The UFC and Mixed Martial Arts Thread

[Little Ralphy]

I miss Pride where fighting was fighting not wrestling.

Smaller ring, ropes, no drug testing, corrupt and often bizarre officiating and match making, multiple rumours of worked fights. It was certainly entertaining, but it was heavily weighted for certain fighters to shine. Very often it was far from a fair fight.

In terms of wrestling, if you can't stop the other guy from taking you down at will and doing whatever to you, then you are not going to be successful in MMA. Some fighters should stop whining and work on their ground game or TDD. Or just choose a stand-up sport.

I think one of the main positives from Pride is the same thing that the UFC suffers from today. They didn't have a massive stable of fighters, so cards were month(s) apart, so you did get to see some big names fighting on each card, and a lot of times multiple fights on one card. The UFC was more like that a few years ago, but now they have so many fighters and so many cards, it's difficult to know who half the fighters are. And with more and more money being made by the top guys, they are fighting less and less, and can pull out with injuries they possibly would have fought with, years ago.

With the evolution of Martial Arts as well, fights are perhaps technically better but not always as exciting as they used to be. A lot of guys have very similar styles these days, whereas fighter backgrounds used to be obvious and it shone through in their fights.

Having said that TJ vs Barao was amazing to watch.

 

[Phenom]

taking someone down who is right in front of you/ties up or backs up in straight lines isn't a problem but when you fight against someone who works the angles and circles,it is extremely difficult even for an accomplished freestyle wrestlers.

There's only so far people can run with someone like DC, being so athletic helps him, if Gustaffson can put Jones down then DC won't have a problem.

 

[Blue Cheese]

Smaller ring, ropes, no drug testing, corrupt and often bizarre officiating and match making, multiple rumours of worked fights. It was certainly entertaining, but it was heavily weighted for certain fighters to shine. Very often it was far from a fair fight.

In terms of wrestling, if you can't stop the other guy from taking you down at will and doing whatever to you, then you are not going to be successful in MMA. Some fighters should stop whining and work on their ground game or TDD. Or just choose a stand-up sport.

I think one of the main positives from Pride is the same thing that the UFC suffers from today. They didn't have a massive stable of fighters, so cards were month(s) apart, so you did get to see some big names fighting on each card, and a lot of times multiple fights on one card. The UFC was more like that a few years ago, but now they have so many fighters and so many cards, it's difficult to know who half the fighters are. And with more and more money being made by the top guys, they are fighting less and less, and can pull out with injuries they possibly would have fought with, years ago.

With the evolution of Martial Arts as well, fights are perhaps technically better but not always as exciting as they used to be. A lot of guys have very similar styles these days, whereas fighter backgrounds used to be obvious and it shone through in their fights.

Having said that TJ vs Barao was amazing to watch.

Agree with what you have written. The sport has evolved now after all its MMA not one discipline v another like it started out. I haven't got a problem with grappling as long as when they have you down they advance position and try to do damage. There are too many one dimensional wrestlers who have no plan B and it's stifling the sport.

Think back to when it first started, Royce Gracie would take people down because they couldn't defend against BJJ and he would patiently lie on top for upto 25 mins looking for an opening. It wasn't exciting to most because most people don't understand grappling. Nobody wants to pay for that. Your point about strikers doing a stand up sport if they can't defend takedowns can be flipped, if ALL you can do is wrestle, stick to wrestling.

 

[Little Ralphy]

Agree with what you have written. The sport has evolved now after all its MMA not one discipline v another like it started out. I haven't got a problem with grappling as long as when they have you down they advance position and try to do damage. There are too many one dimensional wrestlers who have no plan B and it's stifling the sport.

Think back to when it first started, Royce Gracie would take people down because they couldn't defend against BJJ and he would patiently lie on top for upto 25 mins looking for an opening. It wasn't exciting to most because most people don't understand grappling. Nobody wants to pay for that. Your point about strikers doing a stand up sport if they can't defend takedowns can be flipped, if ALL you can do is wrestle, stick to wrestling.

I agree that's it's nowhere near as exciting when to have a Ben Askren type fighter just laying on people doing nothing. But if a guy can do that to you then you are as much to blame for a boring fight. If not more so cos you can't stop his strongest weapon.

