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Put together a list of the signature moments in the career of Jeremy Stephens, one of the longest tenured fighters on the UFC roster.
https://www.ufc.com/news/10-jeremy-stephens-signature-moments
Putting this piece together really got me thinking...
https://www.ufc.com/news/10-jeremy-stephens-signature-moments
Putting this piece together really got me thinking...
Stephens is one of those guys people take for granted and don't give enough credit.
He's the "Who the f*** is that guy?" guy to a lot of people, which is unfortunate, because in reality, he's so much more than that.
He's the "Who the f*** is that guy?" guy to a lot of people, which is unfortunate, because in reality, he's so much more than that.
Still just 33, Stephens has been in the UFC for more than a dozen years, logging 32 fights.
He was a consistently entertaining lightweight who never quite made the leap, and has been a Top 15 fixture since moving to featherweight almost seven years ago.
He was a consistently entertaining lightweight who never quite made the leap, and has been a Top 15 fixture since moving to featherweight almost seven years ago.
D'you know how hard it is to remain in the Top 10/15 for almost seven years?
Think about how many guys came and went during that time — folks that had a moment, then fizzled out — while Stephens has stayed in the mix, kept putting on entertaining fights.
Think about how many guys came and went during that time — folks that had a moment, then fizzled out — while Stephens has stayed in the mix, kept putting on entertaining fights.
We get so focused on champions, prospects, and hot contenders that we don't give enough love to guys like Stephens who have been Top 15 talents for years.
Being the 7th/8th/9th best featherweight for several years is INSANE and a massive accomplishment.
Being the 7th/8th/9th best featherweight for several years is INSANE and a massive accomplishment.
This is something @DannyAustin_9 and I talk about all the time because it doesn't get said nearly enough.
We drag fighters who don't reach the top, but fail to acknowledge how damn difficult it is to be that consistent, that good, that competitive for that long.
We drag fighters who don't reach the top, but fail to acknowledge how damn difficult it is to be that consistent, that good, that competitive for that long.
So shout out to Jeremy Stephens and all those other men and women who have been putting in work for years without getting the recognition they deserve for being fixtures in the Top 15 in their respective divisions.
Expanded on this thread in a longer piece this evening: Jeremy Stephens and the Value of Consistency
http://www.keyboardkimura.com/blog/waqvdvkh7uqhli8o7n5bwzdcjw871k
http://www.keyboardkimura.com/blog/waqvdvkh7uqhli8o7n5bwzdcjw871k
