This forum is funny. Every new HW champ here is touted as the next big thing, the future GOAT of all time. I've already seen multiple members claim Stipe is the greatest and future of the HW division with posters already ranking him in the GOAT list. Just as they did Werdum, Cain, JDS, etc. etc. etc.
There was only one HW GOAT. Only one HW fighter that could win more than 2 fights after getting the belt. And we all know who that was.
This current crop of HW's are all just equally mediocre. Yes they all are killers, but none of them is head and shoulders better than any of the others. And their lack of true greatness is on display each time a new champ is crowned.
I agree 
Well its a super competitive division where one wrong move almost always means a finish so yea its gonna be a lot harder to go 19 fights in a row without a loss while also being clean.
Ask Mighty Mouse how much he likes getting blasted by Mark Hunts over hand right and I think you'll get an idea of why no one can hold onto a belt for more than a year at a time.
Too bad Kharitonov signed with Bellator.
Even with it's mediocrity, it's still an infinitely more interesting division than 125lbs.
It'll get there. Once the money is right, and the sport understood "properly" true talented athletes who are currently in/going to other sports will come. Would you wanna get in the cage with someone 250lb and start off at 2,000/2,000? At the top level?! At this size the trauma on the body, well more so brain, is too much to risk for many.
If any you guys watch the NRL or Super League (rugby league, not rugby union) you'll see some serious athletes who are tough as nails. OK, they are not martial artists, but if they had been brought up as such....you've got a 6,2 250lber who moves and explodes like a 170lber.
Let's get this sport appealing to kids (and more so parents!) As a former Rugby Union and League player, I would happily see my kid fight MMA over Rugby in terms of safety....but I know the truth...not many people do....still
The percentage of the population that can't make 205 is minuscule. So obviously the total number of viable candidates to be elite fighters should be small as well.
Add to that the fact that there's athletic disciplines where there are no weight categories (all team sports) where the big men have an advantage, and you have a tiny talent pool.
true, bunch of mediocre heavyweights today.
if only there were one dimensional wrestlers, one dimensional kickboxers, small japanese fighters, a judo olympian who had no business in the mma ring, a great well rounded fighter that seems he enjoys getting hit in the face, and zuluzinho mixed in the competition now, not even cain, jds or stipe could handle this roster of elite athletes.
GiasBaltar - This forum is funny. Every new HW champ here is touted as the next big thing, the future GOAT of all time. I've already seen multiple members claim Stipe is the greatest and future of the HW division with posters already ranking him in the GOAT list. Just as they did Werdum, Cain, JDS, etc. etc. etc.How can you call them mediocre and then immediately call them killers...they can't be both...
There was only one HW GOAT. Only one HW fighter that could win more than 2 fights after getting the belt. And we all know who that was.
This current crop of HW's are all just equally mediocre. Yes they all are killers, but none of them is head and shoulders better than any of the others. And their lack of true greatness is on display each time a new champ is crowned.
I actually disagree completely.
I think we are in the most competitive era of the heavyweight division in the sports history.
Stipe is a legit elite athlete with a wide arsenal of mma skills at all levels.
Werdum is the greatest (or at least top 2) HW sub artist ever.
Cain, JDS, Overeem are all awesome.
It's the stacked nature of the division, not its mediocrity, that has made it hard for guys to hold on to the belt.
HW division is Garbo compared to the other divisions..
mada - It's a tough division because one wrong move and any guy in the entire division can knock you out. That makes it tough for the more skilled guy to win every time. Mighty Mouse makes a mistake, he loses position and then has time for his superior skill set to allow him to regain the upper hand. Werdum makes a mistake, he gets KO'ed with a quickness. Just very different to compare skills at different weight classes imoHave my VU for the day.
I liked Fedor. I think it's more than reasonable to call him the greatest heavy.
But if Fedor fought in this division, I don't think he would have dominated. I don't think he would have had a great run. He fought quite a few guys that were not legit contenders in pride.
His best two opponents were Nog and Cro Cop. Look at his level of competition and tell me if those same guys would not have been beaten by present day Werdum, Stipe or Cain. Just saying.
I would argue that no heavy weight division was as strong as some might believe or weak as some might believe.
