Matchups Between Fighters of Different Eras: An Alternate Perspective

'Rocky'

'Rocky'

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Pretty often on sherdog I'll notice thread titles like "Prime Wand vs. Yoel Romero" or "Prime Fedor vs. Cain" etc... There are too many variables in a fighter's prime. A fighter in his prime can have an absolutely horrid performance against a lesser opponent and the average MMA fanbase will always remember that. GSP vs. Serra is an example.

What about we take a fighter on his best day and pit him against another fighter on his best day? I am of the belief that Anderson Silva at UFC 101 against Forrest Griffin may have been the most unbeatable fighter we have ever seen. Cro Cop's best day was winning the OWGP and beating Barnett and Wand on the same night. What about that Cro Cop vs. so-and-so?

Just an alternate perspective of fighter matchups.
 
Hard to tell how good a fighter is just from one matchup. Anderson completely clowned Forrest, but what was special about the Anderson on that night? He probably could have done that to Forrest at most points in his career.
 
Good perspective but i think its very difficult to wriggle the concept in the mind 'best day vs best day' . Im having difficulty conceptualizing this. I mean we know wandy had plenty of best dsys but i dont know wandy best day could beat anderson silva on his best day. Very difficult imo
 
Bob Sapp when he actually tried to win fights.

<Goldie11>
 
When people say "prime", they mean at their best. But every conversation about "so and so vs. so and so" always deteriorates into supporters pointing out their peak moments and detractors pointing out their lowest moment(usually with an extra flare of exaggeration).

It should be about what both fighters, at their best, bring to the fight with their respective styles and abilities. But people are not objective enough for that and take hypothetical loses of their favourite fighters too seriously.
 
IronMan374 said:
Pretty often on sherdog I'll notice thread titles like "Prime Wand vs. Yoel Romero" or "Prime Fedor vs. Cain" etc... There are too many variables in a fighter's prime. A fighter in his prime can have an absolutely horrid performance against a lesser opponent and the average MMA fanbase will always remember that. GSP vs. Serra is an example.

What about we take a fighter on his best day and pit him against another fighter on his best day? I am of the belief that Anderson Silva at UFC 101 against Forrest Griffin may have been the most unbeatable fighter we have ever seen. Cro Cop's best day was winning the OWGP and beating Barnett and Wand on the same night. What about that Cro Cop vs. so-and-so?

Just an alternate perspective of fighter matchups.
Click to expand...

Silva v Griffin was a hit job. Everyone who knew anything about these guys knew Anderson was about to light him up. I was watching with like 20 guys who really weren't fight fans and ,mostly knew Forest from the TUF Finale. They were all crazy hyped with excitement. I turned to my brother-in-law just before the opening buzzer and said under my breath "Don't want to speak up and dissapoint everyone... but just so you're prepared, this is going to be ugly."

I don't think it had much to do with Anderson "on his best day."
 
jeremyemilio said:
Silva v Griffin was a hit job. Everyone who knew anything about these guys knew Anderson was about to light him up. I was watching with like 20 guys who really weren't fight fans and ,mostly knew Forest from the TUF Finale. They were all crazy hyped with excitement. I turned to my brother-in-law just before the opening buzzer and said under my breath "Don't want to speak up and dissapoint everyone... but just so you're prepared, this is going to be ugly."

I don't think it had much to do with Anderson "on his best day."
Click to expand...

What was his best day to you?
 
Stevanchez said:
When people say "prime", they mean at their best. But every conversation about "so and so vs. so and so" always deteriorates into supporters pointing out their peak moments and detractors pointing out their lowest moment(usually with an extra flare of exaggeration).

It should be about what both fighters, at their best, bring to the fight with their respective styles and abilities. But people are not objective enough for that and take hypothetical loses of their favourite fighters too seriously.
Click to expand...

It's also a nonsensical question seeing that even at their very best, and on the very best night of their lives, fighters can get beaten by inferior opponents. This isn't a game of tennis where having one slip by you doesn't change the complexion of the game match in any meaningful way... this is a fight where having one slip by you could mean the end of the fight.

Fighters get hit in the face, even great fighters, even on their best night. If you're getting hit in the face, you're at risk of losing the fight. Even the Forest v Silva fight could have turned out differently on that night if Forest had managed to connect just one shot and it had managed to connect in just the right way. That's not what did happen, but it could have happened.
 
IronMan374 said:
What was his best day to you?
Click to expand...

I would say that it was either the Vitor fight, or the second fight with Chael. Personally, I give the edge to the second Chael fight. Chael picked up where he left off in the first, and then Anderson came out in the second on a whole new level, determined that whatever it took (and, to be honest, what it took was a good dose of cheating) he was not going to the mat again. Dude looked like a total stud that night.
 
IronMan374 said:
Pretty often on sherdog I'll notice thread titles like "Prime Wand vs. Yoel Romero" or "Prime Fedor vs. Cain" etc... There are too many variables in a fighter's prime. A fighter in his prime can have an absolutely horrid performance against a lesser opponent and the average MMA fanbase will always remember that. GSP vs. Serra is an example.

What about we take a fighter on his best day and pit him against another fighter on his best day? I am of the belief that Anderson Silva at UFC 101 against Forrest Griffin may have been the most unbeatable fighter we have ever seen. Cro Cop's best day was winning the OWGP and beating Barnett and Wand on the same night. What about that Cro Cop vs. so-and-so?

Just an alternate perspective of fighter matchups.
Click to expand...

Forrest was tailor made for Anderson.

A durable guy without much in the way of offensive wrestling and pillow fists with a big speed disadvantage.
 
jeremyemilio said:
I would say that it was either the Vitor fight, or the second fight with Chael. Personally, I give the edge to the second Chael fight. Chael picked up where he left off in the first, and then Anderson came out in the second on a whole new level, determined that whatever it took (and, to be honest, what it took was a good dose of cheating) he was not going to the mat again. Dude looked like a total stud that night.
Click to expand...

A dose of cheating? Based on what evidence? Both fighters took multiple tests, and the only fighter that tested positive for anything was Chael. Again.
 
jeremyemilio said:
It's also a nonsensical question seeing that even at their very best, and on the very best night of their lives, fighters can get beaten by inferior opponents. This isn't a game of tennis where having one slip by you doesn't change the complexion of the game match in any meaningful way... this is a fight where having one slip by you could mean the end of the fight.

Fighters get hit in the face, even great fighters, even on their best night.
Click to expand...

Except Anderson when he fought Forrest. Got hit once out of 35 attempts.
 
Best day Randleman was hard to beat when he fought CroCop.

Fake a takedown just enough to get then hands down then a lightning quick hook.
 
IronMan374 said:
A dose of cheating? Based on what evidence? Both fighters took multiple tests, and the only fighter that tested positive for anything was Chael. Again.
Click to expand...

I think he's referring to Anderson grabbing Chael's shorts
 
RyuHayabusa said:
Good perspective but i think its very difficult to wriggle the concept in the mind 'best day vs best day' . Im having difficulty conceptualizing this. I mean we know wandy had plenty of best dsys but i dont know wandy best day could beat anderson silva on his best day. Very difficult imo
Click to expand...
Most people look unbeatable on their best day
 
IronMan374 said:
A dose of cheating? Based on what evidence? Both fighters took multiple tests, and the only fighter that tested positive for anything was Chael. Again.
Click to expand...

In ring cheating (grabbed those shorts and held on for dear life... pretty hard to change levels and get a takedown when someone is yanking you up by your shorts and punching you in the face).
 
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