A+ Athletes making better fighters is a myth

[Taric]

Skill without athleticism > Athleticism without skill
Skill + athleticism > Skill without athleticism

Seems pretty simple.

 

[NicholasJBasile]

That's all I ever hear on this site...about how A+ athletes, football and basketball players would make the best fighters...I say that's all bullshit...always has been...some of the greatest fighters in history, were not great athletes...rocky marciano, wasn't athletic...he was fairly short, had a short reach...most likely couldn't run all that fast, dunk a baskball or play football all that great...so what does that mean...Absolutely nothing...the guy still had incredible cardio, hit like a tank and had supreme heart...Being able to run fast with a leather football or being able to dunk a rubber ball in a hoop, means nothing when it comes to fighting...sports are very specific...especially fighting...

This latest football player turned mma fighter only proves this point...the guy was gassed after one round...all by a fat dude, not half as "athletic" as himself...but when it comes to fighting, running fast or whatever means nothing in a fight....you think roberto duran was a great athlete? no, but could he fight? you bet he could...

I agree 100%. I've been on Sherdog for a long time and have been hearing from many persons as well as even many media personnel that I think very highly of making this claim for years, but I believe it to be a myth. There is no significant evidence in my opinion to suggest that the idea of athletes from stick and ball sports would dominate as fighters. It is without merit in my opinion. I feel that athleticism is a great tool in the belt but hardly a requirement. The idea that it hasn't happened yet because athletes get paid more in other sports is a cute idea, but I'm still not sold. The fighters that are athletic that succeed in MMA are fantastic but I don't believe it to be due to their athleticism alone. GSP, for example, has excellent level changes and transitions that he can easily attribute to muscle memory from days and days of drilling and implementing smart strategies and timing practices to complement his skill set. When it comes to combat sports, I believe athleticism to be a nice supplement that helps a decent amount but is not responsible for a fighter becoming a champion.

 

[CPH]

Duran and Marciano were great athletes in ways the ball sport fangirls can’t fathom. Actually, even regular MMA fans struggle to understand what true combat talent is. I’ll bet that most people here think that Conor is a better athlete than Duran. Because you know: neo moovement and animal forms.

 

[linch]

Duran was a great a great boxing athlete

 

[linch]

MMA is filled with people who couldn’t compete in the initial sport they did. Deal with it.

They're different sports with different athletic requirements.
It doesn't mean anything if someone tried and "couldn't make it in the NFL," and then succeeded in fighting.
Hardy was/is a superb NFL athlete, but he was gassed out by "non athletic fat slob" who couldn't make it in the NFL.

 

[TheLastEmperorReurns]

MMA is filled with people who couldn’t compete in the initial sport they did. Deal with it.

the initial sport most MMA fighters did was wrestling/bjj/kickboxing/etc.

combat sports that don't pay much are the biggest feeder sports to MMA and they also happen to be the best training grounds for an MMA career.

 

[I am your real dad]

Huh?
How is posting a picture of Check Kongo and Roy Nelson and example of that??

Because Roy is not what YOU would call athletic and Kongo is.

 

[Weuylf]

Fighting is 50% mental, 50% physical. You have to have both.

''90 percent of the fighting game is half mental''

 

[ermac88]

Because Roy is not what YOU would call athletic and Kongo is.

huh?

What are you basing this off of? Their physiques???

Roy was an athlete. A fat stomach vs abs doesnt mean "un-athletic"

Roy was clearly very agile, well conditioning, co-ordinated and relatively quick for his size. He competed in wrestling baseball and football in HS

Roy probably was more athletic than Kongo was. If anything this further proves better athlete training > inferior athlete training

 

[ermac88]

Being athletic doesn't make you a good fighter, but it certainly helps. If you can't take a punch or understand the fight game, you might as well be a F level athlete.

thats not the point

two guys that "can take a punch"-

Superior athlete w skill > inferior athlete w skill

This is super simple

 

[Mortal Wombat]

I agree 100%. I've been on Sherdog for a long time and have been hearing from many persons as well as even many media personnel that I think very highly of making this claim for years, but I believe it to be a myth. There is no significant evidence in my opinion to suggest that the idea of athletes from stick and ball sports would dominate as fighters. It is without merit in my opinion. I feel that athleticism is a great tool in the belt but hardly a requirement. The idea that it hasn't happened yet because athletes get paid more in other sports is a cute idea, but I'm still not sold. The fighters that are athletic that succeed in MMA are fantastic but I don't believe it to be due to their athleticism alone. GSP, for example, has excellent level changes and transitions that he can easily attribute to muscle memory from days and days of drilling and implementing smart strategies and timing practices to complement his skill set. When it comes to combat sports, I believe athleticism to be a nice supplement that helps a decent amount but is not responsible for a fighter becoming a champion.

yeah considering Floyd and Conor made more than any NBA/NFL player it makes no sense. Soccer pays more too with Messi/Ronaldo but they dont go there either. Again why dont they move to soccer then?! Biggest load of shit to make yanks feel good about their sports no one else gives a fuck about.

