We need to get athletes like Zion Williamson in MMA

[donkeyjr]

It’s running around jumping and throwing a ball in the hoop. Different athletic attributes are required to handle a man in hand to hand.

Despite his purported “270s” weight I really don’t think he has the strength to handle the ufc Hw’s at all.

Wrestling requires first strength, then strength endurance, then cardio. That guy clearly lacks the first two and without them he’s getting put against the fence or put on the ground and then he’s done for.

How does he lack the first two,,, dude is not even 18 and look like a grown ass men. You clearly have never play basketball before, its more physical than you htink expecially in the post. Go buy a good seat to an nba game, you will soon realized how fast and physical the game is.

Sherdog always get butthurt when ppl say mma does not have the best athletes, the truth hurt I know. I

 

[Phi-]

This guy would destroy MMA if he started training. 18 years old, 6'7, 270lbs, 89" reach, 50" vertical. He's fast, strong...this guy is a bo Jackson level athlete.

If he trained MMA he'd jump in the air and soccer kick Miocic in the face..dream of the day we get a Zion Williamson level athlete in the UFC

And when the day comes he'll get KO'd by a guy like Mark Hunt or Roy Nelson and you'll go "But he could jump so high and had big muscles, how could he lose?".

 

[donkeyjr]

Heavy weight and lightweight Heavy Weight will always have subpar athletes, all of them will play in the Nba or the Nfl.

 

[Kvolcom]

And when the day comes he'll get KO'd by a guy like Mark Hunt or Roy Nelson and you'll go "But he could jump so high and had big muscles, how could he lose?".

yes, lets just assume he has a bad chin...

 

[christer]

I don't think it's as dangerous for an A-level athlete feeding on a bunch of amateur athletes.

especially at HW..there's some decent athletes in MMA in lower weight classes but HW is Hot dog eating level athlete

I think a guy crushing everyone in the 1st round in mma..making no question he is the baddest man on the planet would have 9 figure potential. MMA's mike tyson

I think you might be trolling or just making your point by exaggerating and that's fine by me. I agree that the HW division isn't impressive.

Who knows how tough this A-level athlete is in a fight, how hard he hits, how well he can take a punch, not only physically but how he mentally reacts to it. How fast does he learn striking, grappling? It's possible the obese dude that knocked that other chubby bearded guy out in the last UFC would beat this "A-level" athlete. Of course, if this guy is just a bit tough, and do learn the techniques, he would be dangerous. But there is more than just being different levels of athlete to fighting.
What is in it for this guy who has a good build for basket? There is a lot of bad that can happen, and the reward if it goes well is worse than if he does well playing basket.

 

[IloveTHIS]

OMG he is big and tall and is pretty good at handling an inflated ball. HOLY SHIT.

please protect all the helpless fragile professional fighters from this kid!

 

[Flex Plexico]

89” reach??

Yikes.

I know Julius Long has a 90”, but never heard of another combat athlete w such a long reach. Even Valuev is only 85”

 

[Kvolcom]

I think you might be trolling or just making your point by exaggerating and that's fine by me. I agree that the HW division isn't impressive.

Who knows how tough this A-level athlete is in a fight, how hard he hits, how well he can take a punch, not only physically but how he mentally reacts to it. How fast does he learn striking, grappling? It's possible the obese dude that knocked that other chubby bearded guy out in the last UFC would beat this "A-level" athlete. Of course, if this guy is just a bit tough, and do learn the techniques, he would be dangerous. But there is more than just being different levels of athlete to fighting.
What is in it for this guy who has a good build for basket? There is a lot of bad that can happen, and the reward if it goes well is worse than if he does well playing basket.

all those what ifs you can apply to anyone getting into MMA...but if an A-level athlete has all that stuff, he'll destroy a regular athlete that has the same qualities. This is just obvious.

 

[christer]

all those what ifs you can apply to anyone getting into MMA...but if an A-level athlete has all that stuff, he'll destroy a regular athlete that has the same qualities. This is just obvious.

What is in it for this "A-level athlete"?

He might have to both learn how to fight + be a pro wrestler in todays UFC to make good money. And the money is worse.

The cons outweigh the pros by far for most people, let alone great athletes.

 

[Ken Fresno]

Lol at nobody in this thread even knowing who Zion Williamson is, yet everyone insisting that there are better athletes in MMA. There are not.

It doesn't say anything about how good of a fighter he would be, but the fact is he would be the best athlete in the UFC right now, and he's like 17.

 

[Kvolcom]

What is in it for this "A-level athlete"?

He might have to both learn how to fight + be a pro wrestler in todays UFC to make good money. And the money is worse.

like i said, if he can reach a Tyson level of fame he'll make 100 million a year at least...way more than any team sport.

And he gets the label of baddest man on the planet...you can't tell me every man wouldn't want that.

