I think people underestimate small fighters' body mass and power

[Venom]

Sorry I know every few years the topic of "could a big regular guy beat the small MMA fighters" comes up.
Generally we've always accepted a few key points:

• Size can overcome skill at some point
• Most people simply don't have enough of it to seriously challenge professional FLW and BW fighters
• For the sake of the discussion let's exclude female fighters

This excellent post by Seaside a couple years back briefly goes over the average body types in the UFC by division. There comes a point where a fighter's "frame", determined by bone size and skeletal structure, sort of plateaus at the higher divisions. This is what allowed Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva, Rampage, etc to jump from 185 to 205 to even heavyweight.

Now most UFC bantamweights weigh in the ballpark of 150-160 lbs. While this is well below average weight in the developed West, I don't think this is as insignificant as the meathead manlet-haters like to believe. When most people think "160 lbs" they think of a swimmer or a cross country runner. One of my closest friends is 5'5" and about 150 lbs reasonably lean. He balloons to 175+ lbs off his diet. He is built almost comically thick, with probably the largest wrist circumference and head you'll see at his height, but he's also very strong. When he shoves, it feels hard. When he bumps into you, it feels heavy. I don't think that's a trivial amount of mass.

UFC flyweights and bantamweights are very powerful for their size. I think you need to be in the smaller divisions else you get weeded out early. When I just intuitively picture what it'd be like if my buddy was more explosive and knew how to throw a proper punch I just can't see too many men brush it off like nothing, even big football players and weightlifters. Think about how much exertion is necessary to control a live 160 lb weight.

 

[loisestrad]

Never underestimate the body of anyone. Where there no bodies, people wouldn't exist.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

It's only some delusional Sherdoggers who think untrained dudes could beat UFC level smaller fighters just because they're small. Anyone who's ever trained with decent level fighters knows what's up.

 

[BlessYourHeart]

My opinion are LW's are the perfect combination of speed and power. If you go lower, speed starts to become a factor as you go down the scale while going above LW and power becomes more a weapon

 

[Venom]

My opinion are LW's are the perfect combination of speed and power. If you go lower, speed starts to become a factor as you go down the scale while going above LW and power becomes more a weapon

Seems like most (Western) men would fall between lightweight and middleweight in MMA terms. Reasonably lean weight of course, most men reaching 185-200 lbs with some bodyfat.

 

[cyanogen]

True, also 160 lbs is under the average American weight but it's lean weight. The average American is 160 lbs lean weight and 30-40 lbs fat.

 

[GUY]

an untrained dude would lose to them. How would that fight go? Bigger untrained dude would throw some sloppy punches and hit air and get hit in the face in return and cry, because most people who never trained react badly to getting punched in the face and immediately lose their will to fight.

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

think about how big you see your 5'5 160lb friend. now take that friend, add another foot and 100 more lbs to him and you've got a Francis Ngannou sized person. think about that. how hard your 5'5 160lb friend shoves, and then think about someone who is 1 foot taller and a 100lbs heavier shoving you.

if your little friend is comically big imagine how actual big people must look like. probably Nate Diazesque, Joe.

 

[Masturbin]

I walk at like 150 max so even 125 er like figgy are most likely bigger than me

 

[Normot]

Never underestimate the body of anyone. Where there no bodies, people wouldn't exist.

Someone needed to say it man. Preach.

 

[Normot]

My opinion are LW's are the perfect combination of speed and power. If you go lower, speed starts to become a factor as you go down the scale while going above LW and power becomes more a weapon

LWs are the best to watch and the most competitive weight class. But heavyweights are clearly the best. Being fucking huge is a big asset.

 

[DoctorsStoppage]

think about how big you see your 5'5 160lb friend. now take that friend, add another foot and 100 more lbs to him and you've got a Francis Ngannou sized person. think about that. how hard your 5'5 160lb friend shoves, and then think about someone who is 1 foot taller and a 100lbs heavier shoving you.

if your little friend is comically big imagine how actual big people must look like. probably Nate Diazesque, Joe.

This is not real representation of the fact. Nate is only twice as big here, conor said 'Three times me size'.

 

[KillerIsBack V2]

Never underestimate the body of anyone. Where there no bodies, people wouldn't exist.

Let the bodies hit the

 

[613]

Seems like most (Western) men would fall between lightweight and middleweight in MMA terms. Reasonably lean weight of course, most men reaching 185-200 lbs with some bodyfat.

The average American would probably weigh like a skinny 150lbs if they were not fat

 

[Spath]

think about how big you see your 5'5 160lb friend. now take that friend, add another foot and 100 more lbs to him and you've got a Francis Ngannou sized person. think about that. how hard your 5'5 160lb friend shoves, and then think about someone who is 1 foot taller and a 100lbs heavier shoving you.

if your little friend is comically big imagine how actual big people must look like. probably Nate Diazesque, Joe.

But muh 5’5” friend is built! He’s thick!

 

[Johnnny]

When most people think "160 lbs" they think of a swimmer or a cross country runner.

Turn on the Olympics. Elite swimmers are built like UFC middleweights. They are tall and fairly muscular. Some are even built like light heavyweights, Adam Peaty, for example. He's nearly a foot taller than your friend.

One of my closest friends is 5'5" and about 150 lbs reasonably lean. He balloons to 175+ lbs off his diet. He is built almost comically thick, with probably the largest wrist circumference and head you'll see at his height, but he's also very strong. When he shoves, it feels hard. When he bumps into you, it feels heavy. I don't think that's a trivial amount of mass.

Your 5'5" swoll friend has comically short arms. He shouldn't be able to shove anybody of normal height if they are paying attention.

 

[Kb7]

I've seen more smaller men, 5'5 - 5'10' beat the fuck out of guys that are 5'11-6'3 out in the real world outside of Sherdog and the interwebs. This whole narrative that smaller can't compete against bigger is a urban myth conceived from larger men projecting their insecurities. That's the truth.

 

[Venom]

But muh 5’5” friend is built! He’s thick!

Your 5'5" swoll friend has comically short arms. He shouldn't be able to shove anybody of normal height if they are paying attention.

Guarantee both of ya'll would struggle to contain him. Literally miniature Mark Hunt. Hell he may KO you if I'm being honest. I've seen him start shit in bars when he gets stupid drunk.

 

[surrealworlds]

This thread sounds like a Manlet trying to cope. I don't care how skilled/unskilled you are, size matters.
I can't find it but there is a video of a NFL play where a guy gets hit so hard he flips into the air. One of the linebackers looks up and catches him and stand him back up like he was a toddler. He literally caught a 6 ft+ 250lb+ NFL player like a child.

That kind of strength matters even if you don't know how to fight. If that man got ahold of a 160lb UFC fighter he would fuck him up as long as he has any fighting ability at all..

 

[surrealworlds]

Let's see a 160lb UFC fighter fight this guy on the street.