The Athleticism Gap at HW

[A.S. Deep]

Looking at the top guys like Stipe, Werdum, Ngannou, Cain, JDS, Reem, etc. you get the sense that these are athletes. What I mean by that is regardless of how they look they have a certain fluidity to their movement and aren't lumbering around. Then you have a giant fucking cliff and then you have the lower ranked/ unranked guys like Rashad Coutler who just fought tonight. The way they move is so different and worse than the top guys. It legitimately looks like a guy at a bar winging stuff.

I've noticed this with HW and LHW: the bottom guys don't show much athleticism in their movement. And I don't think this is a weight issue, because there are HWs (Blaydes, for example) who show a lot of athleticism even at 280lbs. Even Black Beast shows a great deal of athleticsm for his size (he just has no cardio and doesn't seem to give a shit at times).

What do you guys think. Am I talking out of my ass or do I have a point?

 

[Huligani]

Yes there are athletes and then there are fatasses.

 

[Bboy]

Then you have athletes who compete in MMA and think they’re running track.

Edit: Sorry, still annoyed by that prelim bout between Benoit and face tat

 

[Sonny Qc]

Yes there are athletes and then there are fatasses.

 

[elbowsandwiches]

then you look at beer-gut flabby-ass dad-bod Roy Nelson ko'ing ripped dudes.

no hard and fast rule I think

 

[MMA_enthusiast]

Then you have athletes who compete in MMA and think they’re running track.

Edit: Sorry, still annoyed by that prelim bout between Benoit and face tat

they think they are playing duck duck goose or fuckin musical chairs, i am still seeing circles

 

[welcometohavoc]

Looking at the top guys like Stipe, Werdum, Ngannou, Cain, JDS, Reem, etc. you get the sense that these are athletes. What I mean by that is regardless of how they look they have a certain fluidity to their movement and aren't lumbering around. Then you have a giant fucking cliff and then you have the lower ranked/ unranked guys like Rashad Coutler who just fought tonight. The way they move is so different and worse than the top guys. It legitimately looks like a guy at a bar winging stuff.

I've noticed this with HW and LHW: the bottom guys don't show much athleticism in their movement. And I don't think this is a weight issue, because there are HWs (Blaydes, for example) who show a lot of athleticism even at 280lbs. Even Black Beast shows a great deal of athleticsm for his size (he just has no cardio and doesn't seem to give a shit at times).

What do you guys think. Am I talking out of my ass or do I have a point?

HW is the least skilled men's division because 1) they rely too much on power 2) the most athletic people that size go into other sports that earn more money

 

[welcometohavoc]

then you look at beer-gut flabby-ass dad-bod Roy Nelson ko'ing ripped dudes.

no hard and fast rule I think

You can be flabby and still be athletic. You can be ripped and still be a clutz.

 

[Sonny Qc]

HW is the least skilled men's division because 1) they rely too much on power 2) the most athletic people that size go into other sports that earn more money

Kinda true

 

[Bacco]

 

[JOLLYjoe]

Shit happens when the weight class has 58lbs of wiggle room.

 

[HHJ]

You don't need to be a chiseled Adonis to be a HW champion. You just need knockout power,and many of the HWs have that because of their size.That being said,i think guys like Fedor,Cain,and DC are all tremendous athletes.

 

[qw3rty]

You don't need to be a chiseled Adonis to be a HW champion. You just need knockout power,and many of the HWs have that because of their size.That being said,i think guys like Fedor,Cain,and DC are all tremendous athletes.

I agree, you could literally be a fatass who spends most of his time in bed BUT if you have a crazy KO power (let's say Carwin's power) with some lucky you could KTFO three or four guys in a row in the first two minutes and be fighting for the title

 

[HHJ]

I agree, you could literally be a fatass who spends most of his time in bed BUT if you have a crazy KO power (let's say Carwin's power) with some lucky you could KTFO three or four guys in a row in the first two minutes and be fighting for the title

Its not THAT easy,but it helps to have that there insane carwinesque power.

 

[Bacco]

That being said,i think guys like Fedor,Cain,and DC are all tremendous athletes.

That's a fact, not even an opinion

 

[LHWBelt]

You don't need to be a chiseled Adonis to be a HW champion. You just need knockout power,and many of the HWs have that because of their size.That being said,i think guys like Fedor,Cain,and DC are all tremendous athletes.

The majority of HW champs are great athletes but then you had guys like Sylvia. He capitalized on his size and strength and was able to beat a much better athlete in Arlovski a few times because he could turn the lights out. At his best he certainly wasn't a fat slob though just not a model. There really haven't been any real fat HW champs but I certainly wouldn't rule it out as there has been some real good HW fighters who are pretty fat. Nelson comes to mind for sure but there's been many.

 

[qw3rty]

Its not THAT easy,but it helps to have that there insane carwinesque power.

not 100% but with the right matchmaking you could make it possible

 

[Fluffernutter]

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George had a "I'm just a jolly fat guy that can punch" marketing ploy. But, let's be honest. He wasn't tubby at all. He was a solid guy. I'm sure there are a ton (no pun intended) of NFL guys with high body fat % than George was during the 90s.

I remember reading about a training regimen he followed where he would follow a pickup truck for miles that had a heavybag dangling from a winch and throw punches at it until it complete it's course.

 

[superpunch]

Take 1 normal step forward.

Now step 50% further in that 1 step.

Did you do it "lumbering"?

It's just a natural function of having a taller body.

 

[Sonny Qc]

George had a "I'm just a jolly fat guy that can punch" marketing ploy. But, let's be honest. He wasn't tubby at all. He was a solid guy. I'm sure there are a ton (no pun intended) of NFL guys with high body fat % than George was during the 90s.

I remember reading about a training regimen he followed where he would follow a pickup truck for miles that had a heavybag dangling from a winch and throw punches at it until it complete it's course.

True

+ All the same things in common

Power
And some of the best chins ever!