Has MMA really evolved?

[dmwalking]

Yes it has evolved. Not every champ can beat a former champ, but the sport still evolved considerably. Watch UFC 1 then watch anything after ufc 200. There’s an obvious skill gap. The sport has evolved. I’ve watched it from the beginning.

 

[dmwalking]

MMA as a whole has drastically improved. MMA at Championship/GOAT level has only marginally (if at all) improved.

exactly.

 

[LilNicky95]

nope

Nope

 

[Phisher]

Khabib is the Russian version of Demian Maia, but with more physical strength, and he retired undefeated just last year.

The evolution of MMA is one of the biggest myths in the sport.... because it's still better to be a master of one martial art than be average in everything.

Khabib is nothing like Maia outside of the fact that they're both grapplers. Also, Maia's late career success was down to cutting a shitload of weight and fighting smaller guys.

 

[yougetKTFO]

Well you'd be correct in pointing out that the champions of the past decade could stand toe to toe with the current champions, the game has evolved.

The tightness between the top5 has never been so close except for maybe LHW in 2006. The little aspects are now known factors not X factors in fights. The fighters have to have a far greater IQ now because there is a lot more of stuff to learn (easily) where as before there were almost "dark" arts and techniques nobody else knew to train so they'd fuck you right up quick.

 

[MarleyLynx]

I mean human beings try at things and they're limited largely by their physicality and ability to recover.

Sure we have a different meta but I mean... Fighters are fighters. It's why we talk about Ali vs Tyson or Michael Jordan and Lebron James.

The new athletes could be better... Times change but they're more alike than they are different.

 

[gono btw]

His point was that Khabib and Hughes literally have the same skill-set. Powerful wrestlers with submission grappling skills on the side and almost no stand-up. They even fight the same way. Picking guys up, running around the octagon, and dropping them on their heads.

The only significant difference between them is that Khabib is physically bigger. Hughes would fight at LW if he fought today... that is honestly the only major difference between MMA from the past and today. The science of weight cutting is much more refined.

Khabib had more fluidity in his submission game, tho... especially his transitions [off his back too]...
Hughes was rather defensive & conservative against high level grapplers [Ronin, Charuto...]...

 

[Taric]

Khabib is nothing like Maia outside of the fact that they're both grapplers. Also, Maia's late career success was down to cutting a shitload of weight and fighting smaller guys.

I mean, you just described Khabib's career lol

 

[kenetics]

It's evolved but it hasn't improved in many cases. HW is the most glaring example.

This, I mean Lewis is fighting for the title ... Haaà haaaaa

 

[Bearknuckle]

Its gotten worse, theres women fighting on the main cards and people want to pretend like its as good a product as the mens.