The truth about championship reigns

[RonDante]

Exactly, the caliber of contenders and resume matters. Aldo was definitely the best FW in the world back then but in today’s division he wouldn’t get very far. The competition is much better than Lamas, Hominick, Edgar and Mendes.

Yeah he had 9 title defenses but it was against weaker competition. Volk or max would’ve done the same thing fighting those same fighters

I saw someone claim that Aldo’s bantamweight wins are a factor in the featherweight goat debate lol. And the same guy said something like “faber leg kick aldo destroys ilia!” Ye cause faber had no idea how to check a leg kick and barely anyone used them effectively back then except Aldo. These people are so biased towards whoever they liked when they were growing up, it’s insane

 

[ipowerslapmywife]

hold up, how could you say Volk is clearly past his prime, yet include Aldo, Mendes, & Zombie on Volk's resume as a list of accomplishments when he beat them all past their prime?

His resume is still the best. Mendes and Aldo were still really good. Aldo could’ve went on to win the BW belt

 

[kkthx]

hold up, how could you say Volk is clearly past his prime, yet include Aldo, Mendes, & Zombie on Volk's resume as a list of accomplishments when he beat them all past their prime?

Know what, I just read your post that appears above mine, I understand you now, nevermind.

because you're talking to a moron

 

[ipowerslapmywife]

I saw someone claim that Aldo’s bantamweight wins are a factor in the featherweight goat debate lol. And the same guy said something like “faber leg kick aldo destroys ilia!” Ye cause faber had no idea how to check a leg kick and barely anyone used them effectively back then except Aldo. These people are so biased towards whoever they liked when they were growing up, it’s insane

Volk and Max would wipe the floor with all the guys Aldo beat but could prime Aldo do the same with Volks resume, I doubt it. Aldo started losing once he faced the real contenders like Conor and Max

 

[Wonderfight]

No version of Aldo beats Max or Volk, I am afraid. Also, Volk is a clear FW goat and has been for some time. Couldn’t be touched in his prime and only started losing when he got objectively old for the division. And he helped that greatly with bad life decisions.

 

[Flower2dPeople]

Even Topuria is only talking about leftovers, doesn't want to mention Evloev.

Someone brought up Evloev in the post fight presser. Topuria basically said Evloev should at least get a stoppage win. All of his ufc wins were decisions. He doesn't want to rematch Volk but at the end of the day he said he's a fighter and will fight anyone they put in front of him.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

You can only beat who manages to get past the gatekeepers of your division. Volk could have had Arnold Allen on a double figure UFC win streak but Max stopped that from happening. Max also stopped Kattar from looking like a legit challenger where he would have otherwise.

 

[fortheo]

You can only beat who manages to get past the gatekeepers of your division. Volk could have had Arnold Allen on a double figure UFC win streak but Max stopped that from happening. Max also stopped Kattar from looking like a legit challenger where he would have otherwise.

I think Husky has extremely, and I mean extremely high standards here. His argument is kind of belittling every championship run except the extreme rarities like Jones and GSP. Beating the past and present generation of contenders as a champ is more than enough to have a legit title reign. I don't really see the need to belittle the champs that didn't manage to beat the future generation of contenders as well, considering that is an extremely rare feat and the champs are usually fighting father time by the point they get the chance to face the new generation. And as for facing champ's left overs -- that is what happens when former contenders manage to stick around at the top of the division.

 

[JustforBROCK]

Welcome to the 'sport' where every fighter has to be undefeated to matter. This is why I barely talk Mma with people because they are mostly fucking morons.

 

[checktheknuckles]

So once a fighter loses the next fighter that beats them it doesn’t count?

Can you not read? Can you not comprehend? Its like Bisping wanting to fight all those old tops for his title defense, instead of the ones who actually earned a title shot that he ducked. Making your name off over the hill fighters does hinder your legacy when compared to the other elites. OP is 100% right. We currently seeing Leon on this same path. Beat 34 year old RDA (legend), then eye pokes Belal (who is 35 right now) fights a bloated LW in Nick who was 36(almost KO'd too), then beats Usman at 34 and 35 years old. Then fights Colby for some reason who was 1 month from turning 35. The UFC loves doing this shit, and its a great way to protect a fighter while giving them names to feed off of. LW is in this same predicament with Justin, Dustin and Chandler all at the top and just rotating around with each other.

 

[NationWideNinja]

This is something you can do for every record. Lets do it for Topuria:

- one-dimensional Bryce
- almost 40 year old “only have an overhand” Emmett
- mental issues, months after getting brutally KO’d Volk

Lets say he defends against Evloev, Max, Kattar

- Evloev who barely got past Allen
- old battle-worn Max, in a worse stage of his career than when Volk beat him
- journeyman Kattar

Tadaaaa, and just like that hes overrated

 

[TGArthur]

This is something a lot of you aren't going to like hearing but it's a discussion that has to be had. Greatness in terms of championship reigns begins only after leftovers are finished. What do I mean?

