Good post. Could someone elaborate on why perhaps freestyle wrestling doesn’t translate ? Wasn’t Cormier a Freestyle wrestler ?
Ehhhh ... I think what matters more is that Romero was a freestyle wrestler, which doesn't translate as well to MMA as folkstyle or Dagestani type smothering top control.
Early DC and lots of the early lighter weights. Early Faber...But all those guys quickly added other elements.I think it's the sambo elements that make them so good in MMA.
I can't think of a pure freestyle wrestler that has been an elite MMA wrestler. Maybe there are some, but none come to mind.
Ehhhh ... I think what matters more is that Romero was a freestyle wrestler, which doesn't translate as well to MMA as folkstyle or Dagestani type smothering top control.
Coleman and Kerr were dominant in early mma with pure wrestling and ground and pound but they didn’t learn enough jiujitsu. They only learned to defend.Early DC and lots of the early lighter weights. Early Faber...But all those guys quickly added other elements.
Coleman and Kerr
Sambo gets too much recognation. Sambo they trained was a Combat Sambo / Pankration.
Helps very little in wrestling.
He took down jones once. Also jon jones is condifrrrd the greatest. Khabib and Islam haven’t fought a Jon jones levelWith all respect to Cormier he isn't the best wrestler in UFC history. He couldn't TD Jon Jones.
Khabib, Khabib & Islam all have been into freestyle wrestling from the childhood.