Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted October 27, 2020 Author Paid Members Share Posted October 27, 2020 I don’t think potential should come into it, to be honest. I think if people insist on this GOAT talk, it should be about what fighters have actually done not what it was perceived they could do. It’s partly why I always had a bit of a problem with people constantly trying to declare Cain the Heavyweight GOAT a few years back and act like it wasn’t even debatable. Cain was a great fighter and certainly the best HW in the world during the actual time he reigned as champion. But he shone brightly for a short time and most of his run consisted of alternating between giving JDS and Bigfoot a hiding. Not anywhere near enough to crown him the best HW ever for me. But his fans and divs like Rogan were desperate to paint that narrative for the longest time. And I think a lot of that was tied up in their idea of the ‘potential’ he had rather than what he’d really done. Because if you look at his actual resume, I don’t think it holds up to Stipe’s or Fedor’s at all and I’d say DC’s is better as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Egg Shen Posted October 27, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted October 27, 2020 Ive always believed the prime version lf Cain is the best version of any heavyweight to ever fight in MMA, but thats a completely different thing to saying hes the greatest heavyweight in the sports history, because he's not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted October 27, 2020 Author Paid Members Share Posted October 27, 2020 Incase anyone missed the fight, here’s the end of Khabib vs Gaethje... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimufctna24 Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 (edited) Cain doesn't have the record to be considered the HW Goat. But based on the eye-test and the decent wins he did pick up, I would still rate him ahead of DC as a heavyweight. Fedor circa 2002-2005 is the best MMA fighter I have seen above 170lbs. However, l rate Jones as the best overall above 170lbs because his resume has more depth than Fedor's and because he was a monster of a fighter in his own right between 2011 and 2015. Both would easily make my top 10, Jones possibly my top 5. Mighty Mouse and Aldo are both probably top 5. Edited October 27, 2020 by jimufctna24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators neil Posted October 27, 2020 Moderators Share Posted October 27, 2020 Just reading that Cannonier broke his arm in the first round Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimufctna24 Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Interesting that two of the judges scored the opening round to Gaethje. I thought it was a clear round for Khabib personally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted October 29, 2020 Author Paid Members Share Posted October 29, 2020 Well that lasted long... Got to be GSP surely. Like David said, Dana’s ‘big surprise’ for Khabib didn’t get to come out because Khabib announced his retirement. I reckon Dana’s been on the blower since saying ‘Listen, K-Dogg. You sure you wanna retire? We got this guy called Georges...’ Either that or they’re putting him and Tony Ferguson in the deep freeze where they can’t get hurt, like Stallone and Snipes in Demolition Man. And they’ll just book it one last time for March or something and defrost them the day of the fight. Nah. If he’s coming back it’s got to be GSP, hasn’t it? I can’t see anything else tempting him enough to do a complete 180. If he even has. There’s a good chance Dana’s chatting shite and trying to pressure Khabib by getting everyone talking about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Egg Shen Posted October 30, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted October 30, 2020 (edited) if Khabib came back for anyone i think it would be GSP, just because of the respect thing. Khabib genuinely seems like he has no interest in re-knewing that Conor rivalry. I think the pure competition of the GSP fight could entice him out though. Am I the only one who doesnt really wanna see it though? though GSP is clearly still in great nick he's getting linked to fights every few months now and its getting a bit tired for me. I can still see GSP getting linked to fights with the 155/170lb champ when hes 50. Khabib will get the same treatment, in a decades time the talk will be 'i heard Khabib's coming back to fight him' everytime theres a dominate Champion in the sport. Edited October 30, 2020 by Egg Shen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted October 30, 2020 Author Paid Members Share Posted October 30, 2020 (edited) Yeah it’s the way it always seems to go in MMA and Boxing. Look how long the talks of a Lennox Lewis comeback rumbled on after he retired. Fucking years and years. Every time he showed up to watch a fight the rumour mill went nuts. It’s probably not going to die down anytime soon with GSP. I’m in two minds on Khabib vs GSP. On the one hand I’d love to see it just because it’s so rare you get two of the GOATs (as silly as that talk is) squaring off. Plus on top of that, the styles and GSP’s size make it a bit more interesting. But on the other side, like I think Neil said the other day, while he’s still in phenomenal shape for a man pushing 40 (fuck, a 21 year old would be doing well to be in that shape) and looks after himself and still trains, this isn’t prime GSP anymore. It can’t be. The fantasy fight thing is all well and good but the chances of it living up to expectations are very slim and sometimes those things are best left in the imagination. Like the old Ali vs Tyson thing. People speculate on what would’ve happened and talk about what a great fight it’d have been but if there was a way they could’ve met prime vs prime, all I could see is Ali making him look a fool. And to top it all off, both Khabib and GSP beat the game. They left on top and both had arguably the best sendoffs in the sport. This fight would sour that a little bit for whoever lost. It’s a nice idea and I’m not going to lie and pretend I wouldn’t be excited to see it if it actually happened. But I think I’d rather they just leave it alone and let both men enjoy their retirement. Edited October 30, 2020 by wandshogun09 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 I'm just waiting on a red-faced, sweaty Dana telling us that Khabib vs Conor II, live from Putin's garden in Moscow is in the works. Nah, has to be GSP, surely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Chunk Posted October 30, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted October 30, 2020 3 hours ago, David said: I'm just waiting on a red-faced, sweaty Dana telling us that Khabib vs Conor II, live from Putin's garden in Moscow is in the works. Nah, has to be GSP, surely? I would love his 30th win to be by making Connor tap again. It might mean Connor has to beat Poirier, but I'll take that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 19 hours ago, Chunk said: I would love his 30th win to be by making Connor tap again. It might mean Connor has to beat Poirier, but I'll take that. I think despite Conor's bravado he'll have watched that Gaethje fight and realised that Khabib is somehow even better than he was when he faced him. McGregor would get run over even worse if they fought again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators neil Posted October 31, 2020 Moderators Share Posted October 31, 2020 Khabib beating Conor via tap out due to strikes would be ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamicazze Posted November 3, 2020 Share Posted November 3, 2020 Mcgregor would surely realise he has a 1 round chance with Khabib. A fresh round 1 Conor could knock him out, yet Khabib hasn't been rocked from my memory so the chances are unlikely - or Conor gets beat down until the stoppage comes. One thing no fighter has ever done is be a 3 weight UFC champ, there have been a few champ champs, never a champ champ champ. That's what appeals to GSP, and I also think GSP has a bit of Mayweather about him whereas he wouldn't take this unless he's seen something he can exploit. GSP saw it in Bisping when he came back at middle knowing the other guys may have been too big or had too much, he packed it in at welter when his hunger was waning and i feel despite his age GSP has proven with his decision making that he normally knows which makes it even more fascinating. My heart would say GSP in this. It's not particularly a sensible fight for Khabib - GSP wins and he's a goat. Khabib wins and he beat an old GSP. My mate pointed out to me Khabibs plan with his Dad was to get to 30, and he promised his mum it be his last one. So he's now almost torn between his mums wishes and his Dads. Only one is alive to change their mind...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Carbomb Posted November 3, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted November 3, 2020 23 minutes ago, kamicazze said: It's not particularly a sensible fight for Khabib - GSP wins and he's a goat. Khabib wins and he beat an old GSP. He's never been beaten, and everyone that people said had the tools to beat him have either lost to him or been derailed. On that basis, until he looks particularly vulnerable, I'd say every fight for him is sensible. Yes, GSP's a GOAT, but he's also past his prime, and Nurmagomedov is also a GOAT contender. If he can't challenge GSP, who can? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.