If all you can do is wrestle you can still take strikers down and keep them there, win a 10-9 round and improve your standup and skill set in between fights.

John jones is arguably the most dominant champ currently, and even he started out controlling people and taking them down etc. Granted he started to damage there fairly quickly in his career but look at the way he fights now. He barely uses his wrestling offensively.

Cain overpowers people with his relentless take downs etc. But in his last fight against JDS he showed much improved stand up and for the better of the exchanges. Because he had the threat of the takedown there. You defo need to be good at wrestling these days in MMA, or at least be exceptional at judo or another art with takedowns.

I agree about Gracie. Apparently the fighters were hand picked to ensure they had no ground game.

 

[Blue Cheese]

Has anyone watched theis seasons Ultimate Fighter? worst season i've ever seen and why, too many wrestlers.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Has anyone watched theis seasons Ultimate Fighter? worst season i've ever seen and why, too many wrestlers.

I haven't watched a TUF season since the one where Bisping and Henderson were coaches

 

[Blue Cheese]

I haven't watched a TUF season since the one where Bisping and Henderson were coaches

It's toned down a lot now Mikey, with FOX getting hold of it, it's more professional and not as many, reality TV show antics. Worth getting back into to see up coming talent.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

It's toned down a lot now Mikey, with FOX getting hold of it, it's more professional and not as many, reality TV show antics. Worth getting back into to see up coming talent.

The Chael/Silva one sounded good actually

 

[Blue Cheese]

The Chael/Silva one sounded good actually

that was the brazilian version, they have started doing it internationally too. a lot different from it's early days when it was like big brother for fighters.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

that was the brazilian version, they have started doing it internationally too. a lot different from it's early days when it was like big brother for fighters.

I'd certainly watch that if there's a subtitled version

Shame we'll never see those two fight now

I mean, the fight probably would have been rubbish anyway, but I was invested in the story at least

 

[Blue Cheese]

I'd certainly watch that if there's a subtitled version

Shame we'll never see those two fight now

I mean, the fight probably would have been rubbish anyway, but I was invested in the story at least

Yeah I think it's subtitled as well so they can view it Stateside, don't quote me on that though.

Very disappointed in those 2, they have made the sport look bad. TRT is a nightmare for the MMA companies and the Athletic commisions as nobody is on the same page about it's use.

Wanderlei came out of hiding quick when Chael failed his drug test. At least he didn't leg it though haha.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Yeah I think it's subtitled as well so they can view it Stateside, don't quote me on that though.

Very disappointed in those 2, they have made the sport look bad. TRT is a nightmare for the MMA companies and the Athletic commisions as nobody is on the same page about it's use.

Wanderlei came out of hiding quick when Chael failed his drug test. At least he didn't leg it though haha.

I think having low testosterone has a stigma to it, because it's usually a consequence of doing steroids

Not wanting to point any fingers, but I'm pretty certain quite a few people did steroids or PHD's in PRIDE

Chael might be a legit case of someone actually developing it naturally, but I agree it doesn't look good

It's only a small percentage of the Fighters in UFC though and of those guys most of them on the TRT came from outside the UFC.

 

[Blue Cheese]

I think having low testosterone has a stigma to it, because it's usually a consequence of doing steroids

Not wanting to point any fingers, but I'm pretty certain quite a few people did steroids or PHD's in PRIDE

Chael might be a legit case of someone actually developing it naturally, but I agree it doesn't look good

It's only a small percentage of the Fighters in UFC though and of those guys most of them on the TRT came from outside the UFC.

Yeah a lot of fighters used it before it was banned. It does give you an edge. Overeem and Belfort are the biggest users, Overeem has been rubbish since he came off the roids. Vitor seems to be getting away with using it still but it's just not black and white is it.

 

[Eusebio]

I was a fan of the UFC back in the mid 2000's and the show Ultimate Fighter when Chris Leben was on it, one of the best fighters I've seen in the UFC along with Diego Sanchez, lost touch with it these days as it used to be on bravo and I haven't got sky anymore.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

I was a fan of the UFC back in the mid 2000's and the show Ultimate Fighter when Chris Leben was on it, one of the best fighters I've seen in the UFC along with Diego Sanchez, lost touch with it these days as it used to be on bravo and I haven't got sky anymore.

yeah I remember when it was on Bravo

It's on BT Sport now