Sure it does. When fighters drop weight and muscle they can’t absorb punches as well. Poatan at 220 can absorb heavier blows than when he’s fighting at middleweight.
The fact he got stopped by a strike from an elite middleweight when he was a middleweight, doesn’t say all that much about his chin. He’d be more durable if he was fighting at 220 and didn’t cut any weight.
That said, Izzy can drop a heavyweight, he just has less margin for error.
You just jumped into the unbelievably silly zone. Just listen to your supposed logic. By that same (il)logic, you could argue that Demetrious Johnson could go up and beat Cro Cop. I mean, who has had a better career? Very arguably Demetrius. And sure, the biggest he fought was like at 135, but he walks around much heavier than that, and shit, the more he goes up the better he can take punches and the more power he has! Sky’s the limit, baby! And he only got stopped once by a 135er at the tail end of his career, can you imagine his chin with an extra 150 plus pounds on him!!! Practically invincible!!!
It is absolutely stupid. You are saying that a guy who has only really proven himself at middleweight (and who got knocked the fuck out by a middleweight lol) can go up to face one of the scariest heavyweights of all time, because “that weight allows him to take punches better”. It is dumb. History is replete with good and great smaller guys going up in weight to take on good bigger guys and getting absolutely beat down. If 160lb Izzy can starch him 220+lb Cro Crop will fucking knock his head into orbit, as I said. Do you think that this grossed-up Poatan can beat 2003 Igor V? Who many consider the best striker of all time? Or 2005 Fedor? Who many consider the PVP best of all time (and who Cro Cop hung with and gave about as good as he got)? How about 2006 juiced up W. Silva, probably the scariest monster ever, who he beat? LOL. Among many, many others.
“Oh yea, but he is legit at 160! And he can carry that power up in weight and I’m sure that weight will make his chin dent-proof!” You are just being silly at this point, no objectivity whatsoever…
You keep saying that Cro Cop was “out-struck” by Randleman and Fedor – and using these close-to-NHB fights as an example of Cro Cop’s supposed vulnerability to striking.
You are leaving our the threat of takedowns.
Not only was Fedor a very dangerous and effective striker for MMA, he had some of the slickest takedowns in the game. And it was partly his fluid transition from throwing bombs that could take your head off, into throw attempts, that made him a problem for anyone.
Nobody would have picked Fedor to beat Cro Cop in a kickboxing match.
With Randleman, that was a one-time thing that Randleman planned and executed beautifully. The last place Cro Cop wanted to be in on the ground with Randleman, so he was obviously very aware of the takedown.
Randleman feinted the takedown and in the same motion came up with that left hook.
Nobody thinks Randleman would have anything for Cro Cop in a kickboxing match.
Another famous fight where strikes were effective because of the threat of a takedown, was the first Couture/Liddell fight.
Nobody thinks Couture was beating Liddell in a kickboxing match, and Liddell would make the correction in the next 2 fights.
Alex wouldn’t have the threat of a takedown in a fight vs Cro Cop.
So using fights like Randleman and Fedor as examples really doesn’t hold water.
Because his bones get denser and his ligaments get thicker?
Or is it the extra weight in his jowels?
Khamzat is on a whole ‘nother level than Randleman ever was
I’m out, or at least on temporary hiatus. I feel like I’ve done more than my part for truth and justice around here. I cannot, and will not, argue all day long with those that choose to remain blind. Respectfully.
Thank you for respecting my privacy.
That’s lot of words to admit you’re wrong 
Yes, and Randleman being a 2x division 1 champ in wrestling still wrestlefucks everyone today in the division.
Randleman gets so underrated.
He was a hot/cold fighter in MMA.
But when he was “on” he was a problem for anyone.
Best nights of their lives, I’d pick Randleman to beat Alex in MMA.
If Fedor wasn’t a cyborg in his prime he would’ve had back to back wins against Fedor and Cro Cop in their primes
And Mo Smith/Bas Rutten back to back.
Lol randleman ain’t fw Khamzat. Idc about American wrestling. Look what Khamzat did to Usman in round 1. Look what he did to Rob Whittaker.
He’s on a DIFFERENT level than these fighters from the early 2000’s. Sorry fellas
I forget which Pride it was…
But I remember that little skit Randleman and Bas did where they pretended to argue about their fight, starting with Randleman saying “you know I won that fight right”… And Bas replied “look the judges made their decision”…
Then they both turned to the camera and said “we got you ha ha” lol.
Not an Oscar caliber performance… but it was funny.
Yea it was actually posted on here the other day. Great clip.
Do you remember where?
I’d like to watch it for nostalgia.
RIP Randleman.
Just tagged you now
Great tourney and agreed. Anyone else would’ve died from that suplex Lol.
Fedor had three really good grapplers in a row that tourney. Coleman, Randleman and Big Nig.
Smaller yes. But more skilled
Thanks!