your belt, and you finally win the belt in your 30's, the money is so much better that you don't want to lose the belt, and you want to make EVERY FIGHT COUNT, MONEY-WISE. I'm just speculating because I haven't looked at the full span of champions, but that's the general impression I get.

 

[Bullitt68]

Even GSP and Anderson had short runs compared to Floyd, or Ali.

MMA does not lend itself to long careers. It’s a meat grinder. And Dana’s BBQ is always on high heat

Well, there are so many more ways to lose in MMA than there are in boxing, which contributes to the difficulty of winning all the time over a long period of time. Floyd couldn't have done what he did if he also had to worry about low kicks and TDs

And this is why any win streak in MMA is impressive, titles or not. The ways you can lose are so numerous and the margin for error is so small that streaks like Igor's and Fedor's and Hughes' and Silva's and GSP's and Jones' and Khabib's, etc., are practically mind-boggling.

 

[Lost_Cause]

It is NOW. GSP fought like TWICE in the UFC then got his first shot at the WW belt when he was 22ish yrs old. then he fought FIVE MORE TIMES IN ONE YEAR and got another shot. Johnson won the Flyweight belt when he was 26. Of course Jon Jones fought 7X in 3 years and won the belt when he was 24ish. You just don't see men (who knows with WMMA) come in at such young ages now, get a few fights in a couple or 3 years and get a shot at the belt, do you? It seems now that most people who get a shot are in their early 30's now. Once you have 10 fights plus under your belt, and you finally win the belt in your 30's, the money is so much better that you don't want to lose the belt, and you want to make EVERY FIGHT COUNT, MONEY-WISE. I'm just speculating because I haven't looked at the full span of champions, but that's the general impression I get.

All you had to say is “The talent pool is much larger now “.

 

[Davidjacksonjones]

Jones beat Shogun to become the youngest champion in ufc history at 23
Ever since then he has only been in title fights
Now at 35 he is still a champion at HW
Apart from a few close decisions and a no contest he never really lost since then

Jones bless

 

[Substance Abuse]

Hardest sport there is to be successful for long periods of time. When you consider the multiple disciplines, injuries, fight mileage, weight cuts, tape available of dominant fighters, four ounce gloves and countless other variables, it's remarkable when someone is able to string together wins over years. That's why guys like Aldo, Georges, Fedor, and many more should be lauded, not torn down when they eventually lose. You add the fact that the majority of top fighters exit their prime in one way or another about eight to ten years into their career, it's to be expected that they'll falter sooner or later.

 

[no fat chicks]

Fedors reign at hw is pretty incredible

 

[Dickie Greenleaf]

Jones beat Shogun to become the youngest champion in ufc history at 23
Ever since then he has only been in title fights
Now at 35 he is still a champion at HW
Apart from a few close decisions and a no contest he never really lost since then

Jones bless

Lost to Gus and Reyes.

 

[Jesus H. Sherdog]

It is NOW. GSP fought like TWICE in the UFC then got his first shot at the WW belt when he was 22ish yrs old. then he fought FIVE MORE TIMES IN ONE YEAR and got another shot. Johnson won the Flyweight belt when he was 26. Of course Jon Jones fought 7X in 3 years and won the belt when he was 24ish. You just don't see men (who knows with WMMA) come in at such young ages now, get a few fights in a couple or 3 years and get a shot at the belt, do you? It seems now that most people who get a shot are in their early 30's now. Once you have 10 fights plus under your belt, and you finally win the belt in your 30's, the money is so much better that you don't want to lose the belt, and you want to make EVERY FIGHT COUNT, MONEY-WISE. I'm just speculating because I haven't looked at the full span of champions, but that's the general impression I get.

Is your position that it’s EASIER to fight Stephen Bonnar in your eighth fight and then Bader and champion Shogun back to back in your 13th and 14th fights than it is to hone your craft for years fighting guys with losing records before entering the UFC?

Because it doesn’t seem to me to be an easier road to be thrown into the deep end right away. If a guy like Bo Nickal or Khamzat can do it now it’ll be just as incredible. It’s still an option for guys who want to try.

 

[Dickie Greenleaf]

Is your position that it’s EASIER to fight Stephen Bonnar in your eighth fight and then Bader and champion Shogun back to back in your 13th and 14th fights than it is to hone your craft for years fighting guys with losing records before entering the UFC?

Because it doesn’t seem to me to be an easier road to be thrown into the deep end right away. If a guy like Bo Nickal or Khamzat can do it now it’ll be just as incredible. It’s still an option for guys who want to try.

Bader was green AF when he fought Jones and Shogun had two knee surgeries by then. Good wins on paper but nothing special in the context of when he beat them.

 

[Jesus H. Sherdog]

Bader was green AF when he fought Jones and Shogun had two knee surgeries by then. Good wins in paper but nothing special in the context of when he beat them.

Neither guy was in their peak but those are still impressive wins, especially for someone in their third year. You say Bader was green but he had more experience than Jones and was coming off of a win over Little Nog. Shogun was not in his prime but he was UFC champ ffs

 

[sonhow]

Life sucks and then you die