Can anyone tell me who might be the best grappler in the world ?

[Waldorf]

Right now, I think in a gi match judged by submission, I think Roger would beat anyone most of the time. No gi, maybe not as high a percentage of domination, but I'd still go with him too.

 

[cenix]

my vote is for roger gracie, too.

 

[mrpopenfresh]

Brock might be the best in the world, much like buying cheap cologne might get you laid.

 

[InfiniteWit]

Hands down Karelin is absolutely the best grappler in the modern era. He'd walk all over any and every BJJ player who ever lived, and that isn't to disrespect BJJ or its practitioners in any way. The best currently has got to be Roger Gracie.

 

[cooltoon999]

Also, if this question is of all time, you have to understand that it doesn't neccesarily mean who could beat who. You should also consider what that participent has done for their sport, what it took him/her to get where they got, and how impressive their records were. Of course wrestlers are going to get beat by bjj guys in the submission game, and of course bjj guys are going to get beat in the wrestling circle.

Which is another reason why I think Alexander Karelin deserves that spot.

 

[Eastside]

Roger

 

[Rod1]

Define "best grappler".

Best for what and who is a grappler

I could say Fabricio Werdum or Demian Maia because they are grapplers and win in MMA using grappling therefore their grappling abilities are better because they can win with grappling even when striking is involved.

If we go by rules, then its sport dependent, the top judo guy, top wrestling guy (all its variations), top BJJ guys all have a pitch in and since the top guys are usually moving quickly its hard to say.

If we go by grappling as no-gi BJJ rules, then its obviously Roger Gracie, no brainer there.

If we go by hypotetical submission only hard floor old-style jiujitsu, then its all speculation.

There is no argument that the top proven guy when it comes to submission grappling is Roger Gracie

 

[BIGthingsSON]

Karelin doesn't participate in any grappling involving submission. He'd probably get treated like a white belt if he went up against Roger.

 

[mweaver123]

Hands down Karelin is absolutely the best grappler in the modern era. He'd walk all over any and every BJJ player who ever lived, and that isn't to disrespect BJJ or its practitioners in any way. The best currently has got to be Roger Gracie.

Who is this mystery man? Yes, I suppose I could Google it, but no, I don't want to.

 

[Guerilla_Radio]

Hands down Karelin is absolutely the best grappler in the modern era. He'd walk all over any and every BJJ player who ever lived, and that isn't to disrespect BJJ or its practitioners in any way. The best currently has got to be Roger Gracie.

He would get tapped in an unlimited time match.......and he would stall for his dare life.

 

[chunglii]

Roger Gracie is the best grappler in the world. Period. Look at his resume:

ADCC World Submission Wrestling Championships
ADCC 2007

Superfight Champion
ADCC 2005

88

 

[fiftysvn]

I think it's this guy...

Seriously, a 3/1 creature with trample ability is no joke. :icon_lol:

On a side note, why do people type "/thread"? Sorry, your opinion is not THAT important.

And it's not even a mana efficient creature . . . sheesh 3 casting cost for that?

 

[InfiniteWit]

Karelin doesn't participate in any grappling involving submission. He'd probably get treated like a white belt if he went up against Roger.

I don't agree. Olympic wrestling is one of the most intense environments for competition. He dominated international competition for thirteen years against a much wider pool of potential opponents than Roger ever will. And beat them soundly. There is also some debate on the topic but most folks agree that Karelin had at least some sambo experience.

He would get tapped in an unlimited time match.......and he would stall for his dare life.

Again, I have to disagree. Without a gi Karelin would throw his opponents like they had never been thrown before. Compare it to a wrestler who has occasionally done submissions with his friend suddenly walking into a BJJ school and fighting a brown belt. That would be the difference in the power of his throws and the BJJ player's ability to defend them. A man who could throw dedicated Greco-Roman Olympians as easily as Karelin could plaster your average BJJ black belt in nogi standing with vicious throws.

In the gi, the fight would be much more competitive and I think that if a good player could jump guard there is a good chance they could secure a gi choke due simply to Karelin's submission inexperience. It's the same reason he would throw them in nogi, because he does something they barely do better than anyone else in the world does. Against roger in gi he would barely know the techniques of Roger, who is also the best in the world at what he does.

Roger Gracie is the best grappler in the world. Period. Look at his resume:

I'm not sure if you were using this post to refute my statements or just to contribute to the thread. If it's the latter, I apologize. If it's the former, I just don't think Karelin is the kind of guy you want to compare resumes against.

 

[mweaver123]

And it's not even a mana efficient creature . . . sheesh 3 casting cost for that?

Fair enough...this guy is a bit cheaper!

 

[Pierced7681]

If you're going pound for pound, it's Marcelo. He's the smallest guy around, yet he dominates guys twice his size that he shouldn't be able to.

However, taking size out of the equation, If you want to know who would beat anybody, anytime, it's Roger.

 

[MickCollins]

Hands down Karelin is absolutely the best grappler in the modern era. He'd walk all over any and every BJJ player who ever lived, and that isn't to disrespect BJJ or its practitioners in any way. The best currently has got to be Roger Gracie.

As much as I respect Karelin, he's retired now and the the question asked was in the present tense. In that case, Roger gets the vote. In his prime, I don't know who'd survive in a sub-grappling match with Karelin once he got his hands on you. You'd probably have to go for Imanari-style leglock entries and someone like Rickson or Roger would have a shot if they got him down.

 

[Rod1]

Again, it all depends on what rules and what defines as the best grappler.

As people mentioned Karelin would be almost impossible to drag or attack in nogi, he may had some submission weakness as he never did that, but pulling him to the ground would be nigh impossible.

If we go by merit alone on their respective sport, i would say Teddy Riner is the best grappler right now, he is only 21 and has won 4 world championships and silver in another plus placing bronze at the olympics, a judo world championship has some insane level with the really gifted like Tadahiro Nomura having 3 golds at the olympics and only 1 world championship. And the guy is 21 he is just starting.

BTW he is also a behemot at 6'7'' and 285 lbs of pure muscle.

YouTube - Judo 2010 WC Tokyo: Teddy Riner (FRA) - Soo-Whan Kim (KOR) [+100kg]

YouTube - [Open] Teddy Riner (FRA) - Tachiyama (JPN)

I mean look at how big he is compared to the ref, insane.

There is no way Roger would have a chance at dragging him down or getting top control. And his accomplishments specially at his young age, have no comparison.

In the end, the best grappler in the world is incredibly broad and subjective, and TC should had asked who is the best BJJ player in the world.

 

[J Sho]

As much as I respect Karelin, he's retired now and the the question asked was in the present tense. In that case, Roger gets the vote. In his prime, I don't know who'd survive in a sub-grappling match with Karelin once he got his hands on you. You'd probably have to go for Imanari-style leglock entries and someone like Rickson or Roger would have a shot if they got him down.

so Rickson gets a pass (from the interweb) and is still revered as the badass he was in the 1980's despite also being way past his prime and never having been particularly physically gifted in any case but someone who was the physically gifted athlete in a much more demanding and competitive sport is over the hill?

 

[Spoken]

too wide of a question... Roger for submissions, for sure.

 

[sterlinj]

Tie - Roger & Jacare

Roger because ... duh
and Jacare because if he hadnt left for mma i think he would still be in the running for the Open World Champion each year, despite the weight advantage he gives up to Roger