How important is athleticism in the UFC?

[Skarsgard]

Just keep following Greg Hardy’s rise to the top of the HW division in the next 1.5-2 years. Then you’ll realize how important athleticism is.

Honestly, I think Greg Hardy is gonna be like Gilbert Yvel at best. Good striking, solid power, and just overall okay.

 

[ripsta619]

Athleticism is highly overrated and is clearly not the main priority in all combat sports.

Do you think Muhammad Ali was the best boxer of all time because he can run faster, jump higher and lift more weights than anyone else in his weightclass?

Let this sink in

Honestly even in the NFL athleticism is a bit overrated a lot of the time. Most of the top guys at the positions throughout the history of the league didn't have the best combine stats. Jerry Rice is arguably the GOAT receiver and he didn't have a godly 40 time. Yet some guys that have 4.3 40s tend to be more gimmicky than anything like Travis Benjamin.

 

[BobbyHillComedian]

All natty

 

[Jack Handy jr]

Machida does not have better striking or, especially, BJJ than Romero..... Romero > Machida in a Sanshou match. Romero > Machida in a BJJ match. Machida has an outdated skillset. And Machida never juiced. DHEA isn't juicing. There's just so much bullshit here lmao.

must disagree about the striking Machida in a striking only kick boxing type deal would beat Romero just like Wonderboy or Anderson would.

obv Romero would beat them in a freestyle wrestling match.dont forget Machida out struck Mousasi, and has trained with Anderson the GOAT MMA striker for years

 

[Thug Rose]

"the three primarily used weapons that comprise MMA Wrestling, BJJ, and Muay Thai"


mma is a fallback sport

 

[Jack Handy jr]

Honestly even in the NFL athleticism is a bit overrated a lot of the time. Most of the top guys at the positions throughout the history of the league didn't have the best combine stats. Jerry Rice is arguably the GOAT receiver and he didn't have a godly 40 time. Yet some guys that have 4.3 40s tend to be more gimmicky than anything like Travis Benjamin.

I think the forty is a good measure of speed but should over shadow ones talent. lot of all world track field couldn't make nfl rosters

 

[FrontNakedChoke]

issa portant

 

[Jack Handy jr]

"the three primarily used weapons that comprise MMA Wrestling, BJJ, and Muay Thai"


mma is a fallback sport

I said that because even if you're a TMA Tae Kwon Do guy like Pettis you have to learn MT..a MT guy doesn't need to learn tae kwon do. if you're a wrestler that's never thrown a punch if you go to AKA they're going to teach you MT and boxing. Now if you're an elite BJJ black belt you don't need wrestling.

but like Damian maia eventually realized his world class guard wasn't enough and for the past 5 or 6 years has learned some passable wrestling.

 

[Jack Handy jr]

Kevin Lee boxes too?

 

[Sweater of AV]

Now imo there are guys that have the tools like Machida, Wonderboy, Forrest griffin, Florian, Michael Bisping, all great champion fighters but lack athleticism.

Can you define athleticism so there's some context?

 

[TRVITMVNZ]

Looking at the Pettis V Ferguson match up i noticed a lot of guys giving Pettis a chance though Tony is clearly the better wrestler, Bjj guy, and Boxer.

I think What people are intrinsically seeing when watching Guys like Anthony Pettis, GSP, Demetrious Johnson, and others is that they seem to be able to meld their natural athletic gifts, fluidity of complex movements. into the three primarily used weapons that comprise MMA Wrestling, BJJ, and Muay Thai.

Now imo there are guys that have the tools like Machida, Wonderboy, Forrest griffin, Florian, Michael Bisping, all great champion fighters but lack athleticism.

Then there's guys like Travis Browne, Anthony Johnson, that have great athleticism but lack the tools.

then there's the unicorns your GSP, Bones, Anderson, guys that have very good athleticism and elite tool sets.

And now Conor a guy with elite striking, passable wrestling and BJJ. A goodish athlete with one elite aspect of his game kicking and punching.

thoughts.

who'd I forget?

TBH is Conor really known for his kicking?

 

[FightGuyOpenMind]

No but Ali was extremely Fluid..and who knows maybe he did have a respectable vertical and 40 yard dash time. Fluidity is part of athleticism GSP is not a vary fluid fighter imo he is an elite specimen of a human with elite MMA wrestling passable striking and decent BJJ for a black belt i'm sorry his BJJ is not impressive...of course he'd choke me unconscious to the point where i shat on my self.

but i'm pushing 50 with a dad bod. A black belt in BJJ should have finished that Armbar he had Hardy in.

