Stipe Declining or not yet ?

[Hitman]

In his last fight, Stipe was in great shape and great conditionning.
Lean, fast, durable, strong
Do you think he was still at his peak ? Or a slight décline ?
I think it is very difficult to say....
He was at his Technical and tactical peak ! Physicaly he was in great Shape and has still his iron chin.

 

[You Will Vote For Dreyga]

Stipe age 38 was fighting DC age 41. Another old guy so it’s hard to gauge

We need to him fight a younger competitor. Let’s see he can fend Francis age 34, Jones age 33, Curtis Blades age 29.

 

[jsbx45]

Hard telling because he doesn't fight that much. None of the best fight that much anymore so its not fair to pick Stipe apart for "not fighting" when none of them do. UFC is as much to blame for that as anything. When you can get Chimaev to fight four times for less than Stipe or Cormier's show money who's gettin a fight and who isn't? Dana is a bargain shopper who knows good value. Stipe is still a HW GOAT candidate who isn't done yet but he ain't cheap.

 

[Hitman]

Stipe age 38 was fighting DC age 41. Another old guy so it’s hard to gauge

We need to him fight a younger competitor. Let’s see he can fend Francis age 34, Jones age 33, Curtis Blades age 29.

Old Guy who are the best fighter in the World

 

[jsbx45]

Stipe age 38 was fighting DC age 41. Another old guy so it’s hard to gauge

We need to him fight a younger competitor. Let’s see he can fend Francis age 34, Jones age 33, Curtis Blades age 29.

Racial bias much?

 

[g*r*b]

Old Guy who are the best fighter in the World

exactly, DC still had fast hands at his age + old man's strength and wiliness.

 

[SakurabasEar]

He's slowed down, although i dont think to that great of an extent.

Less of a chin nowadays. But overall Imo I think he's still mobile enough at hwt to stay competitive with ngannou or jones.

 

[Final Say]

I don’t think he’s slowed as much as people think. Fighting DC would make any heavyweight look slow and flawed.

 

[100leglock]

Stipe's next fight is gonna be very interesting...

 

[tripleo]

Old Guy who are the best fighter in the World

then why is he ducking the entire heavyweight division?

 

[Bellatorfan]

Getting better

 

[You Will Vote For Dreyga]

Racial bias much?

You’re paranoid. Those guys are the top 3 heavyweight contenders

 

[BFoe]

I thought he looked bad in that fight. Just seemed off. Slow, skinny, just not like his old self. In the first Cormier fight he looked slow too, and got tagged a lot. He’s a great fighter but I do think he’s declining. He’s getting old for a fighter.

 

[You Will Vote For Dreyga]

Old Guy who are the best fighter in the World

Yea but can they keep up with younger hunter Orr fighters?

They’ve spent the last three years fighting each other and are now well into their late 30’s.

Father Time is undefeated

 

[asdf122345]

He is. When he rematches with Ngannou we will know that he is on a steep decline.

 

[Mike]

Nobody is in their physical prime in their late 30s. Might still be improving skill wise as you can do that at any age, but his physical prime is over.

 

[Deleted member 545701]

His durability may have declined, but his actual skill set has increased heavily through the DC fights.

Compare the Stipe that fought JDS in the rematch to the Stipe that fought DC in the 3rd fight.

Way more diverse, intelligent, and strategic. DC made him work on parts of his game that no other heavyweight could. He was mainly a plodding wrestle boxer in his first reign as champion. Now his skill set has expanded

 

[g*r*b]

He's slowed down, although i dont think to that great of an extent.

Less of a chin nowadays. But overall Imo I think he's still mobile enough at hwt to stay competitive with ngannou or jones.

I don't see the less of a chin. He was withstanding the same kind of shot the KOd him in the first DC fight after all. I think what makes him vulnerable is a lack of attention or an element of surprise—like Overeem's running away lulling Stipe into complacency, or DC's short punch coming in unseen. But purely physically speaking, he's as shock resistant as ever.

 

[Jackonfire]

I thought he looked bad in that fight. Just seemed off. Slow, skinny, just not like his old self. In the first Cormier fight he looked slow too, and got tagged a lot. He’s a great fighter but I do think he’s declining. He’s getting old for a fighter.

I think its hard to get an accurate read considering his last 3 fights have been against the same opponent. And that trilogy took 3 years to play out. It will be interesting to see how he looks against someone else.Can't deny he's getting older, but that doesn't mean as much at HW.

 

[SakurabasEar]

I don't see the less of a chin. He was withstanding the same kind of shot the KOd him in the first DC fight after all. I think what makes him vulnerable is a lack of attention or an element of surprise—like Overeem's running away lulling Stipe into complacency, or DC's short punch coming in unseen. But purely physically speaking, he's as shock resistant as ever.

I hope your right, but he seemed to go down a bit to easy during his first fight with DC. I know he caught him clean though. Also not to mention being buzzed several times in the other two fights.