The Second Golden Age Is Over

[Streeter]

What era was 2011 thru 2019

 

[akeller901]

I think we just finished the end of an era, boys. The past 4 years have been filled with countless historic fights. IMO Colby vs Usman 1 is what truly kicked it off but Jorge vs. Askren might’ve been the real initiator.

My favorite moments:
Colby vs. Usman 1
Francis killing Stipe
Poatan stopping Adesanya

What are yours?

1st Golden Age: 2005-2011
2nd Golden Age: 2019-2023

RIP

2011 - 2019 was much better than 2019-2023. Even 2013/14-2018 was better. 2016 is the peak of the sport in terms of popularity

 

[akeller901]

I think we just finished the end of an era, boys. The past 4 years have been filled with countless historic fights. IMO Colby vs Usman 1 is what truly kicked it off but Jorge vs. Askren might’ve been the real initiator.

My favorite moments:
Colby vs. Usman 1
Francis killing Stipe
Poatan stopping Adesanya

What are yours?

1st Golden Age: 2005-2011
2nd Golden Age: 2019-2023

RIP

It kicked off with Jorge Masvidal vs Ben Askren? You must be new to the sport. The age right before this was so much better

 

[akeller901]

What era was 2011 thru 2019

This was the best

 

[akeller901]

Last golden age ended several years ago, probably around the time when GSP last fought, give or take a year or two. Bringing up random acts of violence like Poatan winning the LHW belt or Mas knocking out Askren means you don't quite understand what is meant by the golden age. There will always be great fights and knockouts, but the overall quality of the product along with good match making and well promoted fighters has definitely declined since ~2017-2019 and we have not seen a golden age since then. I'd say it mostly has to do with the output of events not matching with the amount of talent available - too many cards and too many of them consisting of cheap cans vs cans fights. As long as the ESPN deal continues, this will be the case.

This. 2016/2017 it felt like the sport was at its absolute peak and has only down down from there

 

[akeller901]

I think we just finished the end of an era, boys. The past 4 years have been filled with countless historic fights. IMO Colby vs Usman 1 is what truly kicked it off but Jorge vs. Askren might’ve been the real initiator.

My favorite moments:
Colby vs. Usman 1
Francis killing Stipe
Poatan stopping Adesanya

What are yours?

1st Golden Age: 2005-2011
2nd Golden Age: 2019-2023

RIP

You made your account 10 days ago and haven’t even been watching the sport for 5 years lol. What is this

 

[Levi_]

First Golden Age: 1997 to 2001
- NHB becomes MMA
- UFC Tournaments and then eventually weight classes
- PRIDE Grand Prix 2000
- Kazushi Sakuraba, Igor Vovchanchyn, Mark Kerr, Mark Coleman, Randy Couture, Vitor Belfort, Dan Henderson, Frank Shamrock, Pedro Rizzo



Second Golden Age: 2001 to 2007
- PRIDE era
- WEC and IFL era
- PRIDE Grand Prix (2006 Open weight, 2004 Heavyweight, 2003 Middleweight, 2005 Middleweight, 2005 Lightweight and 2005 Welterweight)
- Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mirko Cro Cop, Josh Barnett, Randy Couture, Matt Hughes, BJ Penn, Wanderlei Silva, Rampage Jackson, Dan Henderson, Chuck Liddell, Shogun Rua, Ricardo Arona, Urijah Faber, Andrei Arlovski, Tim Sylvia, Rich Franklin



Third Golden Age: 2007 to 2011
- UFC acquires PRIDE and WEC
- Anderson Silva, Georges St Pierre, Junior Dos Santos, Cain Velasquez, Brock Lesnar, Frank Mir, Alistair Overeem, Shogun Rua, Lyoto Machida, Fedor Emelianenko, Rashad Evans, Dan Henderson, Jose Aldo, Frankie Edgar



Fourth Golden Age: 2011 to 2015
UFC acquires Strikeforce
- Jon Jones, Daniel Cormier, Alistair Overeem, Jose Aldo, Rafael Dos Anjos, Anderson Silva, Dan Henderson, Robbie Lawler, Johnny Hendricks

Yes, well said.

Only thing I would say is I would start in 93 when UFC was starting and with Shooto/Pancrase type shows in Japan. Never having seen MMA, and with way the first 10 full tournament events were, that was an incredibly exciting and entertaining time; the early era had an appeal all its own. I delayed watching them because I didn't believe my friends at first that they were real; then I bought the UFC 6 PPV, I was like HOLY SHIT!

 

[blaseblase]

I dont agree with either of your "golden ages". They seem to completely ignore the two most popular fighters to ever compete in mma, Conor and Ronda.

 

[ComeChooDaddy]

You made your account 10 days ago and haven’t even been watching the sport for 5 years lol. What is this

You’re clueless.

I dont agree with either of your "golden ages". They seem to completely ignore the two most popular fighters to ever compete in mma, Conor and Ronda.

How is never defending a belt part of a Golden Age?

 

[Sweater of AV]

 

[Choco]

A new era is dawning. So far Islam, O'Malley, Leon, Pereira and ...

... The Top-Dog

 

[Dandy Chiggins]

There have been 12 golden eras since 2011

 

[HHJ]

"The GOLDEN ERA was that time I started watching,and was like OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!....AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"