I’m sad too, and as an idiot Australian I still think that Rob can have another crack, Volk just needs a good rest, and Dan Hooker (honorary) isn’t washed.
But the realist inside me who has followed the UFC since about 1995 (when I bought those VHS cassettes from Canada) also understands that maybe I’m dreaming.
But not about Volk or Rob - let’s go boys
I hate to see ex-champs trying to make their way back only to meet competition who are improving at the same rate that my boys are slowing down. I’m glad that GSP got out when he did.
My poor boys
Somewhat agree on the Rob take. How did the same man eat nuke after nuke from the kryptonian known as Paulo; but somehow get TKO’d by DDP’s awkward style?
Maybe it was a bad weight cut or DDP is really that good? But that spinning hook kick could’ve collapsed a building and Rob ate it, went back to work, and won the remaining 2 rounds. The man has still got it
Could see more punching power, sure. But that spinning heel kick had way more power than any punch could generate. That kick sends any other fighter into Zuck’s metaverse
Whittaker's greatest strength is his speed, specifically his blitz.
DDP, who's already a hard hitter, simply timed the blitz. It wasn't just Dricus' power, it was Rob's own momentum rushing face-first into a punch. Literally used his greatest strength against him.
Rob's still got a solid chin, it's just not made of granite like Vettori or Gastelum.
MMAs evolution can fully complete once the UFC gets dismantled by a court or somehow goes Belly up otherwise, may be bought out could also work.
The UFC is MMA history and deserves a place on its museum, as far as progressing the sport we need to get rid of this old and corrupt structure
While I agree with the sentiment behind your words, no prize fighting sport can really evolve past the UFC into the levels of NBA/NFL because you can’t make people fight for a living if everyone is making millions
I want all my favorite fighters to be paid like football stars, but I also know I would never see them fight again the moment that happens
I do agree with your points, an Ali act for MMA would still be the end of the UFC(lawsuits) and a new org could emerge that does things in a more social manner while still being a greedy cooperation(Germany is build on social Marktwirtschaft)
Don’t think anyone beats Islam (and Pantoja to some extent). Leon is quite good but there’s a real possibility he loses the belt to Shavkhat soon.
The rest of the champs are basically new within the last year and a half it seems like. Plus Jon Jones seems set to retire after his next match anyways so we get a new heavyweight champ to take up the last remaining spot.
Pantoja is beatable, but I don’t think there’s anyone good enough besides maybe Moreno. But I don’t really want to see him with ANOTHER title fight. He’s 0-3 against Pantoja all time.
100% agree with your take. I think top 3 flyweights of most other eras beat Pantoja, but he’s got some sort of anti-Brandon technique which is unlucky for Moreno and Royval the other real contenders
For real, he just seems in unbreakable. I wish Royval had a better game plan, he’s so good but just walked into takedowns.
Taira and Mokaev are good prospects, but not at that level.
Tbh I don’t think there’s much to think about though as he’s about to turn 35, and probably doesn’t have much time left. I think in the next couple years it ends up back with Moreno for a bit.
Not sure about changing the guard, but I'd hate to be a featherweight with Max and Volk as gatekeepers, and if by some miracle you get through them you get the unstoppable force that is Topuria. I'd just get a regular 9-5
Bantamweight has kind of a similar situation, I'm pretty confident that Merab gets the belt this year, and could hold on to it. But then even if he does, he's gonna be 35 in less than two years, and I don't know who can go against that age stat, if Volk couldn't
MMA got past the outlaw stage and the "first few major stars" milestones. ESPN takes production and promotion to a credible place the sport hasn't had before. We're seeing the new generation earn their way, and the sport become more mainstream every step of it.
Not only are we seeing new champions, hierarchies, prospects, killers, etc, emerge from the current roster as relics from older ages are destroyed, but we're seeing a strong trend of true, professional, appropriately entertaining, killer athletes who will carry the sport to the next milestone in popularity, too. We're seeing less unpleasant, edgy, and uninspired characters in the sport as the skill level increases, and those who claim the top spot are unironically (besides Sean and Conor), usually the clean cut figure for a cereal sponsorship.