I believe Ali's success came from his element of surprise. Ali was not fighting like a typical heavyweight boxer. His jab, head movement, ring generalship, and footwork were unparalleled especially for the era. Throughout his career his opponents were trying to figure him out: why are his hands down? and later.....why is he leaning on the ropes baiting me in? All of that accompanied by him having the gift of gab threw many people off their game. Undeniably athleticism can reap success, especially short term (fades with age). Athleticism in any sport including UFC can only make up for a portion of your game. If it is all of your game, then long term I think you're in trouble.

 

[Jack Handy jr]

I believe Ali's success came from his element of surprise. Ali was not fighting like a typical heavyweight boxer. His jab, head movement, ring generalship, and footwork were unparalleled especially for the era. Throughout his career his opponents were trying to figure him out: why are his hands down? and later.....why is he leaning on the ropes baiting me in? All of that accompanied with him having the gift of gab threw many people off their game. Undeniably athleticism can reap success, especially short term (fades with age). Athleticism in any sport including UFC can only make up for a portion of your game. If it is all of your game, then long term I think you're in trouble.

so who were you before you got the hammah??































too soon? i get it stay under the radar quietly build your post account then maybe you'll tell...that's how I've done it ban after ban after ban lol

 

[FightGuyOpenMind]

RJJ says otherwise

When Roy Jones' athleticism went, so did his dominance. I also think that going up, and down weight like he did played a toll on his body. In any sport (UFC, boxing, etc.) I don't believe athleticism is the be all end all.

 

[derrrrp]

definitely doesn't hurt

 

[kibz]

You have to be athletic to be competitive.

Most of the average and above average guys have fluid loose movement and some degree of cardio and strength (while maintaining loose fluid movement). Even some of the fatter guys are still athletic even if they don’t look it.

Being stiff like CM punk is a tell tell sign of unathleticism.
Building your body in the gym (bodybuilding style) and looking the part doesn’t make you athletic if your movement isn’t fluid, and your endurance and your flexibility sucks.

It’s very hard to get anywhere near the top in MMA being unathletic.

 

[MastercraftG]

Nice to have, but not necessary. A level athletes often don't have many challenges to overcome in life. Especially while growing up. Things come easy for those kinds of guys.

The great fighters usually had to deal with a large amount of adversity in those same years. Probably got picked on or bullied by those same kind of guys. Fedor isn't considered a level, but his mind and work ethic is. Probably due to overcoming adversity.

Matt Brown fought for his life at one point after years of partying and a heroin overdose. Things like that can make a person stronger if they allow it to. Gsp happens to be a level combined with overcoming adversity. That combo can create a monster.

 

[bad seed]

Looking at the Pettis V Ferguson match up i noticed a lot of guys giving Pettis a chance though Tony is clearly the better wrestler, Bjj guy, and Boxer.

I think What people are intrinsically seeing when watching Guys like Anthony Pettis, GSP, Demetrious Johnson, and others is that they seem to be able to meld their natural athletic gifts, fluidity of complex movements. into the three primarily used weapons that comprise MMA Wrestling, BJJ, and Muay Thai.

Now imo there are guys that have the tools like Machida, Wonderboy, Forrest griffin, Florian, Michael Bisping, all great champion fighters but lack athleticism.

Then there's guys like Travis Browne, Anthony Johnson, that have great athleticism but lack the tools.

then there's the unicorns your GSP, Bones, Anderson, guys that have very good athleticism and elite tool sets.

And now Conor a guy with elite striking, passable wrestling and BJJ. A goodish athlete with one elite aspect of his game kicking and punching.

thoughts.

who'd I forget?

Conor is a better athlete than people give him credit for.

He has superb coordination and balance, with a graceful dancer's movement. Attributes shared with legends like Muhammed Ali and Bruce Lee. Not to the same extent obviously, but well beyond the MMA standard.

 

[FightGuyOpenMind]

so who were you before you got the hammah??































too soon? i get it stay under the radar quietly build your post account then maybe you'll tell...that's how I've done it ban after ban after ban lol

Lol I'm new to this forum. I just like to exchange ideas, and learn from some good people out there who may have something for me to think about.

 

[ImmigrantMentality]

Athleticism is very important, not as important as skills but I'd say it's still very important. Running fast and jumping high aren't the kind of athletic traits that are going to make a big difference despite what some idiots think