Stipe's Inactivity

[LoveSherdogThisTime]

This may sound like a rant but I am trying to be as objective as possible.

I genuinely cannot tell whether the people who claim Stipe was an inactive champion is just too passive aggressive to say they don't like the guy or they just started watching UFC in the last two years. These people are objecting facts to believe a narrative started by DC to solidify a third fight then picked up by Ngannou to get Stipe to fight as early as possible.

You have a champion currently who will be defending his title ten months after winning it and you are still calling Stipe the inactive champion? Stipe's first title defence came just four months after winning his title from Werdum. I don't know how you think Ngannou's contract dispute or his desire to fight Jones are valid excuses while you dismiss covid shutdown and eye surgery as excuses for Stipe. After the covid lockdown and his final fight against DC, Stipe fought Francis seven months after.

Also, anyone who is astonished by the fact that this upcoming UFC 270 will be the first heavyweight title fight that doesn't feature Stipe or DC, you should blame Lewis for tapping to DC and Ngannou for losing to Stipe. You should also blame Volkov for getting knocked out by Lewis. I don't think the reasoning behind hatred towards DC and Stipe are rational.

 

[Masturbin]

Stipe sat on the sidelines waiting for a rematch jerking off for a whole year.

He tried to do the same thing now but it obviously didn't work.

It's clear the guy doesn't want to fight anymore.
One or 2 more fight ans he's done

 

[Jose Beehive]

Stipe sat on the sidelines waiting for a rematch jerking off for a whole year.

He tried to do the same thing now but it obviously didn't work.

It's clear the guy doesn't want to fight anymore.
One or 2 more fight ans he's done

 

[HeDidn'tWantTheFight]

I'd like to see him remain inactive

 

[Slatersan]

The hw division has been a side note for dana since brock left. Dana is still bitter about it. Still hoping he will come back. So instead we got cain vs the same two dudes for five fights then stipe vs dc a bunch.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

He is past his prime, and doing nothing to earn a rematch.. He maybe should have retired after DC 3.. Losing so badly to Francis in the rematch damaged his legacy..

 

[Dbreiden83080]

The he division has been a side note for dana since brock left. Dana is still bitter about it. Still hoping he will come back. So instead we got cain vs the same two dudes for five fights then stipe vs dc a bunch.

Much more about how thin HW is IMO.. Cain was a beast, but he was always injured.. Even on the night he whooped Brock, he tore up his shoulder and was out 1 year.. Cain came in and out of being number 1 for years because of injuries.. Slowed everything down..

 

[WHITEBELT JESUS]

I’m sure it’s $$$ related, or he’s waiting for a Jones bout agreement.

 

[Milenkovic]

He would be more liked if he knew english

 

[Slatersan]

Much more about how thin HW is IMO.. Cain was a beast, but he was always injured.. Even on the night he whooped Brock, he tore up his shoulder and was out 1 year.. Cain came in and out of being number 1 for years because of injuries.. Slowed everything down..

Of course it was thin. Thats the point. If Dana wanted to he could put more resources to actually build it up but he literally spent years trying to get brock back.

 

[Jackonfire]

Derrick Lewis was on the Helwani show today and said he wants to fight Stipe. Said he wants to fight in February or March. I doubt Stipe will take him up on it though.

 

[Super Grover]

. If Dana wanted to he could put more resources to actually build it up

No he couldn't. HW is thin becuse anyone big enough and skilled enough to be a HW got recruited to play football or basketball when they were like 12 years old. MMA gets the ones that are left (or older guys who washed out their preferred sport). HW has always been weak and always will be weak for that reason.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

Of course it was thin. Thats the point. If Dana wanted to he could put more resources to actually build it up but he literally spent years trying to get brock back.

Meh HW will always be thin. Athletes of that size want to make serious money, and have more options. You don't see dudes that are 5'7 160 playing major sports for the most part..

To me this is why MMA has stagnated in the last 5 years.. UFC still won't pay these fighters shit..

 

[Yellowcrab]

No he couldn't. HW is thin becuse anyone big enough and skilled enough to be a HW got recruited to play football or basketball when they were like 12 years old. MMA gets the ones that are left (or older guys who washed out their preferred sport). HW has always been weak and always will be weak for that reason.

UFC has to compete against boxing too. Wilder wanted to be in the NFL or NBA but finished in boxing, not MMA.

But now that MMA is much more popular, some guys might choose MMA instead of boxing.

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

No he couldn't. HW is thin becuse anyone big enough and skilled enough to be a HW got recruited to play football or basketball when they were like 12 years old. MMA gets the ones that are left (or older guys who washed out their preferred sport). HW has always been weak and always will be weak for that reason.

This is true enough I’d say, imagine Greg Hardy wrestled at HS and college and then went to MMA?

 

[krelianx]

Meh HW will always be thin. Athletes of that size want to make serious money, and have more options. You don't see dudes that are 5'7 160 playing major sports for the most part..

To me this is why MMA has stagnated in the last 5 years.. UFC still won't pay these fighters shit..

Not sure you could say it was thin in Strikeforce or Pride:

Pride: Fedor, Nog, Mirko, Aleksander, Werdum, Sergei, Hunt, Barnett
Strikeforce: Overeem, Werdum, Fedor, DC, Barnett, Shane, Arlovski...

 

[Dbreiden83080]

Not sure you could say it was thin in Strikeforce or Pride:

Pride: Fedor, Nog, Mirko, Aleksander, Werdum, Sergei, Hunt, Barnett
Strikeforce: Overeem, Werdum, Fedor, DC, Barnett, Shane, Arlovski...

Most of them are from another era a long time ago.. Look at HW the last 5 years.. Look at it now.. Awful..

 

[krelianx]

Most of them are from another era a long time ago.. Look at HW the last 5 years.. Look at it now.. Awful..

Yeah, I agree. When Derrick Lewis is a top 5 fighter you know you have problems.

I can't believe the UFC won't invest on bringing better talent.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

Yeah, I agree. When Derrick Lewis is a top 5 fighter you know you have problems.

I can't believe the UFC won't invest on bringing better talent.

They won't pay the fighters shit.. This is why MMA is stagnant.. Top athletes have no interest in the UFC or MMA.. They can make money in other sports..

 

[Super Grover]

UFC has to compete against boxing too. Wilder wanted to be in the NFL or NBA but finished in boxing, not MMA.

But now that MMA is much more popular, some guys might choose MMA instead of boxing.

People don't think about it but baseball is a major draw as well. Modern baseball players are monsters. Even Stipe's main sport in college was baseball.