No matter what, the best big athletes compete in other sports. It's been that way for a long time. That's why there isn't an abundance of big talented fighters. It has always been thin after you get past the top 10.
I would love to see some big middleweight and light-heavyweight fighters move up to heavyweight for some entertaining fights. 
I love Mark Hunt, he's my favourite fighter but his career isn't the same if he was in a smaller weight class.
I think that's all I need to say about the depth.
tkayjunior -It'll get there. Once the money is right, and the sport understood "properly" true talented athletes who are currently in/going to other sports will come. Would you wanna get in the cage with someone 250lb and start off at 2,000/2,000? At the top level?! At this size the trauma on the body, well more so brain, is too much to risk for many.
If any you guys watch the NRL or Super League (rugby league, not rugby union) you'll see some serious athletes who are tough as nails. OK, they are not martial artists, but if they had been brought up as such....you've got a 6,2 250lber who moves and explodes like a 170lber.
Let's get this sport appealing to kids (and more so parents!) As a former Rugby Union and League player, I would happily see my kid fight MMA over Rugby in terms of safety....but I know the truth...not many people do....still
Is that what they're paying these days, $2k/$2k?
I certainly don't blame the NFL guys (Brock, Meathead, Schaub) for not giving the cage fight thing a try.
I'll tell you what it comes down to. There's no prestige in MMA. Thyere's actually a negative stigma. It's widely known the pay is shit, the place is being overrun by rampant PED cheating and drug abuse, The fighters are almost entirely treated like shit, bullied, mocked, humiliated, etc., and then discarded the minute they're no longer needed. No retirement, no pension plan, and then you have to face yourself in the mirror and admit, all you amounted to in life, is a cage fighter.
I used to do this thing as a hobby, and I have big regrets, because if you google my name, fight results come up, and trying to run a business and maintain a level of professionalism, is greatly hindered by association to this dirty, low level spectacle, they call a sport. Any big athletic guy would be MUCH better off just focusing on other sports, including boxing, if he must be a fighter. MMA just has a horrible stigma to it. I can't see it picking up much popularity, among those who have other sporting options. The midgets and the women will be out in force, they can't make it in legitimate pro sports.
Rubber Ducky - The percentage of the population that can't make 205 is minuscule. So obviously the total number of viable candidates to be elite fighters should be small as well.This. Fact of life that is never going to change.
Add to that the fact that there's athletic disciplines where there are no weight categories (all team sports) where the big men have an advantage, and you have a tiny talent pool.
Luckily HWs are more fun to watch than some others. A good mix on a card with 1 or 2 HW fights is best imo.
greentrousers - true, bunch of mediocre heavyweights today.Boom
if only there were one dimensional wrestlers, one dimensional kickboxers, small japanese fighters, a judo olympian who had no business in the mma ring, a great well rounded fighter that seems he enjoys getting hit in the face, and zuluzinho mixed in the competition now, not even cain, jds or stipe could handle this roster of elite athletes.
Actually this is best collection of talented heavyweights the UFC has ever head. Werdum is about as well rounded as they get... He fought dumb. Overeem, chin aside, is the most technical stand up fighter the UFC has had and his ground game, from top at least is deadly. Stipe is an elite level striker with very good wrestling and generally an incredible athlete. JDS has blinding fast hand speed and movement and probably the best TDD in the division. Rothwell is very well rounded, if not unorthodox, as well. Shit go down a few notches to Roy Nelson. A brawler who would submit most heavyweights in a grappling match. Never been more well rounded heavyweights.
ramaham -Because he is an idiot.GiasBaltar - This forum is funny. Every new HW champ here is touted as the next big thing, the future GOAT of all time. I've already seen multiple members claim Stipe is the greatest and future of the HW division with posters already ranking him in the GOAT list. Just as they did Werdum, Cain, JDS, etc. etc. etc.How can you call them mediocre and then immediately call them killers...they can't be both...
There was only one HW GOAT. Only one HW fighter that could win more than 2 fights after getting the belt. And we all know who that was.
This current crop of HW's are all just equally mediocre. Yes they all are killers, but none of them is head and shoulders better than any of the others. And their lack of true greatness is on display each time a new champ is crowned.