Prime Fujita was the best athlete in MMA history

[Typrune Goatley]

Lol no

Fujita's chin was way better than JDS'
Fujita's cardio was better
Fujita was far physically stronger
Fujita moved much faster

I agree on those points but obviously someone will point out JDS had 10x better footwork and faster hands.

Of course JDS was the much more refined striker so he will appear much more coordinated on the feet than Fujita. Fujita came into MMA as a high level wrestler and by the time his striking and strategy improved a little, his body and physical condition was already declining.

And since this thread is about physical traits, I don't know if he is the absolute tops but I do agree early Fujita is one of the most impressive physical specimens with his iron head, durability, cardio, strength, speed, power, explosiveness and combine all that with his wrestling background and he was a monster.

 

[Typrune Goatley]

I like your self-awareness. You went ridiculously overboard glorifying him("NO HW COULD EVER SHOOT TD'S FASTER THAN HIM") but at you end you realized it, dialed it back and told the truth, which is that he was top 20 or 30 even at his best.

He absolutely had the capability to upset top guys though.

He beat Kerr and it is very feasible to believe he could beat Brock.

No shame in being top 20 or 30 back then behind guys like

Fedor
Nog
Cro Cop
Barnett
Kharitonov
Werdum
Arlovski
Sylvia
Mir
Rizzo
Rodriguez
Hunt
Couture
Aleksandr
Coleman
Randleman
Herring
Igor
Erikson


Fujita would lose to most but definitely had the ability to upset some of those guys.

He would be even more successful in modern day UFC where there are far less quality HWs. Look at the UFC top 15 and tell me he couldn't beat some of those guys.

 

[Crimson Fury]

That fight was also in the first year of his MMA career. His 4th fight, 4 months after his debut.

He was an extremely high level amateur wrestler with an absolutely iron chin and most ridiculous durability and cardio you could ever believe.

He actually started knocking some people out brutally a few years after some striking training.

Even in his raw form in 2000(pure wrestler) he was a handful. No other HW can shoot to the legs that fast. His chin and cardio made him hell to finish.

Not saying he can beat a lot of elite guys. He was usually ranked like top 20 or 30 back then and still would be around that today, considering many HWs today have absolutely no grappling backgrounds.

I'd say that he could be top 10 in the UFC today at least.

 

[mmacasualviewer]

Put Pride FC in a triathlon, Fujita or Fedor obviously win.

 

[ShinkanPo]

I think it was Bas Ruten who said his head is like full of cement!

He has a very stocky physic low center mass which plays well for his Wrestling.

But his Wrestling maybe good he is no Mark Columan or even a Kevin. He could not take Striking Shamrock.

 

[Stevanchez]

Hsvent you heard? Hunt's grappling has massively evolved......

"Arlovski's boxing has evolved and is better today."

I read this yesterday. It made me wanna put my head through a wall.

 

[wrestlefan]

Damn prime pro wrassler Fujita was a house.

 

[Prutfis]

Good on you for putting in the time for that.

You must have some fantastic weed.

 

[Hypetrainhipsta]

fujita:
- granit head
- solid wrestling
- punching power
- heart
- strong

tough fight.

Yes and let's not pretend that HW has evoled that much, great chin + great cardio, punching power and a solid grappling base is pretty much all that you need to be a top 10 HW today. Of course the top 5 guys have more than that, but prime Fujita would give a lot of people trouble in a 5 round fight and probably beat the borderline top 10 guys that we have today.

 

[Dorkman]

Of course he was. We're talking about a former IWGP HW champion here

 

[kenetics]

Only man to rival Ortiz head size.

 

[MiroHa]

Put the pipe down kid. Fujita is a can

Prime Fujita on a good night breaks into HW top 10 in 2018.