 

[aus101]

How does he lack the first two,,, dude is not even 18 and look like a grown ass men. You clearly have never play basketball before, its more physical than you htink expecially in the post. Go buy a good seat to an nba game, you will soon realized how fast and physical the game is.

Sherdog always get butthurt when ppl say mma does not have the best athletes, the truth hurt I know. I

Never played basketball? Because basketball is such a rare, hallowed pursuit lol.

Of course I’ve played basketball, and wrestling, rowing and rugby besides (all sports just a “tad” more physically demanding than bball). Strength and conditioning in basketball (as well as general physicality) is a joke.

Meanwhile UFC lightweights are walking around at 160 and pulling 425.



Fighters/wrestlers will have powerlifter strength with cross country runner endurance with a warriors toughness.

The physical demands of putting a ball through a hoop just isn’t the same.

 

[Ken Fresno]

like i said, if he can reach a Tyson level of fame he'll make 100 million a year at least...way more than any team sport.

And he gets the label of baddest man on the planet...you can't tell me every man wouldn't want that.

Do you think Lebron makes less than 100 million a year, just because his Cavs contract is for 30 million?

I agree with you about guys like Zion being on another level from UFC fighters, but guys like Zion are guaranteed at least 10 mill a year for 10-15 years, and the ceiling is 100+ mill a year with contract, shoe deal, other sponsors, etc.

But even bigger than the ceiling, is the floor. Being an NBA washout, making 1 mill a year in Turkey sucks, I guess. But being a UFC washout in KSW....

 

[Kvolcom]

Do you think Lebron makes less than 100 million a year, just because his Cavs contract is for 30 million?

I agree with you about guys like Zion being on another level from UFC fighters, but guys like Zion are guaranteed at least 10 mill a year for 10-15 years, and the ceiling is 100+ mill a year with contract, shoe deal, other sponsors, etc.

But even bigger than the ceiling, is the floor. Being an NBA washout, making 1 mill a year in Turkey sucks. But being a UFC washout in KSW....

oh I agree the floor is wayyyy lower but I also think the ceiling is way higher. There's somewhat of a limit of the ceiling in other sports. We are talking 100 million per fight if he reaches Mike Tyson level...he fights twice he's making 200 million...that's more than any other athlete per year....go look at forbes

 

[blewgums]

A level- Boxers, NFL Players and NBA Players
B level- Usain Bolt, Olympic sprinters
C level- Soccer
D level- Baseball
E level-college football
F Level- High School Football
G Level - women's Tennis
H Level- pee wee soccer
I level- Tball
J level- 4 square
K Level- ping pong
L Level- chess
M level- playing video games
N Level- MMA

Z Level-Sherdog posters

 

[blewgums]

Good list but you forgot Middle School Wrestling.

"...did you know (Paulie Malignaggi) wrestled in 6th and 7th grade and only lost 4Xs? I’m training him now in MMA and that means you’re dead meat. You can run but you cant hide.”

-NYBA, Phil Baroni

#BodyBuilderLifestyle

Is he pulling something out of his butt, or inserting something into his butt?

Not that there's anything wrong with either of those. I'm just morbidly curious is all. No judgment here.

 

[magicmarker]

The vast majority of these 'A-level athletes' would gas themselves out in the cage in the first round. Fighting requires a totally different level of cardio and instincts.

This, plus you can learn different martial arts as a child but it's hard to get kids experienced in real fighting at an early age (legally). Much easier to do with other sports, hence we see later peaks and older athletes in mma for the most part as well.

 

[Ken Fresno]

oh I agree the floor is wayyyy lower but I also think the ceiling is way higher. There's somewhat of a limit of the ceiling in other sports. We are talking 100 million per fight if he reaches Mike Tyson level...he fights twice he's making 200 million...that's more than any other athlete per year....go look at forbes

Ya but there are factors to that combat sports ceiling that are beyond your control. You have to have something about you that intrigues people the way Tyson did. He told reporters he was gonna smash their testicles so they know what he feels like all day everyday. He said he was gonna eat children. He said he was gonna fuck u until u love me _______.

Not everybody will bring that "charisma". But in the NBA, you can be the biggest douche in the world(Kevin Durant) and it won't affect your potential earnings at all. You also can't control your opponents. You could be like Wilder right now, and have nobody interesting or famous to fight. Like Loma, GGG before Canelo, Crawford, etc.

 

[dembones22]

A level- Boxers, NFL Players and NBA Players
B level- Usain Bolt, Olympic sprinters
C level- Soccer
D level- Baseball
E level-college football
F Level- High School Football
G Level - women's Tennis
H Level- pee wee soccer
I level- Tball
J level- 4 square
K Level- ping pong
L Level- chess
M level- playing video games
N Level- MMA

Boxers belong up there, but basketball players are foul flopping fairies.

So your point is invalid.

 

[TUFNewb]

I spotted TS. 3:11 in green track suit.