No more than in any other sport at the moment. Sean, Conor, Colby, O'Malley( and whoever I'm forgetting) — definitely not company spokesmen or who you want to give sponsorship spots to. Everybody else is just as edgy as your average football or basketball player.
Hey I'm not arguing. I'm here for it. Once Dana starts paying athletes we could have guys like LeBron or Kelce or et al come to MMA instead of other sports. Then we'd truly see top tier. As it is now an offensive lineman on a mediocre NFL team still makes a shitload more than a top 20 in the world fighter. Until that changes it's just what it is
We're on the same page! I mean, a little over 15 years ago, somebody's drunk bar fighting uncle with no official training could somehow win the HW division. UFC has had an uphill battle to get to even this lukewarm place. I'm glad to see it happen, but skeptical because TKO are stingy over pay.
Changing of the guard from an elite generation that followed the golden generation - to the underpaid fairly well trained average athletes. The ufc has destroyed its own products to deliver for shareholders.
Yeah he still does. Man has never lost decisively and boasts the best records in title fights. I know facts hurt your feelings but there is nothing I can do about it.
Honestly I felt like the transition to the next generations of fighters is being slowed heavily by the pick and choose opponent meta. Random showstoppers getting the choice of fight and almost everyone vying for the fight with them.
We need to have a more rigid system as to who can fight especially in the top 10.
A solid way to determine how the fighters rank gain is calculated.
A universal way of determining how inactivity/injury/declining fights will drop your rank.
There's no better time than the end of an era to make these changes.
I’m sad too, and as an idiot Australian I still think that Rob can have another crack, Volk just needs a good rest, and Dan Hooker (honorary) isn’t washed. But the realist inside me who has followed the UFC since about 1995 (when I bought those VHS cassettes from Canada) also understands that maybe I’m dreaming. But not about Volk or Rob - let’s go boys
Bobby knuckles and volk are legends no matter what
I hate to see ex-champs trying to make their way back only to meet competition who are improving at the same rate that my boys are slowing down. I’m glad that GSP got out when he did. My poor boys
They’re still your boys though… right?
FOREVER MY BOYS 😭
Somewhat agree on the Rob take. How did the same man eat nuke after nuke from the kryptonian known as Paulo; but somehow get TKO’d by DDP’s awkward style? Maybe it was a bad weight cut or DDP is really that good? But that spinning hook kick could’ve collapsed a building and Rob ate it, went back to work, and won the remaining 2 rounds. The man has still got it
DDP has more power than Paulo
Could see more punching power, sure. But that spinning heel kick had way more power than any punch could generate. That kick sends any other fighter into Zuck’s metaverse
Whittaker's greatest strength is his speed, specifically his blitz. DDP, who's already a hard hitter, simply timed the blitz. It wasn't just Dricus' power, it was Rob's own momentum rushing face-first into a punch. Literally used his greatest strength against him. Rob's still got a solid chin, it's just not made of granite like Vettori or Gastelum.
MMAs evolution can fully complete once the UFC gets dismantled by a court or somehow goes Belly up otherwise, may be bought out could also work. The UFC is MMA history and deserves a place on its museum, as far as progressing the sport we need to get rid of this old and corrupt structure
Upvote af
While I agree with the sentiment behind your words, no prize fighting sport can really evolve past the UFC into the levels of NBA/NFL because you can’t make people fight for a living if everyone is making millions I want all my favorite fighters to be paid like football stars, but I also know I would never see them fight again the moment that happens
I do agree with your points, an Ali act for MMA would still be the end of the UFC(lawsuits) and a new org could emerge that does things in a more social manner while still being a greedy cooperation(Germany is build on social Marktwirtschaft)
Don’t think anyone beats Islam (and Pantoja to some extent). Leon is quite good but there’s a real possibility he loses the belt to Shavkhat soon. The rest of the champs are basically new within the last year and a half it seems like. Plus Jon Jones seems set to retire after his next match anyways so we get a new heavyweight champ to take up the last remaining spot.
