In combat sports there are Athletes, and there are Fighters

[MMAart]

What I have gathered from this thread:

Lean and muscular built = "athletes."

Skinny or chubby / overweight = "fighters".

Rarely gets hit = "athletes".

Block punches with one's own face = "fighters".

African descent = "athletes".

White guy with bar-brawling level of striking = "fighters".

 

[frandie2b]

What I have gathered from this thread:

Lean and muscular built = "athletes."

Skinny or chubby / overweight = "fighters".

Rarely gets hit = "athletes".

Block punches with one's own face = "fighters".

African descent = "athletes".

White guy with bar-brawling level of striking = "fighters".

Pretty much this.

So TS Nate Diaz is not an athlete ? Lol.

 

[boss429]

Athlete

Fighter

I knew someone would post GSP but an athlete doesn't take the beating he took in the first rd of the BJ fight and stuck around or keep fighting Alves with a torn groin, survive the Condit head kick and GNP or the Hendrix fight and push through to find a way to win.

An athlete also doesn't come back after 4 years to fight a much bigger, durable guy in an unfamiliar weight class unless he desperately needs money which we know Georges didn't.

GSP is a great athlete but he was also very much a fighter.

 

[LouisBolanos]

I knew someone would post GSP but an athlete doesn't take the beating he took in the first rd of the BJ fight and stuck around or keep fighting Alves with a torn groin, survive the Condit head kick and GNP or the Hendrix fight and push through to find a way to win.

What beating? The only beatings GSP took were against Serra and Hendricks. Against Serra he tapped to strikes, which is a bitch move according to many high level fighters like Mir and Rutten. Against Hendricks he quit for 4 years.

An athlete also doesn't come back after 4 years to fight a much bigger, durable guy in an unfamiliar weight class unless he desperately needs money which we know Georges didn't.

This is exactly what an athlete does - duck MW his entire career when there's a dominant champ there everyone wanted to see him fight, only to come back years later when the division has the weakest champion on paper in years, then immediately bail afterwards.

Real fighters like Sakuraba and Fedor would have never ducked a 15 lbs weight difference with so many excuses for so many years.

 

[boss429]

What beating? The only beatings GSP took were against Serra and Hendricks. Against Serra he tapped to strikes, which is a bitch move according to many high level fighters like Mir and Rutten. Against Hendricks he quit for 4 years.



This is exactly what an athlete does - duck MW his entire career when there's a dominant champ there everyone wanted to see him fight, only to come back years later when the division has the weakest champion on paper in years, then immediately bail afterwards.

Real fighters like Sakuraba and Fedor would have never ducked a 15 lbs weight difference with so many excuses for so many years.

Lol, Anderson is my favorite fighter but he lost his belt shortly after GSP left so how did he retire to "duck him"?

BJ broke his nose in the first round and fucked him up and Condit landed a beautiful head kick and like 45 seconds of GNP. A non fighter would have looked for the exit in that situation as well as against Hendrix.

 

[Koro_11]

Athlete who gives up when the going gets tough and taps

Fighter who goes out fighting even when there's no hope

That’s one way to look at it.

The way I see it is Dan is smart enough to know when he’s done and he ends it before giving his opponent a chance to put him to sleep and possibly make him piss himself.

The dumb blond looks like she spent too much time on shitdog snd bought into this dumb idea that she needs to “go out on her shield”. We would all be better off if she was making someone a sandwich at that moment, and freeing up that main card slot for two men to fight.

 

[LouisBolanos]

Lol, Anderson is my favorite fighter but he lost his belt shortly after GSP left so how did he retire to "duck him"?

Anderson and GSP both had two of the longest reigns in UFC history, reigns that overlapped.

People had been asking for the super fight for years and GSP always had an excuse why he wouldn't move up. GSP ducked Anderson for years before his retirement. Real fighters like Sakuraba routinely fought guys 50lbs over his size, never had any excuses. Athletes like GSP played it smart and only took on challenges he could manage.

BJ broke his nose in the first round and fucked him up and Condit landed a beautiful head kick and like 45 seconds of GNP. A non fighter would have looked for the exit in that situation as well as against Hendrix.

You're conflating athletes with "people with zero toughness", they're not the same thing. Being an athlete in combat sport doesn't mean you give up at the first sight of blood or whenever you take damage. Anyone who makes it at a high level in MMA is tough, whether they're a fighter or not. Being an athlete just means you approach MMA in a smarter, more strategic way instead of taking on all challenges with reckless abandon, it means you value your record and longevity over entertaining fights. BJ Penn is a fighter, Sakuraba is a fighter, GSP is an athlete. Look at the choices they made in their careers, the difference is beyond obvious.

 

[boss429]

Anderson and GSP both had two of the longest reigns in UFC history, reigns that overlapped.

People had been asking for the super fight for years and GSP always had an excuse why he wouldn't move up. Real fighters like Sakuraba routinely fought guys 50lbs over his size, never had any excuses. Athletes like GSP played it smart and only took on challenges he could manage.



You're conflating athletes with "people with zero toughness", they're not the same thing. Being an athlete in combat sport doesn't mean you give up at the first sight of blood or whenever you take damage. Anyone who makes it at a high level in MMA is tough, whether they're a fighter or not. Being an athlete just means you approach MMA in a smarter, more strategic way instead of taking on all challenges with reckless abandon, it means you value your record and longevity over entertaining fights. BJ Penn is a fighter, Sakuraba is a fighter. GSP is an athlete. Look at the choices they made in their careers, the difference is beyond obvious.

Fair enough. If that's your definition I can't argue with it.

 

[LouisBolanos]

That’s one way to look at it.

The way I see it is Dan is smart enough to know when he’s done and he ends it before giving his opponent a chance to put him to sleep and possibly make him piss himself.

And this is what makes Hendo an athlete, not a fighter like Holm.

Nobody ever said being a fighter means being smart, it's actually the exact opposite. Athlete approach the sport in a smarter and more strategic manner, they knows when to call it quits. Fighters keep going until the bitter end, even if it's stupid to do so. Sakuraba was a fighter, and he fought some really stupid fights against opponents he had no business fighting, to the detriment of his long term health. Holm knew she was going to sleep but kept on fighting, that's what makes her more of a fighter than Hendo.

 

[AnotherOldGuy]

Let's post some examples

Athletes

Fighters

Tyson was a better athlete than anyone in MMA, 'fighter' or 'athlete'. You're dreaming if you think otherwise.

 

[Koro_11]

And this is what makes Hendo an athlete, not a fighter like Holm.

Nobody ever said being a fighter means being smart, it's actually the exact opposite. Athlete approach the sport in a smarter and more strategic manner, they knows when to call it quits. Fighters keep going until the bitter end, even if it's stupid to do so. Sakuraba was a fighter, and he fought some really stupid fights against opponents he had no business fighting, to the detriment of his long term health. Holm knew she was going to sleep but kept on fighting, that's what makes her more of a fighter than Hendo.

In Hendo defense he was getting strangled by the goat while Holly was basically in a slightly rough lezbo porn scene.

 

[cheesus]

All those guys are great athletes

 

[surrealworlds]

Id say its fairly common for fighters to be both.

 

[AnotherOldGuy]

You're born a fighter, but can be made an athlete. Like Eddie Alvarez for example, great athlete but a true fighter at heart.

The military disagrees. Armies all around the world have proven time and time again that they can make warriors out of almost anyone. Ask any drill sergeant how its done.