Dos Santos vs. Hunt

This is the official discussion thread for Dos Santos vs. Hunt. Let's see what you've got.

Cain Velasquez obviously has a better chin than JDS and it would be idiotic to thing otherwise. Not only does Cain Velasquez statistically by far absorbs the most punches in the heavyweight division while striking, he does so AT THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION. Now that is impressive.

Cain Velasquez has a beast of a chin. Recognize.

That's not good.

* Edited at 05.06.2013, 10:27 PM ET *

The worst thing about this fight. I mean the absolute worst thing is that someone is going to lose unfortunately. 

Oh ya no, that's really bad. Cain Velasquez absorbs way too many shots for his own good and that's gonna come and bite him in the ass eventually but let's give credit where it's due; Velasquez definitely has a chin.

"Not like Cain has ever knocked anyone out. Right Krull?"


yes he has just like Kongo and JDS yet Cain only has a stigma of having  a suspect chin while JDS doesn't.

I'm not calling JDS out on his chin, I'm just pointing out the double standard that runs rampant among MMA fans.

* Edited at 05.06.2013, 11:43 PM ET *

1. Mental Edge/Confidence/Gameplan - Mark Hunt is on fire as of late riding a 4-fight win streak with 3 of those wins coming by KO. He had a great come-from-behind, highlight reel, jawbreaking (literally) KO against Stefan Struve, he knocked out a strong kickboxer in Cheick Kongo in highlight fashion, utilized his new found versatility to dominate Ben Rothwell, and got KO of the Night honors against Chris Tuchscherer. However; prior to that 4-fight winning streak, Hunt was on a 6-fight losing streak, and in all 7 of his losses Hunt has been finished inside the first round. The big question from a "where is Mark Hunt mentally" standpoint, is..........has Mark Hunt really improved, or has he just had some good wins against viable gatekeepers that were tailor made for him to beat? Another question that comes to mind..........is Mark Hunt ready to get back into the realm of the MMA elite against a fighter like JDS? For JDS, he is the former UFC HW Champion of the World, and has defeated some of the best HWs in the MMA world today, but his last fight was a loss to current UFC HW Champion Cain Velasquez, and he does have a submission loss on his resume against a relatively unknown fighter in Joaquim Ferreira. While JDS battled back from the submission loss to Ferreira with a 10-fight winning streak (7 KOs, and 1 submission due to strikes), winning the UFC HW Championship, and successfully defending that belt, you still have to wonder..............does the loss to Cain still haunt him? JDS said that he came into the Velasquez fight carrying all kinds of personal emotional baggage. If that is true, then my other question for JDS is...........is he still carrying said baggage? Is he focused to be the fighter that he once was, or has the puzzle that was once JDS been figured out? When it comes to overall confidence, there is no question that both fighters are confident in their skills and abilities as fighters, and that they will come away with the victory, and both fighters could be next in line for shot at the UFC HW Championship with an impressive win. Both fighters like the stand-up, and I've seen JDS be able to change-up his gameplan to come out the victor with his wins over Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin. Mark Hunt showed that he could come into a fight with a good gameplan as well when he dominated Ben Rothwell, but I don't think that Rothwell has quite made the same impact in the UFC as Roy Nelson or Shane Carwin. With all this in mind, it's very tough to declare who really has the advantage coming into this fight. If JDS is focused, driven, and back to the fighter that KO'd Werdum, Yvel, Gonzaga, Velasquez, and Mir then it would be JDS hands down, but what if the JDS that fought Cain in the last fight shows up? While JDS showed a ton of heart in that last fight with Cain, it seemed to me that JDS gassed inside the first round, and went into survival mode for 5 rounds. That JDS could be in for a long night with a dangerous fighter like Mark Hunt. I'm calling this one about even, but a very slight advantage could go either way. JDS = 8/10, Hunt = 8/10

2. Experience/Level Of Opposition - JDS has 17 fights to his credit vs. Mark Hunt's 16 fights, and overall opposition is pretty fair as well. Both have faced and defeated Cro-Cop and Stefan Struve. JDS has fought Cain twice, Mir, Carwin, Big Country, Gonzaga, and Werdum. Hunt's resume is just as impressive IMO. Hunt has faced Kongo, Rothwell, Mousasi, Overeem, Manhoef, Fedor, Barnett, and Wandy. The big factor here that made me decide on who to give the advantage to is performance against the big names and on the big stage, and that advantage goes to JDS. JDS = 9/10, Hunt = 8/10

