The 35+ Curse Year Old Curse at LW and Below?

[mkt]

• 35-year old Volk loses his title
• 36-year old Tony Ferguson started an 8-fight losing streak in one-sided beatdown against Gaethje
• 35-year old Gaethje just lost to Max who's 3 years younger
• Michael Chandler's only win after turning 35 was against an even older and more shopworn Tony Ferguson
• Cejudo is 0-2 since turning 35
  

 

[mkt]

Reviving this because I posted it just before the Poatan-Hill fight...obviously a terrible time for engagement!

 

[wildchild88]

Seems to be a drop off in reflexes / speed at that age. Also impacts recovery as well.

The lower weight classes are just too quick, for fighters to be able to afford losing that touch of speed. It's a game of milliseconds.

Volk never even saw Ilia's shots coming they were so fast.

 

[mkt]

Seems to be a drop off in reflexes / speed at that age. Also impacts recovery as well.

The lower weight classes are just too quick, for fighters to be able to afford losing that touch of speed. It's a game of milliseconds.

Volk never even saw Ilias shots coming they were so fast.

I agree. It didn't look like the Volk from 5 years ago.

 

[tatsuke]

• 35-year old Volk loses his title
• 36-year old Tony Ferguson started an 8-fight losing streak in one-sided beatdown against Gaethje
• 35-year old Gaethje just lost to Max who's 3 years younger
• Michael Chandler's only win after turning 35 was against an even older and more shopworn Tony Ferguson
• Cejudo is 0-2 since turning 35

It's called getting old, wdym?

 

[KoreanZawmbie]

Unless you're a HW, this is a young man's game.

34 is the age where athletes begin to decline massively.

 

[ookii]

John Dobson came back with a George Constanza at age 35

 

[mkt]

John Dobson came back with a George Constanza at age 35

Of course there are exceptions but Dodson wasn't beating the best BWs in the world after age 35--just some guys mostly outside the UFC. Urijah Faber KO'd a guy when he was 40, but he was never a champ in the UFC and lost his belt in the WEC at age 30, never to regain it.

 

[ookii]

Of course there are exceptions but Dodson wasn't beating the best BWs in the world after age 35--just some guys mostly outside the UFC. Urijah Faber KO'd a guy when he was 40, but he was never a champ in the UFC and lost his belt in the WEC at age 30, never to regain it.

I was talking about his hairline...

 

[NoSmilez]

It's also Justin's style. He been through a lot of wars. He came in the UFC with roughly 20 fights saying that he had maybe 5 fights left.

 

[mkt]

It's also Justin's style. He been through a lot of wars. He came in the UFC with roughly 20 fights saying that he had maybe 5 fights left.

I remember him saying that. If I'm not mistaken, it was after his early UFC losses to Alvarez and Poirier. After that, he tightened up his style a bit and became more technical. He then quickly finished Barboza, Cerrone and another guy then put on a clinic vs. Tony.

Sadly, I think Max have been his career turning point just like it was Tony's when he lost to Justin. Maybe not as bad--Gaethje can still win fights, especially against other older guys. But in general he looked slower to me, and Max gave a blueprint for faster, more technical younger strikers to follow. And if grapplers can take Justin down, his submission defense is suspect.

Dariush-Gaethje might be a good fight to see where both guys are. I'm quite sure Justin takes it if both were in their primes, but if Dariush can bring it to the ground, all bets are off.

 

[Relentless chase]

• 35-year old Volk loses his title
• 36-year old Tony Ferguson started an 8-fight losing streak in one-sided beatdown against Gaethje
• 35-year old Gaethje just lost to Max who's 3 years younger
• Michael Chandler's only win after turning 35 was against an even older and more shopworn Tony Ferguson
• Cejudo is 0-2 since turning 35

35 year old Dillashaw beat Cory on 1 Leg, 1 Arm, and 1 Eye.

Faber was near 40 when he came back and TKO’d Simon.

 

[NoSmilez]

I remember him saying that. If I'm not mistaken, it was after his early UFC losses to Alvarez and Poirier. After that, he tightened up his style a bit and became more technical. He then quickly finished Barboza, Cerrone and another guy then put on a clinic vs. Tony.

