Exactly what many don’t take into the equation. Sanctioned fighters are used to sanctioned fights for the most parts with some street fighting exceptions obviously.But anything can happen outside the ring,octagon what have you. Anger,drugs etc... can make the difference in a street circumstance as well as who strikes first.
Yep. That my thoughts exactly, Rob. And with USADA testing, I would be pretty certain that there is some 285-lb university wrestler somewhere in the USA who is juiced to the gills and could probably smash any UFC fighter in a wrestling match [even the genetic freaks with lots of experience like Stipe]. Get that same juiced super-heavyweight wrestler to bring up his striking, and I wouldn't bet against him if he had to fight a more experienced, drug-free UFC heavyweight in a street fight. It's questionable how many guys are on steroids versus off these days, but there has been a definite drop in the caliber of fighters since USADA came in like a wrecking ball around 2014-2015.
Add all sorts of street drugs that can make people feel no pain, and you would be fighting a whole other animal.
And if we take boxers - for as refined, fast, and technical as their striking may be, without take-down defense, their striking would limit them against a well-rounded fighter outside of the ring.
PS - Jon Jones made fun of Anthony Smith on Twitter for not beating down that home invader harder than he did, which I felt was a low class thing to do.
