Was UFC better 10 years ago?

[Streeter]

Champ vs Champ

Fly - DJ v Pantoja DJ 50 45s
BW - Barao v Omalley - Good fight
FW - Prime Aldo v current Volk - great fight
LW - Islam v Bendo/Pettis. Islam 50 45s
WW - GSP. V Edward's GSP wins but close.
MW - Weidman/Anderson v Strickland. Weidman but close Anderson 1-2rd ko
LHW - Bones v Alex Bones sub rd 1
HW - Cain v Aspinal/Bones. Cain anyway way he wants vs either.

I got it 5 definitely for 2013 with 2-3 toss ups. 1 definitely for 2023.

Has the UFC gone down this much the last 10 years in talent level or is this not an accurate comparison?

 

[BOTTICELLI]

For the rest of us can you list the match ups. I like the idea of comparing eras tho

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

I also got the same 5 cemented 2013 picks, but I gotta say 1 toss-up.

Looking back, O'Malley would almost definitely have defused Barao.

 

[ipowerslapmywife]

Heavyweight was definitely better

 

[Sean_wongster_wongmastter]

2013-2014 McGregor would murder Volk, too much speed, power, and precision.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

For the rest of us can you list the match ups. I like the idea of comparing eras tho

Pants vs Mouse
Suga vs Barao since Cruz was forever-injured
Volk vs Aldo (this should be just off the Zombie win Aldo)
Islam vs Pettis
Edwards vs GSP (technically, he stepped away in Nov 2013)
Upon reflection, MW would be Strickland vs Weidman, not Silva, but I'm still going 2013
Poatan vs Jones, which seems like a pretty easy guess, considering their strengths
Jon vs Cain, which is easy to pick considering how long Jones purposefully avoided it

2013-2014 McGregor would murder Volk, too much speed, power, and precision.

Wong coming in with his usual gimmick of ruining every thread he joins

 

[Streeter]

Pants vs Mouse
Suga vs Barao since Cruz was foreverinjured
Volk vs Aldo
Islam vs Pettis
Edwards vs GSP (technically, since he stepped away in Nov 2013)
Upon reflection, MW would be Strickland vs Weidman, not Silva, but I'm still going 2013
Poatan vs Jones
Jon vs Cain

My bad For some reason I thought Anderson was still Champ most that year . Agree still Weidman but a closer fight. Weidman still had a chin then.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

My bad For some reason I thought Anderson was still Champ most that year . Agree still Weidman but a closer fight. Weidman still had a chin then.

People can call double fluke on the Silva fights, but he followed it up with a great fight with Machida and a thorough dismantling of Vitor, and those were really solid wins

 

[TriangleMonkey]

Volk is just a speciman that can make 145 and a guy like that only gets created every so often

Islam is leagues above in terms of skill

The rest lose the 10yr clan

 

[ShaqsLeftTesticle]

How about coliseum fights to the death, with animals. yes, way better. hurry up and bring that shit back. at least fights to the death. Real gladiators, not just moron fighters who care about their instagram. ffs.

 

[Streeter]

People can call double fluke on the Silva fights, but he followed it up with a great fight with Machida and a thorough dismantling of Vitor, and those were really

First Andy fight Anderson looked like he legit just didn't care. 2nd fight was kinda a fluke (not saying Weidman winning was fluke just how he won)

 

[Streeter]

How about coliseum fights to the death, with animals. yes, way better. hurry up and bring that shit back. at least fights to the death. Real gladiators, not just moron fighters who care about their instagram. ffs.

 

[GrantB13]

I don't think Silva would let someone just walk him down landing 1-2s all night without figuring out how to land one on the button.

 

[PhotographyRaptor]

Yeah but so was I. I’m like Benjamin Button but with success

 

[gspieler]

Without a doubt. You have to go back to the Condom Depot era to find HW/LHW divisions on this level.

 

[achoo42]

Champ vs Champ

DJ vs Pantoja: DJ dominant decision.
Barao vs O'Malley: O'Malley by KO.
Prime Aldo vs current Volk: Close decision for Volk, Volk outworks Aldo in the later rounds.
Islam vs Bendo/Pettis: Islam dominants Pettis. Possibly close decision against Bendo.
GSP vs Edwards: GSP decision.
Weidman/Anderson vs Strickland. Reckon Strickland can out-decision Weidman. Anderson KOs Strickland.
Jones vs Pereira: Jones by sub or decision.
Cain vs Aspinal/Bones. Tossup fight for either.

 

[dc007]

It's mostly a sweep for the 13 guys. Aside from Islam.

 

[achoo42]

HW - Cain v Aspinal/Bones. Cain anyway way he wants vs either.

???
Jones is not a good matchup for Cain. Sure Cain is more physically powerful but it's pretty much impossible to wear down Jones and he would be sure to exploit Cain's awful knees. Also Jones dominated DC twice who is the closest opponent stylistically to Cain. DC is not that much worse than Cain. With the understanding though that Jones is not the fighter he used to be (we really haven't seen enough of him to know how much he's declined) it's probably a very close fight.

Aspinall vs. Cain is a tossup. Either Aspinall can finish Cain early or we see Tom get his cardio tested. Aspinall hits at least as hard as JDS, is faster than JDS, and is a better grappler than JDS. Aspinall absolutely has the tools to beat Cain in either striking or grappling considering that we've never seen Aspinall do anything but be able to finish his opponent anywhere the fight goes.

I don't see how you think Cain stomps either Jones or Aspinall.

 

[sandokan83]

The typical nostalgic feeling of the sherdogger. If he is not nostalgic about Pride Fc is about 10 years ago UFC. Or is nostalgic about the past of MMA just because it is in the past. "Ohhh the good old days of steroids, corruption, ridiculous matchups and lunatics assassins...those were the days of our lives.".

 

[Rationality]

Pants vs Mouse
Suga vs Barao since Cruz was forever-injured
Volk vs Aldo (this should be just off the Zombie win Aldo)
Islam vs Pettis
Edwards vs GSP (technically, he stepped away in Nov 2013)
Upon reflection, MW would be Strickland vs Weidman, not Silva, but I'm still going 2013
Poatan vs Jones, which seems like a pretty easy guess, considering their strengths
Jon vs Cain, which is easy to pick considering how long Jones purposefully avoided it


Wong coming in with his usual gimmick of ruining every thread he joins

You understand that's like saying Silva avoided Jones, right?