Fighters you thought were really good at one point, but then realized they were never that good?

[HHJ]

This is just way too simplistic of a phrase,most of the time. MMA fans LOVE simplicity.

Some guys are great at forcing their game,until their weakness is figured out,and cant improve or get their confidence back.

 

[Fight Professor]

Most hyped Bellator fighers like Lombard, Askren, Brooks, Chandler, MVP.

 

[Siver!]

Chidi Njokuani is another.

Great, powerful offensive fighter, but we all know he's weak defensively with gaping holes in his game, yet (I think?) he's walked in as favourite for every fight.

 

[HHJ]

Most hyped Bellator fighers like Lombard, Askren, Brooks, Chandler, MVP.

Chandler might not be the best,but he's able to give the best really tough fights. I think he belongs above these other names. Askren's skillset might have been limited past wrestling,but had he come in earlier,he could have done well. Guys like Lombard and MVP I never liked.

 

[EricSpider]

That russian LW that suplexed the hell of somebody in his UFC debut, forgot his name

 

[13Seconds]

So what tends to happen is someone comes along who clearly hits like a truck, knocks out (or at least knocks the tar out of) a few guys at entry level in the UFC, then the assumption is that they must be skilled enough to land power shots on people who never eat power shots somehow. If they're also physically powerful and have shown improvement, they're a nightmare opponent.

Then Seung Woo Choi loses 3 in a row, despite being heavily favoured against Alex Caceres and Josh Culibao.

There have been a ton of guys that have put the blinkers on MMA fans like this.

Su Mudaerji, as well, being a big favourite against Matt Schnell (!!) - it's not based on the guys they beat, it's based on an assumed trajectory that always seems to ignore levels and skill set in favour of power-hitters with exciting styles.

Adrian Yanez is actually good, but had no business being a -175 favourite against Rob Font, but again, 'hits hard'.

Will be interesting to see how Yanez comes back. Dude got flatlined

 

[Cobra 03]

Fedor. He looked like a GOD in Japan, but when he came to the US, he looked better than average, but certainly not great. I don't want to hear he was over the hill by then either. When he came to US to fight for Affliction, he was 32 years old. When he lost 3 in a row in Strikeforce, he was only 34 years old. Almost prime years for a HW. He was very good though, and best HW ever.

 

[HHJ]

That russian LW that suplexed the hell of somebody in his UFC debut, forgot his name

Rustam Khabilov

He was good enough to win a fight with only suplexes,so he's the GOAT in my eyes.

 

[TITS]

Jessica Andrade after losing to two absolute crap fighters back-to-back.

 

[HHJ]

and best HW ever.

So why did you put him in this thread? Is being the best not good enough?

 

[Siver!]

Will be interesting to see how Yanez comes back. Dude got flatlined

Yeah, that's going to depend entirely on what level of competition he's facing.

He's still ranked, despite squeaking past Davey Grant in his only respectable win. He's been feasting on very low level guys, and wasn't nearly ready for Font.

I think he struggles with the guy somehow ranked below him, Gutierrez.

But we'll see!

 

[markg171]

I'm going back quite some time but first name that came to mind was Brandon Vera

Kinda wild, but Vera was ONE's HW champion as recently as 2021. He'd had 2 defences.

 

[HHJ]

Jessica Andrade after losing to two absolute crap fighters back-to-back.

I mean,I dont think anyone is surprised that Andrade's limited skillset would get exploited by better strikers. Anyone paying attention knows what she is. We saw the Joanna fight.

She's still dangerous,but if you can take her down (valentina) got good footwork (Joanna) or can actually match her physicality (Yan,Zhang) she will struggle mightily.

I hope you dont count Yan and Erin as a crap fighter.

 

[HHJ]

Kinda wild, but Vera was ONE's HW champion as recently as 2021. He'd had 2 defences.

He had personal problems also which I believe hindered his career.

 

[Canadian Kicker]

Uriah Hall

Thought he could have been something really special. Not saying he was a bum but he had a lot more potential then what he did.

 

[CashMoney1991]

Uriah Hall

Thought he could have been something really special. Not saying he was a bum but he had a lot more potential then what he did.

I agree with this, I think that KO he had on the show hyped him up

 

[CashMoney1991]

Barao had the biggest fall I have ever seen in a fighter, he went from almost number 1 p4p and looking like a future all time great until he got killed by TJ twice

 

[jx820]

I still think he was a good fighter, but Thiago Silva looked like a real threat. Even after he lost to Machida but bounced back against Jardine with a first round stoppage I just took it as a setback that he recovered from nicely. Machida was awkward and anyone could struggle with him but the Jardine win puts him back on track. Then he goes on a 2 year skid from 2010-2012. Then a mental health crisis finished off his career.

 

[Brood]

Doo ho choi looked awesone until the Cub Swanson loss. He then vowed he would never lose again and... well, never won again.

Also Thomas Almeida looked quite promising until Garbrandt destroyed him, After which he won only 1 of his next 5 fights.

And speaking about Garbrandt...

 

[markg171]

Rustam Khabilov

He was good enough to win a fight with only suplexes,so he's the GOAT in my eyes.

I'll never forget Benson misreading Twitter and thinking Khabib called him out after I think Gilbert and Nate had pulled out of fights with him so Benson responded that he'd fight him as no one else wanted to...

... Only for it to have actually been Rustam calling him out. KhabiLOV, not KhabiB. Who was still relatively unknown and I think only like #14 or something while Benson was #1.

Someone eventually replied asking him if he'd mistakenly thought he was replying to Khabib and he retweeted it showing he'd mixed guys up. Well son of a bitch, for whatever reason someone at the UFC thought this was a good fight and offered it and he took it anyways despite it making no sense and manhandled Rustam.

Typical UFC matchmaking though that #1 Benson wanted to fight #6 Khabib who needed a fight too and they instead made Benson/Rustam and Khabib/RDA. Then after both won their fights they didn't make it here either but instead made Benson/RDA meanwhile Khabib would eventually spend the next 2 years injured. Just went and ruined everything instead of making the logical fights.