 

[Blayt7hh]

Only tools and trolls ever said that anyways

 

[SuperNerd]

I've played sports football, hockey, soccer, fucking dance, competed in TKD as young person, and as an adult, still play beer league hockey. I've spend majority of my adult life working on hockey rinks.

I've seen all types of athletes. I've seen Richard winning tropy winners train, and I've seen Asian moms sign up for their first hockey game at age 40.

Talent, will, mindset, heart, all that stuff is incredibly important.

When a guy like that shows up, and is an incredible athlete, he's so much better it's not fun.

Being an incredible athlete is part of the mixed, in MMA. It's so silly, to think if you study a judo throw a little harder than JJ Watts, you can do it better than him. He's going to throw you further than you can ever pray of tossing that man, before he gets the technique down.

 

[AngryPorto]

Tell that to jon jones.

The only thing that could stop an A-level athlete are the stupid rules. Deal with it.

MMA requires different skills than Basketball or Baseball or even Football. Would Lebron have done well in MMA if he trained it and didn't mind getting hit in the face? Fuck yeah, he would. But for the most part "A-level athletes" from other sports who crossed over haven't done very well. Brock probably did the best but he beat Old Man Couture for the belt, barely survived Carwin, then got donkey-conged by Dadbod Cain.

Also ask Shawn Jordan, Travis Browne, and Matt Mitrione how they're doing. They're your next tier of "A level athletes". Otherwise you're just speculating hardcore without any evidence, not that that's ever stopped most bullshitters from making bullshit arguments, but hey watyagonnado.

 

[AngryPorto]

I've played sports football, hockey, soccer, fucking dance, competed in TKD as young person, and as an adult, still play beer league hockey. I've spend majority of my adult life working on hockey rinks.

I've seen all types of athletes. I've seen Richard winning tropy winners train, and I've seen Asian moms sign up for their first hockey game at age 40.

Talent, will, mindset, heart, all that stuff is incredibly important.

When a guy like that shows up, and is an incredible athlete, he's so much better it's not fun.

Being an incredible athlete is part of the mixed, in MMA. It's so silly, to think if you study a judo throw a little harder than JJ Watts, you can do it better than him. He's going to throw you further than you can ever pray of tossing that man, before he gets the technique down.

Good points but all anecdotal and you're talking about very very amateur sporting contests where you and your boys were just simply outmatched by a more athletic dude.

Take JJ Watts and put him in a Judo or BJJ or Boxing or MMA match with a dude his size who's trained that discipline and JJ Watts is going to get fucked up. Just the same as if you put that martial artist on the line against him.

Now if you're arguing "JJ Watts would've dominated MMA if he chose to do it". I mean, sure, maybe, sadly there's no way we'll ever know, that's complete speculation land.

 

[JoeZayAldo]

Brendan schwab was an A level athlete.

 

[SuperNerd]

Take JJ Watts and put him in a Judo or BJJ or Boxing or MMA match with a dude his size who's trained that discipline and JJ Watts is going to get fucked up. Just the same as if you put that martial artist on the line against him..

That was a lazy post I made quickly, but I dont necessarily agree with this. What if he's old? What if he's lazy and slow?

My point made better:

Athleticism is the engine that run a martial art. They're not separate. The level of athleticism of the practitioner is going to effect the techniques effectiveness. To be a very great martial artist, you need to be a great athlete.

 

[IASP]

Yeah cuz d athletes roll off the couch and knock out pro mma fighters and make it to the ufc in a few yeads. Science ts. You are a scientist

 

[bigconan]

I agree 100%. I've been on Sherdog for a long time and have been hearing from many persons as well as even many media personnel that I think very highly of making this claim for years, but I believe it to be a myth. There is no significant evidence in my opinion to suggest that the idea of athletes from stick and ball sports would dominate as fighters. It is without merit in my opinion. I feel that athleticism is a great tool in the belt but hardly a requirement. The idea that it hasn't happened yet because athletes get paid more in other sports is a cute idea, but I'm still not sold. The fighters that are athletic that succeed in MMA are fantastic but I don't believe it to be due to their athleticism alone. GSP, for example, has excellent level changes and transitions that he can easily attribute to muscle memory from days and days of drilling and implementing smart strategies and timing practices to complement his skill set. When it comes to combat sports, I believe athleticism to be a nice supplement that helps a decent amount but is not responsible for a fighter becoming a champion.

name me one world champion either in boxing or in mma, that came over from football or basketball or any non fighting sport...there have been fighters in mma, that have been somewhat successful, like mitrione...but to my knowledge, there none have ever been a world champion.

 

[bigconan]

That was a lazy post I made quickly, but I dont necessarily agree with this. What if he's old? What if he's lazy and slow?

My point made better:

Athleticism is the engine that run a martial art. They're not separate. The level of athleticism of the practitioner is going to effect the techniques effectiveness. To be a very great martial artist, you need to be a great athlete.

this is dead wrong...rocky marciano was anything but an "athlete" yet, he nobody could beat him...being able to run fast, or jump, has no baring on how well you can fight...none...You couldn't be more wrong....