American cultural obsession with a fighters physique and figure over actual combat effectiveness

[TheMaster]

I was thinking about making a similar thread criticizing this muscle obsession - but from the point of view of skinny guys. There are many good and great fighters who barely have any visible bulk yet they perform exceptionally well.

Izzy, Silva, Jones, Gus, Volkov... all skinny.

Brunson ridiculed Izzy for being "too skinny" before their fight and got smoked. That was great to see.

Yeah, can definitely see some making light of someone like Fergusons 'skinny' appearance even though he is close to optimal fight weight but he doesn't look impressive from a bodybuilders perspective at all.

This has nothing to do with being American it's a common sense thing in sports with weigh-classes.
Being a fat MW at HW might work for some fighters like Fedor, Nelson, DC etc but being in their actual weight-class would probably have worked out better for them.
See Jared Cannonier for example.

This is the type of idiotic nonsense I'm talking about. So hypothetically Fedor could have done better at lower weight class? You mean better than being the GOAT of mma?

That's the thing, he may not look like the glossy tanned gym models your used to seeing, but his optimal fight weight,size and body fat is where he is. That's why he was so devastating and that's the disconnect you have no idea about, between being built for show and built to go.

 

[YouCrazyIntheHeadMan]

Zabit can literally fight in every Weight Class except maybe HW.

6'1.5 / 73 Reach and fighting 145 is kinda bullshit.

Still like this Guy but don't support this shit.

What the fuck, what separate weight class is muscle mass not height or reach you're crazy. Ok lets go zabit vs romero!!

 

[RightToBareKnuckles]

Yeah, can definitely see some making light of someone like Fergusons 'skinny' appearance even though he is close to optimal fight weight but he doesn't look impressive from a bodybuilders perspective at all.



This is the type of idiotic nonsense I'm talking about. So hypothetically Fedor could have done better at lower weight class? You mean better than being the GOAT of mma?

That's the thing, he may not look like the glossy tanned gym models your used to seeing, but his optimal fight weight,size and body fat is where he is. That's why he was so devastating and that's the disconnect you have no idea about, between being built for show and built to go.

chill dude, overall i agree with you, but you have to realize probably 90% of the threads/comments obsessing over Romero or Rogan's body are just for fun.

also, i'm a huge Fedor fan, but since there are weight classes, it would've been cool to see him compete at 205 at least several times. his speed and power would've been great there.

 

[jsbx45]

Have you watched the nba and nfl? The announcers say stuff like “these are the most athletic men alive” all the time.

Duh. They are. And guess what, the announcers say the same thing about any type of athlete, in any sport, in any type of high level competition, in any part of the world.

 

[xHeadx]

I think it's a general public thing. I blame the movies.

 

[Iron Nick]

Zabit can literally fight in every Weight Class except maybe HW.

6'1.5 / 73 Reach and fighting 145 is kinda bullshit.

Still like this Guy but don't support this shit.

Being long doesn't mean you're big. Frame size, or to be more exact: the width of the ribcage, clavicals and the circumference of the bones (especially in the joint-area) are the determining factors when it comes to size.
Look at Igor Vovchanchyn for example: the guy has huge bones.

 

[ReadWrite]

I thought the only person with physique obsession is Joe Rogan.

Joe Rogan 2.0

 

[El Fernas]

Andy Ruiz was schooled in the rematch tho...Also at HW they dont really need to look like superheroes, but thats on how the sport is, lighter weight classes cant afford to have extra fat.

 

[aus101]

Duh. They are. And guess what, the announcers say the same thing about any type of athlete, in any sport, in any type of high level competition, in any part of the world.

No, they really don’t.

 

[jsbx45]

No, they really don’t.

Don't let your bias cloud your thinking there sonny. They really do.

 

[arcadeperfect]

I think it's a general public thing. I blame the movies.

Bingo.

 

[arcadeperfect]

Yeah, can definitely see some making light of someone like Fergusons 'skinny' appearance even though he is close to optimal fight weight but he doesn't look impressive from a bodybuilders perspective at all.



This is the type of idiotic nonsense I'm talking about. So hypothetically Fedor could have done better at lower weight class? You mean better than being the GOAT of mma?

That's the thing, he may not look like the glossy tanned gym models your used to seeing, but his optimal fight weight,size and body fat is where he is. That's why he was so devastating and that's the disconnect you have no idea about, between being built for show and built to go.

People need to understand the difference between skinny athletic and skinny fat. Israel might be skinny but he has muscle definition and has been proven strong enough to fend off grapplers. If he was a thin wimp he would've been ragdolled outta the UFC after his first 3 fights. Skinny fat is the worst body type though, at least the thick and chubby dudes like Fedor and DC have incredible durability and strength. Skinny fat though... that just sucks.

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

Generally speaking, if someone looks ripped, and muscular NATURALLY they are gonna be far more athletic than the average dude.

Almost every naturally chubby kid I knew growing up was a shit athlete, but obviously it isn't 100% ESPECIALLY for big dudes.

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

People need to understand the difference between skinny athletic and skinny fat. Israel might be skinny but he has muscle definition and has been proven strong enough to fend off grapplers. If he was a thin wimp he would've been ragdolled outta the UFC after his first 3 fights. Skinny fat is the worst body type though, at least the thick and chubby dudes like Fedor and DC have incredible durability and strength. Skinny fat though... that just sucks.

If Izzy ate shit and didn't work out he would be skinny fat lol. Nobody is skinny fat if they are lifting, and eating right.

 

[arcadeperfect]

If Izzy ate shit and didn't work out he would be skinny fat lol. Nobody is skinny fat if they are lifting, and eating right.

Yeah hence why its the worst body type. Have you ever met people that are proud of being skinny but in reality they're skinny fat? It's hilarious hearing them criticize fat guys when they're technically at the same level of body fat %. Technically it might be better to be the bigger fat guy, at least you wouldn't get spiked on your head as easily lol.

 

[froggyluv]

Mesomorph is generally the ideal frame. Being a spectrum theres skinny/Meso's and pudgier Mesos but you wou wanna be somewhere in there or else.....

or..

 

[Sickbro69420]

*Ts is insecure about his hairline

 

[azerty]

is TS really telling us josh barnett popped 3 times because of body shaming?

 

[azerty]

The sad thing about this is that some people believe he will do better than CM Punk... because muscles. Which kindof proves OPs point.

Thankfully he isn't a dumb loudmouth himself and respects MMA, so he would never be stupid enough to sign for a pro-fight.

he would do a lot better than CM punk tough, maybe too old now but cm punk is by far the worst cross over from pro wrestling and is actually also the one with the worst physique, wich kind of disproves OP point

 

[TheMaster]

The sad thing about this is that some people believe he will do better than CM Punk... because muscles. Which kindof proves OPs point.

Thankfully he isn't a dumb loudmouth himself and respects MMA, so he would never be stupid enough to sign for a pro-fight.

A pure beach body is usually pretty lame for fighting after about 30 seconds. Plenty of sloth belly guys who would whoop the Rocks ass quickly but look like they couldn't fight.
Your right that he is smart enough to know he would get exposed, unlike Batista lol

To be fair though, the sport started this way:


Ken was basically a bodybuilder and got his breaks in Pancrase and UFC primarily due to his 'look'. Yes he was also tuff as nailz but he was chosen as a poster boy to appeal to the prodominant american male demographic based on his appearance.

is TS really telling us josh barnett popped 3 times because of body shaming?

Damn right I am. And he's talked about it too. Ok so maybe an easy excuse also but dude had major issues will the his look, especially being the next catch rep after the Shammy brothers.