I wasn't entirely serious with the stfu comment. But honestly, who's on drugs and who isn't is tired. Stipe used to fight in the 240's. He's consciously chosen to come in lighter in his past couple fights. Francis showed he's been putting in the work. Stuffed takedowns, leg kicks, etc. Also, there's no credible reports of Francis skirting the system.
Ok, just wondering. Yeah - the USADA testing the UFC does now is legit, and that is evidenced by the fact that so many fighters, unfortunately, dropped off pretty significantly once it got implemented.
It does reduce the UFC's product, but I guess if people want steroid testing, so be it.
The Jon Jones "Picogram" scandal just goes to show how sensitive these tests are. The tests will probably eventually get so sensitive that people will test positive for steroid molecules hundreds of times smaller than picograms, from cycles literally done months or even a year or more earlier.
Presumably, on some extremely small level, steroids are still in a person's system much longer than traditional tests could test for them. Again, the tests are just getting so sensitive these days.
But "picograms" or not, if Jon Jones beats Francis Ngannou, I think we would have to call him the legit GOAT.
I think the way Jones sees it is something like this:
Jones beat a better Daniel Cormier than the DC who beat Stipe in their first fight, and went the distance against him in their third fight. So it stands to reason that Jones may think he could beat any version of Stipe. And that wouldn't be a unreasonable thought for Jones to hold, IMO.
So if Jones reasonably feels he is better than Stipe, he would then be reasonable to feel he could do better against Ngannou than Stipe did.
Although it's harder for me to predict how much Ngannou improved since the previous fight. What I think happened is that Ngannou and his team just told him to be patient with Stipe, and go for the knockout when it's available...but not to force It, like he did in the first round of their first fight.
So it may have just been a matter of Ngannou shifting to that gameplan, and fighting Stipe in a marathon, and not a sprint - as he did in their first fight, exhausting himself in the process, but still going the distance, which was impressive [and if I recall correctly, Ngannou's corner used towels to cool him off after rounds, rather than ice for some reason, which may have put him at a bit of a disadvantage].
That being said, I noticed his takedown defense was much improved - that really impressed me, especially given that Stipe is a tremendous wrestler, so Ngannou obviously worked on that.
So I think it's safe to say that Ngannou both came in with a better gameplan this time out, AND improved in some areas [specifically, takedown defense].
But he will lack one advantage fighting Jon Jones, which is that he has not fought Jones before, and can only get to know his fight style so well from watching
tape digital recordings of his fights.
Jones is one year younger than Ngannou, and also has more miles. I do think Jones is somewhat on the decline too, as he isn't as dominant as he once was, while still winning fights, while Ngannou seems to be as good as ever - if not improving. He seems to have learned to be patient where he needs to be - NOT like he needs to be in most fights.
Lastly - if Jones weighs in at 205-lb, I'm assuming his competitive weight would be at least 225-lb...maybe even 235-lb, as there are middleweights who put on 30-lb by fight night [Paulo Costo and Yoel Romero - I would assume Like Rockhold as well. Michael Bisping competed against GSP at around 212-lb, which was a 27-lb increase from weigh-ins].
I think Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou are both 6'4". Maybe Jon Jones being thinner would give him the same advantage that being thinner gave Israel Adesanya [having sharp/bony legs, making for painful leg kicks].
Jones is more well-rounded, and I don't think anyone disputes that. He has more Octagon experience.
But if he is giving up 30-lb to Ngannou, and if Ngannou can evade takedowns and submissions, and just be patient...I could see another knockout win for him.
I don't mean to join the Ngannou hype train, but it's hard not to. I made a myriad of excuses for some of his other victories against big names [beating former top champions, who were weathered veterans by the time Ngannou had a shot at them].
This is all speculation, obviously. I just can't write Ngannou off after that victory against Stipe.
Very few fighters knock fighters out cold like that. The man is an incredibly power puncher, and only needs to hit a fighter once to win the fight.
If Jones does beat Ngannou, I would consider him the all-time GOAT in the UFC - maybe in MMA, period - of any weight class.
All the GSP and Khabib GOAT talk is fine...keeping in mind their weight class, that is. But weight is only an advantage up to around 225-lb, IMO [Igor Vovchanchyn from the old Pride days comes to mind], so I would be very interested in seeing that fight.
Sorry for the novel. You just touched on some good points I wanted to also address. I'm glad this thread got posted, and people are paying Ngannou the respect he has now definitely earned.
As for Ngannou using steroids...the USADA testing is very good...but if he spends any time in Cameroon, would they go there and test him? GSP said on Joe Rogan's podcast in 2018 that fighters can still get around the tests...so...I'd be curious if he's on. IMO, he LOOKS like he is on. But he is a genetic freak...so who knows?
Stipe's physique looked attainable drug-free for a lifetime athlete. But again, this is just speculation on my part.
Glad to see you follow the UFC, Abraham.
I sort of follow bodybuilding less and less now, due to so many bodybuilders dying. It's a bit depressing, knowing I had a hand in encouraging it, in light of those young deaths.