Sadly, I think Max have been his career turning point just like it was Tony's when he lost to Justin. Maybe not as bad--Gaethje can still win fights, especially against other older guys. But in general he looked slower to me, and Max gave a blueprint for faster, more technical younger strikers to follow. And if grapplers can take Justin down, his submission defense is suspect.

Dariush-Gaethje might be a good fight to see where both guys are. I'm quite sure Justin takes it if both were in their primes, but if Dariush can bring it to the ground, all bets are off.

Ali is the manager. It's not going to happen. I think it is a waste to have Justin fight other contenders. His style and weaknesses aren't going to change much at this point of his career. There are too many holes and he isn't getting any younger.

I feel like they should just book him for fun fights. He can fight BSD in a bloodbath but it might kill BSD as a contender. He can also fight Charles. Charles is out of contention now and he is a bit too old to climb back up. Wait till Mcgregor comes back. Chandler will also be freed up. I believe those two are somewhat over the hill too. They are going to get people to watch but they aren't going to beat the champion or other contenders. Just let them age out fighting each other without clogging up the title shot.

 

[acannxr]

• 35-year old Volk loses his title
• 36-year old Tony Ferguson started an 8-fight losing streak in one-sided beatdown against Gaethje
• 35-year old Gaethje just lost to Max who's 3 years younger
• Michael Chandler's only win after turning 35 was against an even older and more shopworn Tony Ferguson
• Cejudo is 0-2 since turning 35

Average age of the top ten fighters (worldwide):

32.9 | Heavyweight
35.6 | Light Heavyweight
32.9 | Middleweight
32.2 | Welterweight
32.2 | Lightweight
31.9 | Featherweight
31.4 | Bantamweight
31.0 | Flyweight

MMA On Point also did a video trying to determine at what age fighters start declining at the championship and non-championship level and it was 33-34 years old.

(Timestamped)

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

The UFC started acknowledging it with the Volk fight.

I can't wait to hear Jon Anik scream that the curse is broken when some 35 year old wins the BMF belt

 

[Taric]

This isn't new information.

 

[mkt]

Ali is the manager. It's not going to happen. I think it is a waste to have Justin fight other contenders. His style and weaknesses aren't going to change much at this point of his career. There are too many holes and he isn't getting any younger.

I feel like they should just book him for fun fights. He can fight BSD in a bloodbath but it might kill BSD as a contender. He can also fight Charles. Charles is out of contention now and he is a bit too old to climb back up. Wait till Mcgregor comes back. Chandler will also be freed up. I believe those two are somewhat over the hill too. They are going to get people to watch but they aren't going to beat the champion or other contenders. Just let them age out fighting each other without clogging up the title shot.

That's why I mentioned Dariush. He's 34 and coming off 2 straight losses. Unlike Gaethje/Poirier/Chandler/etc., he never made it to a title fight and that ship has sailed. But he's in the same range as those other guys. I think he'd lose to any of them in a brawl, but he might have a chance if he fights smart and can take the fight to the ground.

 

[JoeRowe]

Poirier was 35 when he smashed BSD.

Figgy is 36, Garbrandt 32.

Barboza > Yusuf

I'm sure their are other examples as well.

 

[Substance Abuse]

Guys 35+ are 2-23 in title fights under 185.

 

[mkt]

Average age of the top ten fighters (worldwide):

32.9 | Heavyweight
35.6 | Light Heavyweight
32.9 | Middleweight
32.2 | Welterweight
32.2 | Lightweight
31.9 | Featherweight
31.4 | Bantamweight
31.0 | Flyweight

MMA On Point also did a video trying to determine at what age fighters start declining at the championship and non-championship level and it was 33-34 years old.

(Timestamped)

Right. And while the current top HWs are a bit younger, there have been champs over 40 (Randy Couture, Cormier). And Glover was over 40 when he was the LHW champ. While there are a lot of good LWs and below in 30-34 age range, their career declines are usually much more rapid when they reach their mid-30s.