Many say that mixed martial arts have become a young man’s game. With hungry young lions like Michael McDonald, Rory MacDonald and Jon Jones making some big waves in their respective divisions, it’s hard to dispute that argument.
However, the old guard is not some group of washed-up has-beens who are willing to go down without a fight. In fact, many of the older fighters in the UFC are enjoying some incredible momentum at the moment.
Do skills tend to decay over time? In most cases, yes.
Do fighters with formerly granite chins appear to get knocked out more in their later years? Absolutely.
However, the rule doesn’t apply to everyone. Sure, we’ve seen stars like Mirko Cro Cop and Ken Shamrock become almost sad in their later years, but there are some elder statesmen of the UFC who are certainly not going to concede anything to the young guns of the organization.
You want my spot? Come take it from me.
Here is a look at 10 UFC fighters who are winning the battle against Father Time. This is a look at the 10 best fighters over the age of 35.