How far has MMA advanced?

[Alcibiades007]

Take Dan Severn for example, generally agreed to be an all time great HW. How good would a prime Severn would fair with any HW on the current rooster? I only seen the top guys fight so can't make an accurate assessment. Could he beat the bottom boys or are even those guys out of his reach?

 

[yekmurat]

Prime Dan Severn would do well against any human being ever lived on this planet

 

[Mamou]

Not as far as these hillbilly sherdoggers make it seem

Severn could hold his own in today's MMA. Derrick Lewis is top 10, why couldn't Severn?

 

[Ares Black]

Prime Dan Severn would do well against any human being ever lived on this planet

No

 

[PolarBearPaulVarelans]

What is a "prime Dan Severn"?

When Severn got into MMA at 36 years old, he was a washed-up amateur wrestler who had suffered numerous crippling injuries in that sport. By HIS OWN admission, the Dan Severn that competed in MMA was nothing more than the fumes of the Dan Severn in his amateur wrestling heyday of the 80's.

When Severn faced a former world-class amateur wrestler who wasn't so dilapidated, Mark Coleman (2 years after Severn debuted, so one could argue this was still his "prime" as he had learned some submissions and sub defense by this point), he was smashed in under 3 minutes.

Severn is a pioneer and a legend, and you won't find anyone more appreciative of the old-school than me (check my username), but let's be realistic. Dan Severn at any point of his MMA career gets destroyed by virtually any borderline decent heavyweight today.

He had zero striking, zero striking defense, limited sub defense, and very crude, lousy GnP. His wrestling was pretty good, not great; you could see his age and injuries had sapped his shot of its speed and explosiveness, and it often looked like bending down was painful for him. (See my comment about Coleman, too)

All that aside, why can't people appreciate old-school legends and pioneers without comparing them to modern-day fighters?

 

[moreorless87]

Not as far as these hillbilly sherdoggers make it seem

Severn could hold his own in today's MMA. Derrick Lewis is top 10, why couldn't Severn?

HW evolved and then devolved I would say, prime Severn(or at least the best version we saw in MMA) would always be a legit HW but I don't think he'd be top 15 a decade ago, probably would be today.

 

[Mamou]

HW evolved and then devolved I would say, prime Severn(or at least the best version we saw in MMA) would always be a legit HW but I don't think he'd be top 15 a decade ago, probably would be today.

I'd take a prime Severn over Arlovski and Mir.

 

[yekmurat]

No

Oh sorry he would be mauled against ares black

 

[Dontpush39]

It’s a different sport entirely...now when people start training they’re learning multiple disciplines from the beginning and basically learning MMA as a whole. Back then you were an expert at one thing and just started training other aspects of fighting as you went. There are exceptions now like Ngannou and Damian Maia also back then like Frank Shamrock.

 

[Credo]

Severn would hape Ngnnnnanou

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

I'd take a prime Severn over Arlovski and Mir.

no way. Mir is like the worse match up fo him.

a wrestler who got subbed by 160lb Royce Gracie fighting the most destructive submission artist the HW division has ever seen? doesn't bode well.

 

[Fesaine]

The cold heart truth is that MMA is still a young sport and is continue to evolve. Newer fighters are going to beat older fighters in 90% of the case. The newer fighter always have the knowledge and techniques of old fighters while they have the new styles and technique that old don't. it's literally an ongoing thing.
it applies to everything in life and every sports.

 

[Mamou]

no way. Mir is like the worse match up fo him.

a wrestler who got subbed by 160lb Royce Gracie fighting the most destructive submission artist the HW division has ever seen? doesn't bode well.

How exactly does Mir get him down? He might have the worst TDs of any grappling based HW of all time

 

[moreorless87]

I'd take a prime Severn over Arlovski and Mir.

In their primes? no I think he'd lose both pretty clearly, especially Arlovski would stuff his wrestling and wax him standing pretty quickly IMHO.

 

[Zebo]

I'd take a prime Severn over Arlovski and Mir.

Prime Arlovski and Mir Destroy Severn. People forget how nasty Mir was before the accident and Arlovski was a beast when he was gassed up.

 

[Mamou]

In their primes? no I think he'd lose both pretty clearly, especially Arlovski would stuff his wrestling and wax him standing pretty quickly IMHO.

That's a possibility, but landing a shot on Arlovski and putting him out is also a possibility. I stand by my statement.

 

[Mamou]

Prime Arlovski and Mir Destroy Severn. People forget how nasty Mir was before the accident and Arlovski was a beast when he was gassed up.

Mir has 0 takedown ability and his standup is average at best.

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

It’s a different sport entirely...now when people start training they’re learning multiple disciplines from the beginning and basically learning MMA as a whole. Back then you were an expert at one thing and just started training other aspects of fighting as you went. There are exceptions now like Ngannou and Damian Maia also back then like Frank Shamrock.

Conor McGregor? he's basically a boxer.

Khabib? wins practically all of his fights with wrestling.

what guys are you seeing that are at the top of the game that are so well rounded that it looks like they've learned everything from the beginning?

Fedor is still the greatest example of MMA well roundedness and he's been past his prime for nearly a decade.

Mighty Mouse is/was the only other guy at the top who doesn't use one discipline overwhelmingly.

people who say GSP need to watch his fights, 95% of his attacks are a jab and a double.

 

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

Dan Severn would beat lots of guys in UFC HW 2018. the division is awful and pathetic, and full of part-time fighters, he would beat many.

Guys like Anthony Hamilton, Cyril Asker, Mark Godbeer, Severn beats guys like this all the time on the regional scenes, he would tap a guy like Hamilton out, 100% convinced. They should let Severn get his 103rd win and sign him up, he would tap many of them

 

[Congo66]

What is a "prime Dan Severn"?

When Severn got into MMA at 36 years old, he was a washed-up amateur wrestler who had suffered numerous crippling injuries in that sport. By HIS OWN admission, the Dan Severn that competed in MMA was nothing more than the fumes of the Dan Severn in his amateur wrestling heyday of the 80's.

He was 40 at UFC 4.
Can't disagree with the rest of your post though.