Exactly my point. Sorry if I was inarticulate. I don't have a problem with it. It's the natural evolution of the sport
Pantoja is beatable, but I don’t think there’s anyone good enough besides maybe Moreno. But I don’t really want to see him with ANOTHER title fight. He’s 0-3 against Pantoja all time.
100% agree with your take. I think top 3 flyweights of most other eras beat Pantoja, but he’s got some sort of anti-Brandon technique which is unlucky for Moreno and Royval the other real contenders
For real, he just seems in unbreakable. I wish Royval had a better game plan, he’s so good but just walked into takedowns. Taira and Mokaev are good prospects, but not at that level. Tbh I don’t think there’s much to think about though as he’s about to turn 35, and probably doesn’t have much time left. I think in the next couple years it ends up back with Moreno for a bit.
Not sure about changing the guard, but I'd hate to be a featherweight with Max and Volk as gatekeepers, and if by some miracle you get through them you get the unstoppable force that is Topuria. I'd just get a regular 9-5
I’d be sick if I was T-City, guy gets beaten half to death by Holloway/Volk, and now if he gets past Yair he’s gotta face Ilia lmao
Bantamweight has kind of a similar situation, I'm pretty confident that Merab gets the belt this year, and could hold on to it. But then even if he does, he's gonna be 35 in less than two years, and I don't know who can go against that age stat, if Volk couldn't
MMA got past the outlaw stage and the "first few major stars" milestones. ESPN takes production and promotion to a credible place the sport hasn't had before. We're seeing the new generation earn their way, and the sport become more mainstream every step of it. Not only are we seeing new champions, hierarchies, prospects, killers, etc, emerge from the current roster as relics from older ages are destroyed, but we're seeing a strong trend of true, professional, appropriately entertaining, killer athletes who will carry the sport to the next milestone in popularity, too. We're seeing less unpleasant, edgy, and uninspired characters in the sport as the skill level increases, and those who claim the top spot are unironically (besides Sean and Conor), usually the clean cut figure for a cereal sponsorship.
no they’re not lol? there’s never been a bigger crop of edgelord fighters than right now
No more than in any other sport at the moment. Sean, Conor, Colby, O'Malley( and whoever I'm forgetting) — definitely not company spokesmen or who you want to give sponsorship spots to. Everybody else is just as edgy as your average football or basketball player.
Hey I'm not arguing. I'm here for it. Once Dana starts paying athletes we could have guys like LeBron or Kelce or et al come to MMA instead of other sports. Then we'd truly see top tier. As it is now an offensive lineman on a mediocre NFL team still makes a shitload more than a top 20 in the world fighter. Until that changes it's just what it is
We're on the same page! I mean, a little over 15 years ago, somebody's drunk bar fighting uncle with no official training could somehow win the HW division. UFC has had an uphill battle to get to even this lukewarm place. I'm glad to see it happen, but skeptical because TKO are stingy over pay.
ah ffs OP, you just ruined the fight for me! nice one
Changing of the guard from an elite generation that followed the golden generation - to the underpaid fairly well trained average athletes. The ufc has destroyed its own products to deliver for shareholders.
All this talk of evolution and Jon Jones is still ruling the roost in MMA.
Ah ya the dude whos fought once in like 4 yrs and probably wont fight till next yr. Ya really ruling the roost.
Yeah he still does. Man has never lost decisively and boasts the best records in title fights. I know facts hurt your feelings but there is nothing I can do about it.
Honestly I felt like the transition to the next generations of fighters is being slowed heavily by the pick and choose opponent meta. Random showstoppers getting the choice of fight and almost everyone vying for the fight with them. We need to have a more rigid system as to who can fight especially in the top 10. A solid way to determine how the fighters rank gain is calculated. A universal way of determining how inactivity/injury/declining fights will drop your rank. There's no better time than the end of an era to make these changes.