3. Heart/Determination To Win - At one time, I would pick JDS hands down here, but Hunt showed a ton of heart in his win over Stefan Struve, and a great determination to win in his victory over Ben Rothwell. There was a time where I would've said that JDS is really untested in this area, but he showed a ton of heart in his loss to Cain Velasquez, and has showed a great determination to win in his victories over Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin. Both fighters have a phenomenal fighting spirit IMHO. With that said, I'm calling it about even. JDS = 10/10, Hunt = 10/10

4. Stamina/Cardio - I don't really see this area as either fighters' strongpoint. JDS faded after the first round in his fights with Nelson, Velasquez, and Carwin, but JDS did go 5 rounds with Cain. Hunt has never really been a cardio machine IMO either, but he found something in the tank against Stefan Struve and he fought for 20 minutes against Wandy and Cro-Cop. Now the one deciding factor for me is that JDS is 6'4" at 239lbs. and Hunt is 5'10" at 265lbs. I think that if this fight reaches the later rounds, then it could go a touch more in JDS' favor than in Hunt's, but I could be wrong. You never know. JDS = 8/10, Hunt = 7/10

5. Endurance/Toughness - This one comes down to who can take more punishment. Who really can take a licking and keep on ticking? Both fighters have shown a fabulous magnitude for taking punishment in many fights. JDS took Cain's best shots for 5 rounds, took Big Country's best shots, took Carwin's best shots, as well as Mir's best shots, and yet JDS has not been finished by KO or TKO. Hunt did get finished in 18 by KO against Melvin Manhoef, but that shot was right on the button. I think anybody who ran into that shot would've been KO'd no matter how tough you are. You look at Hunt's fight with Cro-Cop, and you see Hunt take Cro-Cop's legendary high-kick and still come forward to win the fight. I don't care who you are.................if you can take a CC LHK and still walk, let alone fight, then you are one tough ***********er!!!! Under normal circumstances, both fighters would get a 10/10, but I have to give a very slight edge to Hunt here. JDS = 9/10, Hunt = 10/10

6. Overall Striking - This is both fighters' bread and butter. This is quite possibly where the entire fight could take place and/or what will end the fight. Both fighters' have a great resume filled with spectacular and devastating knockouts with many KO of the Night awards and bonuses to boot. I give the speed, mobility, and technical advantage to JDS, but the power, devastation, and ferocity has to go to Hunt. Usually in this category I award the advantage to who I think is more likely to win by KO, but in all honesty, I could see either fighter winning this one by KO, whether it be one-punch, an accumulation or strikes ends the bout, or one fighter just outpoints the other on the feet. Because of that, I'm calling it even. JDS = 10/10, Hunt = 10/10

7. Overall Grappling - Hunt has improved greatly in this department, but against Struve, Hunt still showed that he has a great need for improvement, and that it's still one of the weakest points of his game. JDS has shown that he has very good wrestling ability in his win over Shane Carwin, and has shown to have an awesome takedown defense in his fights with Cain, Mir, and Roy Nelson. JDS is hard to get to the ground, and it's tougher to keep him there. Dos Santos does not bring a decorated wrestling pedigree to the table like Cain Velasquez or Daniel Cormier, but from what I've seen him utilize, it's beyond being on the fair side, and I think he has the advantage here over Mark Hunt. JDS = 9/10, Hunt = 8/10

8. Overall Submissions - Prior to coming to the UFC, this was the weakest point of Mark Hunt's overall game, and in his first fight in the UFC against Sean McCorkle, it seemed that it still was, but in his fight against Stefan Struve, Hunt showed that he has massively improved his submission defense. I don't see Hunt winning this fight by submission, but you never know, that could be the big surprise that no one would ever see coming. JDS has 3 submission victories to his credit, and the Nogs have said that JDS does have a dangerous submission game, but it has not been seen in the UFC just yet. This could be the fight where we get to see just how good of a submission specialist JDS really is. JDS = 8/10, Hunt = 7/10

9. Size/Strength - JDS is the taller fighter with the longer reach, while Hunt is the heavier fighter who possesses a great deal of power. Strength wise it could be even, but Hunt has about 30lbs. on JDS. JDS = 8/10, Hunt = 10/10

10. Speed/Athleticism - IMHO I believe that JDS is the faster more mobile fighter here. JDS = 9/10, Hunt = 8/10

Overall Score - Junior "Cigano" Dos Santos = 89/100, Mark "Super Samoan" Hunt = 85/100

@jaykool777 excellent breakdown I'd personally give JDS a 10/10 on Speed/Athleticism though because I've never seen a heavyweight lighter on his feet than JDS. He's the fastest heavyweight in UFC history and that to me warrants a perfect score.

