It's crazy how few fighters were able to get both a PRIDE belt and a UFC belt

[I'm Shawn Spencer]

Coleman, Big Nog and Shogun. That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Am I missing somebody else?

That's crazy when you think of the caliber of talent both orgs had at the time.

Rampage got a UFC belt, couldn't get a PRIDE one.

Hendo got 2 PRIDE belts at the same time, couldn't get a UFC one.

Anderson couldn't do it. Or Crocop. Or Wand. Or Chuck. Or Vitor.







Why do you think that is?

 

[Buffmeister]

Hendo is a UFC Tourney Champ...

 

[Reign009]

Why is that crazy? Doesn't it actually make sense that way?

 

[I'm Shawn Spencer]

Hendo is a UFC Tourney Champ...

He is?

 

[SirRealKiller]

IDK, there wasn't that long of a period of time where fighters went from one organization to the other.

 

[I'm Shawn Spencer]

Why is that crazy?

Because there's less than a handful of fighters that can or will ever be able to say they got a belt in both orgs.

And out of all the HOF level talent that have attempted it, that's just crazy.

 

[Zebra Cheeks]

Because there's less than a handful of fighters that can or will ever be able to say they got a belt in both orgs.

And out of all the HOF level talent that have attempted it, that's just crazy.

It’s very impressive. I mean think about it, this was during the time when mma was changing more than any other time. It was still just a baby. So imagine being able to hop a plane, going across the world, and still bring the best when the sport had only really been practiced for such a short amount of time. It’s a big deal, at least to me.

 

[loisestrad]

Coleman, Big Nog and Shogun. That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Am I missing somebody else?

That's crazy when you think of the caliber of talent both orgs had at the time.

Rampage got a UFC belt, couldn't get a PRIDE one.

Hendo got 2 PRIDE belts at the same time, couldn't get a UFC one.

Crocop couldn't do it. Or Wand. Or Chuck. Or Vitor.







Why do you think that is?

Maybe cuz it's difficult?

And when something is difficultt only a few people achieve it, which is why it's classified as "difficult" in the first place.

 

[moreorless87]

There weren't many standard Pride champs of course, Nog, Fedor, Wanderlei, Hendo, Gomi, that's it.

Add in GP's and Shogun/Coleman both won UFC and Pride titles plus Nog with an interim,

 

[I'm Shawn Spencer]

There weren't many Pride champs of course

Nog, Fedor, Wanderlei, Hendo, Gomi, that's it.

I'm including Pride tourny champs as well, like Crocop, Coleman, etc.

Since their tourny champs had belts that were just as legit (if not more so) than their regular weight class champs.

 

[I'm Shawn Spencer]

I do wonder if Fedor would've gotten UFC gold if he'd signed with them. My gut says yes. But then I think about his SF run and how he had difficulty adjusting to the cage, and I'm not so sure. Would've been interesting to see though.

 

[Zebra Cheeks]

I do wonder if Fedor would've gotten UFC gold if he'd signed with them. My gut says yes. But then I think about his SF run and how he had difficulty adjusting to the cage, and I'm not so sure. Would've been interesting to see though.

If you’re asking if he would have beat Brock lesnar at the answer is yes.

 

[I'm Shawn Spencer]

If you’re asking if he would have beat Brock led at the answer is yes.

Idk man that's an interesting match, imo. Fedor of course could've popped him (and Brock hated being hit) and swarmed him. BUT, Brock could've taken him down and muscled him on the ground, too. Fedor was good off his back but having a monster like Brock on top would've been tough. Especially in the cage. It's a tossup for me.

I think Fedor vs Randy would've been interesting too. Especially in the cage. Fedor's the favorite there, but Randy was really crafty with those cage tactics.

 

[Slatersan]

Training/fighting in a cage and in a ring are very different. Only reason I could come up with.

 

[I'm Shawn Spencer]

Training/fighting in a cage and in a ring are very different. Only reason I could come up with.

Yep. I think a lot of people underestimate how much the different rulesets and the differences between cage and ring benefit some fighters styles more than others. I mean, Tito beat Wand in a cage. But do I think Tito would've EVER beaten Wand in Pride? Nope. Would've looked worse than what Wand did to Rampage.

 

[Buffmeister]

He is?

Yeh...
UFC 17...

 

[moreorless87]

Idk man that's an interesting match, imo. Fedor of course could've popped him (and Brock hated being hit) and swarmed him. BUT, Brock could've taken him down and muscled him on the ground, too. Fedor was good off his back but having a monster like Brock on top would've been tough. Especially in the cage. It's a tossup for me.

I think Fedor vs Randy would've been interesting too. Especially in the cage. Fedor's the favorite there, but Randy was really crafty with those cage tactics.

I don't give Randy much chance personally, I think he'd have the same problem as vs Nog were there wasn't really a "safe space" for him and Fedor in 2007 would have been not far off his best still.

By 2009 I think his decline and Brock's size would potentially have made things more interesting, it is easier to see Brock having more control on the ground and maybe threatening with GnP but still I suspect Fedor's toughness and Brock's lack of it would be a big issue, especially in a 5 round fight.

I mean really style wise I actually think Arlovski was the most dangerous of the UFC champs for Fedor, the one who had really serious finishing ability.

 

[muaytao]

Because fighting is hard

 

[Taric]

Rampage probably should've been champion in both, since he was elite in both organizations, but Wand had his number at the time.

Nogueira's is actually the most impressive since he was the very first PRIDE HW champion, continued fighting in PRIDE until it dissolved, then immediately became the HW UFC champion. That's a long stretch of time to be at the top, or near the top.

 

[I'm Shawn Spencer]

I don't give Randy much chance personally, I think he'd have the same problem as vs Nog were there wasn't really a "safe space" for him and Fedor in 2007 would have been not far off his best still.

That's pretty much how I see it too, except if Randy could've managed to press Fedor against the cage. Randy was really good at smothering guys there and keeping them there. Could he have done that to Fedor in 07? Who knows?

I mean really style wise I actually think Arlovski was the most dangerous of the UFC champs for Fedor, the one who had really serious finishing ability.

I always said that same thing! When we finally got that fight, it didn't disappoint. I think a lot of people might remember the result and forget that AA was actually piecing Fedor up pretty bad until the ko.

But I really wanted to see that fight around the time before AA lost to Sylvia. He had a crazy confidence about him then that would've been interesting to see vs Fedor, who terrified everybody. Plus back then AA actually had some ground skills and used them at times.

I really wanted to see AA vs CC too.