Are we too obsessed about fighters not being "A" level athletes?

We may not have the best athletes in this sport, but that aint shit. Athletes more often than not turn out to be supbar fighters. Heck our champs in the UFC aren't even the best etc Lawler but no one can deny he is a fighter and that's more than enough for this sport. Being an athlete doesn't mean you can take a punch and keep coming back.

We don't have freak athletes doing this shit:


but we do have this:



This is the fifth round and Condit is in there with a monster and he aint going down. True heart and grit shown and that's really enough for me.


So when I see threads were Conor is compared to an "A" level athlete like Ronaldo, ask your self this, would he be as great in MMA as he is in football? I dont think so.

 

Easily, Ronaldo could do a few BJJ seminars with Demian Maia and be champ. Athletes in MMA are poor.

 

If you expect Ronaldo to become Maia by only taking a few BJJ classes, you're trolling. Its takes years of refining and adding wrestling to achieve what Maia has achieved.

 

For D & E level athletes yes but not for an A++ athlete.

 

"A level athlete" is the dumbest phrase I hear on Sherdog.

It means nothing.

Who are the B level athletes? Who are the C level athletes?

Are there B level athletes in A level sports?

If you don't know the answer to these questions then it's probable that either you don't know what "A level athlete" means or that it just doesn't mean anything.

Or both.

It's probably both.

 

Lawler will get whopped by an A level athlete this saturday so don't expect this topic to die down.

 

I think we are just obsessed about making threads to stir responses...

 

Lawler is an A-level athlete. His reflexes, timing, durability and power are all athletic attributes. Why does an MMA fighter need to float through the air?

 

People just throw this A level athlete crap out there. Truth is, whoever these A level guys are, most of them would cry being punched in the face.

 

You've just described Sherdog, well done buddy.

 

So Woodley is an A level athlete? And what makes Woodley A level but not Lawler? Are you implying black = A level?

 

most of the sherbros are trolling but some are actually serious and that's sad

 

Does anyone remember that crazy French muay thai guy GSP brought in for sparring on his TUF season against Koscheck? Guy was smoking cigarettes and coming in hungover with a bit of a belly and still kicking everyone's ass. Athleticism only gets you so far.

 

Bring those "A-level athletes" over to MMA and they'd get busted by USADA before they even get their debut fight

 

some of them are A level tho

 

Missing the point entirely TS.

We DO have MANY "A" level athletes in MMA. There are only two MMA weight classes where this DOES NOT apply. LHW & HW.

No, we are not too obsessed about an world class "A" level HW athlete could do in MMA! HW & LHW MMA athletes as it stands are those that are not good enough to make it to the highest level of mainstream sports where the money eclipses MMA!

That is it, JUST LHW & HW!

 

Anyone who talks about "A Level Athletes" should be killed. They should have their lower lip stapled to their forehead and then have a sneeze induced.

 

Soccer players are sissies and not A-level anything.

 

Wow, getting a ball from two feet into a net, very impressive.