Fedor vs Daniel Cormier in their primes - who would win?

[cyrusthevyrus]

These prime vs prime threads are incredibly stupid. You cannot compare a pioneer that was creating the sport with a current fighter who already knew how to train, which strategies are better. Its just nonsense.

 

[thobra]

I don't see any way Fedor can lose this. A lot of tough matchups for for Fedor at HW - DC is not one of them.
A heavy wrestler is not something Fedor hasn't seen before.

Of course, DC has some sneaky punches, and everyone can get caught, but on the ground and in the clinch, it will be all Fedor. DC is not very fast, so I would think Fedor has the advantage on the feet too.

 

[Miiiiiiighty]

I don't see any way Fedor can lose this. A lot of tough matchups for for Fedor at HW - DC is not one of them.
A heavy wrestler is not something Fedor hasn't seen before.

Of course, DC has some sneaky punches, and everyone can get caught, but on the ground and in the clinch, it will be all Fedor. DC is not very fast, so I would think Fedor has the advantage on the feet too.

He is quite quick for his size tbh, but nowhere near Fedor's quickness.
Also Fedor, for once, would have the reach advantage too.

 

[cheesus]

More strength yes, more power no way in hell.

Fedor didn't typically flat line people with a single punch like DC did. Certainly not in his prime, that was later on when he neglected his offensive grappling. He relied more speed and volume over brute power.

 

[Xuh]

Cormier would win. Fedor isn't knocking him out, and Fedor got taken down easily enough by guys like Coleman and Arona. He wouldn't be able to sub Cormier as easily as he did vs Coleman, and he wouldn't be able to have his coach fast-talk the judges into changing their scorecards like vs Arona... (depending on the org maybe )

 

[Xuh]

I don't see any way Fedor can lose this. A lot of tough matchups for for Fedor at HW - DC is not one of them.
A heavy wrestler is not something Fedor hasn't seen before.

Of course, DC has some sneaky punches, and everyone can get caught, but on the ground and in the clinch, it will be all Fedor. DC is not very fast, so I would think Fedor has the advantage on the feet too.

Dude what. DC is literally Fedor's worst matchup at HW. A heavy wrestler who is hard to submit (unlike Coleman or Randleman) and would get on top and stay there. Fedor got outwrestled quite a bit by better TD guys, his fans usually claimed he allowed this to happen which is risable. Eg in the Arona fight it was supposedly his intention to get taken down constantly, mounted, and come as close to losing as mathematically possible (even before taking Volk Han's shenanigans into account).

Now imagine that fight but with a bigger, better wrestler, possibly with elbows (or at least with punches to the head allowed), and with unified rules style judges (though it'd be the same even in PRIDE criteria). If elbows are allowed a cut win would be an extremely significant threat too.

 

[thobra]

Dude what. DC is literally Fedor's worst matchup at HW. A heavy wrestler who is hard to submit (unlike Coleman or Randleman) and would get on top and stay there. Fedor got outwrestled quite a bit by better TD guys, his fans usually claimed he allowed this to happen which is risable. Eg in the Arona fight it was supposedly his intention to get taken down constantly, mounted, and come as close to losing as mathematically possible (even before taking Volk Han's shenanigans into account).

Now imagine that fight but with a bigger, better wrestler, possibly with elbows (or at least with punches to the head allowed), and with unified rules style judges (though it'd be the same even in PRIDE criteria). If elbows are allowed a cut win would be an extremely significant threat too.

Hmm. Both guys would fight in a different way if Rings allowed punches to the head. They score on submission attempts. And that version of Arona beats DC every time on the ground.

A wrestler is in no way Fedors most difficult matchup. Just like guys today say Khabib will struggle against a good wrestler, they Are mistaken. Sambo guys practice with great russian Wrestlers every day. That is also why you will see they Are Borg naturally very comfortable vs Wrestlers. They have seen it all in the gym, every day.

 

[Kyojiro Kagenuma]

Fedor didn't typically flat line people with a single punch like DC did. Certainly not in his prime, that was later on when he neglected his offensive grappling. He relied more speed and volume over brute power.

He sure flatlined Arlovski ....

 

[cheesus]

He sure flatlined Arlovski ....

Rogers, Mir...can't recall too many others though.

 

[moreorless87]

Rogers, Mir...can't recall too many others though.

I would say a combination of him often favouring grappling/workrate in Pride and the opponents he was facing either having strong defence or strong chins, or both.

A Pride era Fedor vs DC I don't think would be as aggressive in looking for the KO as he was in the years afterwards, he'd have the potential to do it but generally would look to keep the pace fast standing whilst staying out of DC's preffered range in the pocket.