This happens. It is inevitable when age starts to catch up to you. Even though BJ isn't old from a regular person's standards, by athletic standards, he has been fighting since he was 19 or some shit, so he's really old when it comes to fight time. I think the worst thing that happens is your body doesn't match up with your mind. Your body and your mind start getting out of sync. In your mind, you are still as fast as you were, you are still as strong as you were, and you were still as good as you were. Your body just didn't get that memo. So what happens is you come off of a great training camp and you feel great, because in your mind and body, you do feel great. But when you step in there, things start falling apart because you are slower and not as aggressive and your not as agile as you once were.
In BJ's case, the guy has been a warrior. He doesn't pick easy fights. It's not like he's asking for a fourth fight against Matt Hughes, which is someone in his own age group so to speak. He is going after up-and-coming young kids who are probably twice his size come fight day and they are just too quick. It's just that he was beating BJ to the punch. So is it time for BJ to hang it up? Hell, that's up to BJ to decide, but can you perform at the highest level against these younger cats? I don't think so. Unfortunately, no, and his time is up. He's made his mark, he has set his footing, and it's time to go, but it's ultimately his choice.
I think Shogun is a little different situation than BJ. I think he still has the speed and the agility and all of the attributes to hang in there with the best. I do believe that. I don't think Dana is a liar when he says Shogun is one fight away and still super dangerous. Pure observational standpoint, I'm not saying this because I was part of his camp, but I think his camps are weak. I think Shogun is suffering from being the man at his camp syndrome; when you are the head guy in your own camp, that becomes a problem because there is nobody there to push you. So when you want to quit, you quit, when you want to train, you train, when you don't want to train, you don't train, and when you want to do this, you do this. There is no one to go, "Hey, shut up and just do what the hell I just told you."
You look at Anderson Silva. He is always a part of the camp with the big guy and the little guy with the beard. I forgot their names. Anderson Silva is not the master of his own domain when it comes to training. He puts his faith in his coaches and he lets them do it. That's not the case in Shogun's case and it's starting to play out. He's always on the edge, but doesn't go over, if that makes sense. He is always close. He's not in one-sided ass whoopin's. They are always close wars, and it's not just because he just has heart. It's because he has heart and a good skill set, but I think he needs to change his camp and push his skill set over the edge.