Can we please wait until Cormier actually fights a top wrestler in MMA until we proclaim him to be a wrestling God who will take everyone down at will?
Yes, Cormier has great wrestling credentials. But wrestling in MMA is different than wrestling in a pure wrestling competition. Stance is different, set ups are different, striking plays a very big role, etc. A wrestler with better credentials does not always outwrestle his opponents in MMA. Cormier has dominated and easily outwrestled everyone he has faced so far, but he has yet to fight someone who could be considered an elite MMA wrestler. Let's look at the fighters with best wrestling he has faced so far:
- Barnett. Cormier dominated him wrestling wise. But Barnett was outwrestled many times before, including by non-wrestlers. Nastula took him down at will and easily controlled him on the ground. Nog took him down in both fights. Even a kickboxer in Crocop took him down from the clinch and controlled him on the ground. Barnett's takedown defense percentage on fightmetric is 54%.
- Monson. He was a very solid wrestler and an ADCC champion. But again he is not someone that most would consider an elite wrestler. He was far from his best days when he fought Cormier too. Monson's takedown defense is 66% according to fightmetric.
- Henderson. Despite awesome credentials on paper he was outwrestled in MMA many times. He was taken down by Shogun, Machida, Anderson Silva. Jake Shields took him down at will. Henderon's takedown defense is 58%.
Now let's compare these three with Jon Jones. Jones' takedown defense is 96% according to fightmetric. He was taken down only once in his entire MMA career, when Gustafsson took him by surprise, and he got up seconds later.
Jones has faced more and better wrestlers in MMA than Cormier has. He faced Rashad Evans, Chael Sonnen, Vladimir Matyushenko, Matt Hamill, Glover Teixeira and Ryan Bader. He outwrestled all of them, took all of them down, and wasn't taken down by any of them.
Yes, Cormier has great wrestling credentials. But wrestling in MMA is different than wrestling in a pure wrestling competition. Stance is different, set ups are different, striking plays a very big role, etc. A wrestler with better credentials does not always outwrestle his opponents in MMA. Cormier has dominated and easily outwrestled everyone he has faced so far, but he has yet to fight someone who could be considered an elite MMA wrestler. Let's look at the fighters with best wrestling he has faced so far:
- Barnett. Cormier dominated him wrestling wise. But Barnett was outwrestled many times before, including by non-wrestlers. Nastula took him down at will and easily controlled him on the ground. Nog took him down in both fights. Even a kickboxer in Crocop took him down from the clinch and controlled him on the ground. Barnett's takedown defense percentage on fightmetric is 54%.
- Monson. He was a very solid wrestler and an ADCC champion. But again he is not someone that most would consider an elite wrestler. He was far from his best days when he fought Cormier too. Monson's takedown defense is 66% according to fightmetric.
- Henderson. Despite awesome credentials on paper he was outwrestled in MMA many times. He was taken down by Shogun, Machida, Anderson Silva. Jake Shields took him down at will. Henderon's takedown defense is 58%.
Now let's compare these three with Jon Jones. Jones' takedown defense is 96% according to fightmetric. He was taken down only once in his entire MMA career, when Gustafsson took him by surprise, and he got up seconds later.
Jones has faced more and better wrestlers in MMA than Cormier has. He faced Rashad Evans, Chael Sonnen, Vladimir Matyushenko, Matt Hamill, Glover Teixeira and Ryan Bader. He outwrestled all of them, took all of them down, and wasn't taken down by any of them.
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