The breakdown is definitely a huge step up from what you used to put out, job well done.

@ AnikM - Thanks for the kudos brother..........I agree with you about JDS' speed, but I'm not sure how many people would've agreed if I would've gave him a 10. It's no secret how much of a fan of JDS I am, but I'm also a fan of Hunt too. Not as much as JDS, and because of that I didn't want to seem biased. Sometimes I have a tendency to do that. I didn't want to make that mistake here. Personally, I haven't seen anybody in the HW division with JDS' mobility or speed. If I could go back and change it I would, but the time ran out for me to be able to edit it.

Another good breakdown Jaykool. I would say JDS is a 10/10 in the endurance/toughness category but otherwise I think your spot on.

10/10 in stamina? Not way. Toughness maybe, but not stamina. He was gassed in the Cain fight. I think he has good stamina but not 10/10. 

He actually has JDS at a 8/10 for stamina. Plus JDS is a heavyweight who was getting his ass kicked so yeah he got tired. He still lasted all 5 rounds so either Cain has pillow fists or JDS has joined Frankie Edgar as the toughest guy in mma. Junior's stamina is very good, no worries there.

To everyone questioning JDS's chin and Cain's chin and even Hunt's seem to forget that it's EXTREMELY hard to have a "good chin" in the heavyweight division just because of how big and powerful everyone is. I mean sure, there's freaks of nature like Roy Nelson but even he got KO'd by Arlovski. There's no shame in getting knocked out by any of these guys; people in the lower weight classes with so-called "amazing chins" probably wouldn't be able to take those hits.

@ p4pgoat - I gave JDS an 8/10 for stamina because he can go the distance, but he fades noticeably once outside of the first round. It's not as bad as Shane Carwin or Frank MIr, but you do notice JDS slow down quite a bit the longer the fight goes on. I think that his cardio is a little better than Hunt's, but then again, we could see something entirely different in this fight from both fighters.

* Edited at 05.08.2013, 1:04 AM ET *

@p4p,

yes i know, i was commenting on your insane notion that Dos should have a 10/10 in stamina. Except Dos was noticeably slowing down the entire fight. Which goes against the notion he has 10/10 stamina. If you are tired after the first round your not 10/10 stamina. People who have 10/10 stamina are guys who can keep crazy paces up all fight with out seeming to slow like GSP/Condit hell even Cain arguably. But there is no way Dos has 10/10. 8/10 seems right to me.

It's all relative. Of course JDS doesn't have the same stamina as John Dodson but for the hw division JDS has outstanding stamina and toughness. Why do you think he slowed after the 1st round? Was it because he just got his ass kicked for 5 minutes or because he was out of shape? Junior has outstanding stamina and he's proven that. Him and Cain are 10/10 in that department.

How are they both 10/10 that makes no sense. Cain clearly had way better stamina. Yes being hurt makes you gas faster but not by that much. Dos gassed after the first round. And that was due to not having  10/10 stamina like Cain. If Cain 10/10 how on earth can a guy who can't keep up with his pace for 5 rounds 10/10. That makes no god dam senses. Please look at your own arguement, that is down right silly. Cain clearly has a stamina advantage against Dos and that clear as day. Think your letting your Dos love cloud your judgement.

Cain is renowned for his ballistic stamina, I think his heart rate maxes at 167. Cain ****** JDS in that first round though, he demoralized him as well. I'm not sure that's a good example of JDS's stamina. But, I would certainly put Cain above. 9 for JDS.

The category which I was arguing was endurance/toughness. Stamina had nothing to do with that fight. JDS was a zombie after the 1st round. He was out on his feet for 4 rounds and Cain couldn't finish it. It had nothing to do with gassing. There's a big difference between gassing out and getting your ass kicked. He took a massive amount of punishment in the 1st round. I guess he should have come out and still been fresh for the start of the 2nd right? 

I can't wait for JDS/Cain 3. 

"To everyone questioning JDS's chin and Cain's chin and even Hunt's seem to forget that it's EXTREMELY hard to have a "good chin" in the heavyweight division just because of how big and powerful everyone is. I mean sure, there's freaks of nature like Roy Nelson but even he got KO'd by Arlovski. There's no shame in getting knocked out by any of these guys; people in the lower weight classes with so-called "amazing chins" probably wouldn't be able to take those hits."

I take offense to Roy getting labeled with a freak of nature chin rather then Hunt.

* Edited at 05.09.2013, 8:48 AM ET *

I had a dream last night that Hunt won this by decision.  lol