Volkanovski, I've said time and time again he's not the greatest Featherweight of all time and that his resume is pretty bad short of Max Holloway. Holloway is an all time great and Volk beat him 3x in his prime, huge accomplishment. But a worn out, old and short notice Korean Zombie that Aldo already destroyed years prior? Or an old Mendes coming off multiple knockout losses and a 2 year suspension who already lost two title shots to Aldo years prior? Or Ortega who had a singular win since getting his face dribbled ten thousand times by Max Holloway? I told everyone that Evloev and Topuria weren't Korean Zombie, Ortega or Yair...they were legitimate title contenders in their prime and on the climb, undefeated and well rounded. That Volk needed to beat these two guys to cement his legacy as the best, that they were his true tests...

So often, these champions go on leftover tours because the name recognition of guys who climbed the mountain, failed and got old holds more weight when it comes to media attention and casual fans than actual contenders. Even Charles Oliveir went on a leftovers tour vs guys like Poirier, Gaethje and Chandler. Leon is currently trying to, rematching Usman, then fighting Colby and then asking for Masvidal...It's just how it works unfortunately. True greatness is when you finish the leftovers and beat the next wave that's actually rising to the top. It's what GSP did, Jones, Mighty Mouse. Even Topuria is only talking about leftovers, doesn't want to mention Evloev.

So you downgrade those fighters to degrade Volk and gas up GSP.

How come you don't see criticism towards Dan Hardy, Josh Koscheck, Jon Fitch, Hamburger Hendrick, Matt Serra, and other low tier fighters that are not even considered top 10 of all time fighters?

Should we than say GSP wasn't "that good" either?

Before I get the GSP boyfriends' panties in a knot, let me defend and say that not all fighters get the luxury and opportunity to fight super fights at every turn. Just like people give GSP a pass on the competition he faced at the time and call him the GOAT, we too should appreciate Volks 12 year long career winning 26 times and fighting good hard competition.

 

[BigSexy444]

Volk - he was never that good

 

[Substance Abuse]

This is something you can do for every record. Lets do it for Topuria:

- one-dimensional Bryce
- almost 40 year old “only have an overhand” Emmett
- mental issues, months after getting brutally KO’d Volk

Lets say he defends against Evloev, Max, Kattar

- Evloev who barely got past Allen
- old battle-worn Max, in a worse stage of his career than when Volk beat him
- journeyman Kattar

Tadaaaa, and just like that hes overrated

 

[ComfortablyNumb55]

Volk was honestly never very good.

Sad to see him exposed.

 

[Jon Stark]

I completely agree with your statement. In my opinion, GSP was the closest to overthrowing the established fighters and dominating the emerging talent in the MMA world. If from 2014-2018, he had either avenged his loss to Hendricks or won in a trilogy, defeated top fighters like Lawler, Woodley, and Usman, and then moved up to win Bisping's middleweight belt before taking on Khabib in a catchweight fight, there would be no question that he is the best pound-for-pound fighter in MMA history. Unfortunately, missing out on facing the new wave of welterweights from 2014-2016 ultimately had a negative impact on his legacy.

 

[Jon Stark]

So you downgrade those fighters to degrade Volk and gas up GSP.

How come you don't see criticism towards Dan Hardy, Josh Koscheck, Jon Fitch, Hamburger Hendrick, Matt Serra, and other low tier fighters that are not even considered top 10 of all time fighters?

Should we than say GSP wasn't "that good" either?

Before I get the GSP boyfriends' panties in a knot, let me defend and say that not all fighters get the luxury and opportunity to fight super fights at every turn. Just like people give GSP a pass on the competition he faced at the time and call him the GOAT, we too should appreciate Volks 12 year long career winning 26 times and fighting good hard competition.

GSP beat 7 current, former or would be champions (Hughes, Penn, Serra, Sherk, Condit, Hendricks and Bisping) I think its wild suggesting these fighters weren’t top tier they had UFC gold

 

[orca]

1/10 on the troll attempt you can do better sherbro

op has a point
its kinda like people saying nganou is the best HW
beating 40 year old past prime fighters like cain jds reem arlovski

but lost in his prime to blackbeast and aging stipe

 

[ScarfaceJr]

His resume is still the best. Mendes and Aldo were still really good. Aldo could’ve went on to win the BW belt

really good and prime are two different things.
Last night Volk was really good, Toup is in his prime.

 

[TGArthur]

GSP beat 7 current, former or would be champions (Hughes, Penn, Serra, Sherk, Condit, Hendricks and Bisping) I think its wild suggesting these fighters weren’t top tier they had UFC gold

It's wild to suggest Matt Serra, Hendricks and Bisping are not top tier???