I think it really took off from people listening to Rogan, DC, Chael, Anthony Smith, Bisping, etc, and then other active fighters who wanted to find a





in his armor.
It also seems like it seeped into the consciousness of both Whittaker and DDP and their camps.
"If I/he can just weather the storm"..
It's like them hearing about him being tired made them not see that he was still winning rounds and taking people down, and it made them block off the reality of his opponents also being just as tired.
Also, 90% wrote off his hand injury vs Usman as just an excuse, even though he had surgery on it.
Then it was also the assumption that Khamzat being tired in a 3 rounder would lead to him by default becoming even more tired if he had to go 5 rounds, ignoring that he obviously would prepare for 5 rounds.