Vitali Klitschko in the UFC.

[CastletonSnob]

Vitali was originally a kickboxer before he took up boxing. If he had decided to stick to kickboxing and learned some grappling, how would he have done in the UFC?

 

[Twerknasty]

James Toney 2.0

 

[jojoRed]

James Toney 2.0

At least bother to read the TS post before reacting to the title.

As for Kickboxing Wlad with some grappling? Early on he'd be wrecked by the wrestlers.

 

[Bork Neslar]

Pretty good.

 

[BoD 2.0]

He would've been the HW Goat.

 

[EmbraceTheGrind]

At least bother to read the TS post before reacting to the title.

As for Kickboxing Wlad with some grappling? Early on he'd be wrecked by the wrestlers.

Still a valid point, can't just magically learn some grappling in a few years and stymie top level wrestlers/grappler. Vit would've picked up some wins against lower level strikers.

It takes a decade+ to develop wrestling/grappling instincts.

 

[CastletonSnob]

Still a valid point, can't just magically learn some grappling in a few years and stymie top level wrestlers/grappler. Vit would've picked up some wins against lower level strikers.

It takes a decade+ to develop wrestling/grappling instincts.

OK, what if Vitali trained in grappling as well as kickboxing?

 

[johnmangala]

He would be successful.

Fight IQ is not to be underestimated.

 

[BoD 2.0]

Still a valid point, can't just magically learn some grappling in a few years and stymie top level wrestlers/grappler. Vit would've picked up some wins against lower level strikers.

It takes a decade+ to develop wrestling/grappling instincts.

Ok, why wouldn't have Vitali had as much time to learn TDD and Grappling as any other striker turned MMA figher had?

 

[EmbraceTheGrind]

OK, what if Vitali trained in grappling as well as kickboxing?

He'd be solid but idk how he'd fare against a wrestler looking to wall and maul him Timothy Johnson / DC style.

 

[Vil7]

Still a valid point, can't just magically learn some grappling in a few years and stymie top level wrestlers/grappler. Vit would've picked up some wins against lower level strikers.

It takes a decade+ to develop wrestling/grappling instincts.

I disagree. Some people can pick it up quickly like Cro Cop, Dos Santos, & Georges St. Pierre. Maurice Smith was able to become HW champion with minimal grappling skills other than some submission defense.

 

[BoD 2.0]

Vitali was a freak, MMA has never seen an athlete like him at HW. If he turned to MMA back in the day, instead of boxing, he would've dominated and destroyed.

 

[IGotAHugePeckah]

He would have KO'd everyone and became the HW champ.

 

[EmbraceTheGrind]

Ok, why wouldn't have Vitali had as much time to learn TDD and Grappling as any other striker turned MMA figher had?

when I hear "learn some grappling" I take it that Vit would be training boxing/KB while doing some grappling on the side. If he spent 5+ years then he'd be UFC caliber probably. If he went straight to training MMA in his early/mid 20s he would've been better off.

 

[gono btw]

Vitali was originally a kickboxer before he took up boxing. If he had decided to stick to kickboxing and learned some grappling, how would he have done in the UFC?

at least a great chin...

 

[svmVR2097]

Still a valid point, can't just magically learn some grappling in a few years and stymie top level wrestlers/grappler. Vit would've picked up some wins against lower level strikers.

It takes a decade+ to develop wrestling/grappling instincts.

did GSP have grappling experience before MMA?

 

[Rampage_Jackson]

I think he was athletic enough to develop some TDD with proper training. No reason he wouldn't have done very well. He would have been hard to take down because he would control distance well with his super long jab which would be the best jab in MMA history by a fucking mile.

 

[BoD 2.0]

when I hear "learn some grappling" I take it that Vit would be training boxing/KB while doing some grappling on the side. If he spent 5+ years then he'd be UFC caliber probably. If he went straight to training MMA in his early/mid 20s he would've been better off.

Ok gotcha. I took it as him turning to MMA, instead of boxing. So he'd be training all MMA techniques full time from the start or at least from an early age.

 

[BoD 2.0]

For an idea of just how big Vitali was. Sam Peter was 6'2", 260lbs. And Vitali makes him look like a fat Jon Dodson here.

 

[EmbraceTheGrind]

Ok gotcha. I took it as him turning to MMA, instead of boxing. So he'd be training all MMA techniques full time from the start or at least from an early age.

He'd be UFC caliber for sure because he's more talented than most HWs but who knows how he would've been considering we don't know where he would've stood out. I wrestled from 4 years old until I was 20.. High level grapplers and wrestlers not only spend decades training their art of wresting or jits but they develop a "feel" or "instinct" for it because they do it throughout their early years of life. I could put my wrestling knowledge in a guy who's more athletic than me and I'd tech fall him because a lot of wrestling is body control and balance and dragging/etc.

But tbh I'm glad Vit didn't go the MMA path because he was a fantastic boxer and we don't really know how good he'd be in MMA if he never dedicated his life to boxing.