If Roy Jones Jr. (27-30) moved to MMA/UFC how far would he go?

[Ilovepizza]

If he had focused completely on mma.

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

With no wrestling or grappling he'd get destroyed by an average MMA fighter.

 

[Logan M]

With no wrestling or grappling he'd get destroyed by an average MMA fighter.

You didn't even read the one post in the thread before posting yourself?

I think he would have done well. He was insanely talented and always spoken of in boxing circles as a very hard worker. No reason to think with that kind of work ethic he wouldn't excel at learning MMA.

 

[Espresso]

If i had tires i would be a car...

No but seriously, he actually fits in MMA very well considering he fights with his hands low and relied on head movement as opposed to blocking with his gloves.

Id say he wouldve been the most entertaining fighter as Silva

 

[613]

Its hard to say how he would pick up the rest of the game. He would be by far the fastest and hardest puncher at his weight. With his insane athleticism and natural talent, you would think he would be great IF he spent enough time training. But who knows. Maybe he would never develop good TDD or BJJ

 

[Aranha21]

With no wrestling or grappling he'd get destroyed by an average MMA fighter.

Would he fuck!
The average MMA fighter is an average athlete, tough guy with a few years training. Roy Jones had exceptional reactions and he would make the average MMA guy look silly.
Look what Anderso Silva did to Forest Griffin

 

[Ilovepizza]

Its hard to say how he would pick up the rest of the game. He would be by far the fastest and hardest puncher at his weight. With his insane athleticism and natural talent, you would think he would be great IF he spent enough time training. But who knows. Maybe he would never develop good TDD or BJJ

Its all on paper, but very unlikely he wouldnt be able to do that.

 

[Congo66]

Roid Jones would piss hot and get banned.

 

[Mga223]

Roid Jones would piss hot and get banned.

Cro cop seem to beat the tests pretty easy.

 

[Soul On Ice]

What do you mean "If he had completely focused on MMA"?

Focused on it from the age you say?
Or focused on it for his entire career?

 

[Ilovepizza]

What do you mean "If he had completely focused on MMA"?

Focused on it from the age you say?
Or focused on it for his entire career?

maybe at 27 or 30

 

[mikehunt]

He would have been a killer.

 

[Steve-French]

If he had focused completely on mma.

Lol.... That picture is AV worthy

 

[brainwash]

Roy Jones is an A+ athlete. Give him 1-2 years like Brock Lesnar to train takedown defense and he would be more successful and feared than Brock Lesnar.

Roy Jones makes Brock Lesnar look like Forrest Griffin.

 

[brian]

As others have stated, he wouldn't pass the USADA test.

 

[myjohnson9]

He’d get to 0-2 and wouldn’t be given another fight

 

[Soul On Ice]

maybe at 27 or 30

Depends how he was brought along

If he got to fight guys of similar experience at first and was brought up slowly he might have been able to compete with the best by his mid/late 30's like DC and Yoel were able to

If they just tried to cash in on his name and threw him in with the top guys from the jump he'd have been chewed up and spit out.

 

[Kaybee]

Current 50-year-old Roy easily becomes UFC HW champ with 2 weeks TDD training, but only if he walks out to "Can't Be Touched"



What Roy was able to accomplish in boxing was mostly from his athleticism, fast hands, and work ethic. His skills could have easily translated to MMA if he were to switch over in his early twenties or so, at least more so than a technician like Mayweather where his greatest strengths (footwork, glove defense) would be completely useless in the Octagon. There's no guarantee that Roy would develop the TDD necessary to be great, but of the boxing greats he'd be probably the most likely.

 

[IGotAHugePeckah]

GOAT for sure.

 

[Amerikuracana]

Don't know if his athleticism transfers to wrestling.