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MG vs Rafa Mendes... Who wins?

I would have to take Marcelo on this one. Ryan was very competitive with Rafa and MG demolishes Ryan. You can say that Rafa has improved in that time, but Marcelo is also improving. Marcelo is also much bigger.

I'd love to see this though. Metamorsis II make it happen.
 
Not sure how you could pick Rafa in this one. MG is quite a bit bigger and clowns everyone. It would be competitive but MG should be the clear favorite, especially in no gi. Either way, I love them both eternally, which is really what matters.
 
beeran1 said:
Not sure how you could pick Rafa in this one. MG is quite a bit bigger and clowns everyone. It would be competitive but MG should be the clear favorite, especially in no gi. Either way, I love them both eternally, which is really what matters.
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watch mg and cobrinha roll

then watch 2012 pan ams rafa vs cobrinha

hope you understand now
 
TerrorSherrer said:
Rodolfo couldnt even score an advantage on rafa, i know marcelos game is way better in no gi than rodolfo but still. i kno rafa wont stand for long and i dont see marcelo passing
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i was thinking about this matchup and the fact that rodolfo had such a hard time with rafa makes me believe marcelo's weight advantage wouldn't play that much of a role. but marcelo's style is very different.. and he is the greatest ever in nogi.

both a gi and nogi match are completely impossible to predict. i hope someone sets this up.
 
Styles make fights, I don't think you can really draw any conclusions when they don't even have any mutual opponents
 
One is MG, and the other is merely a talented mortal.
 
gotta go with marcelo, but it would be a hard match to call. it would be so close.
 
100%Jiu-Jitsu said:
Because every time Rafa has faced Cobrinha, it's gone just like that... :rolleyes:
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um, ok

the guy i quoted said he didn't see how it would be possible that anyone would pick rafa

and i was stating that anyone who can do what rafa did to cobrinha at the 2012 pan ams has a chance to beat anyone under 200 pounds.

not quite sure what the whining is about. already stated that marcelo would most likely take it in an earlier post.
 
Drew Foster said:
They both have the calmest expressions...like surgeons.

294kirr.png
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Rafa choking my kid. lol
 
really tough to say. but rafa definitely has the edge in gi. the thing is rafas game in no gi is all about speed and movements whereas marcelo is more a clinchy style. i definitely think marcelo arm drags or x guard sweeps rafa and has a slight edge in gi. but then look at marcelo vs jt torres, some of rafa's RDLR might work vs marcelo to get his back.

also marcelo has some weight on rafa. pound for pound rafa wins.

i hope it happens though, slight edge to marcelo overall just based on his record and also how he did vs cobrinha (swept him a few times). and in no gi cobrinha vs rafa match was basically even.
 
10thplanetbjj said:
really tough to say. but rafa definitely has the edge in gi. the thing is rafas game in no gi is all about speed and movements whereas marcelo is more a clinchy style. i definitely think marcelo arm drags or x guard sweeps rafa and has a slight edge in gi. but then look at marcelo vs jt torres, some of rafa's RDLR might work vs marcelo to get his back.

also marcelo has some weight on rafa. pound for pound rafa wins.

i hope it happens though, slight edge to marcelo overall just based on his record and also how he did vs cobrinha (swept him a few times). and in no gi cobrinha vs rafa match was basically even.
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Marcelo has a clinchy style? I'm not trying to be sarcastic, but could you explain? I always see that he's constantly moving his hips, and emphazes positions where you can move freely and quickly. I've even heard him say that he doesn't prefer a style that involves clinching and locking in with someone. So it's interesting to hear someone say they think he has a clinch type of style.

All I'm saying is that if Rafa has a speed and movement style without the gi on then I see Marcelo also having a very, very similar style.
 
I think MG wins this one because his whole philosophy is to take his opponents out of their game and into his game. His open guard passing is totally unbelievable, and he has quick answers for all the DLR stuff.

Regarding mutual opponents:

- Leo Vieira: against Marcelo in the ADCC, Leo was hurt, so it's not a fair comparison
- Cobrinha: Rafa armbarred Cobrinha at the pans, but otherwise has won by the narrowest of margins; the roll in the gym with Marcelo was not competition
- Ryan Hall: the rolls with Marcelo are all in the gym at various levels of intensity, so it's not a fair comparison; that being said, it's clear that all the fancy guards Ryan throws at Marcelo are shredded with ease by Marcelo
 
I think Marcelo finishes Rafa in no-gi, I think Rafa wins in gi on points. I have a hard time seeing even Marcelo pass Rafa's guard in gi (hell, Rodolfo couldn't do it and he's the best HW passer of his generation so far), but I also have a hard time seeing Rafa take Marcelo's back. I do think he could sweep him though.

In no-gi, I actually think Marcelo would make fairly quick work of Rafa, just because his game is so much more tailored to no-gi and his size would come into play more as well. Marcelo has such phenomenal balance and hips that I feel like without the gi any of Rafa's inverted games would be quickly squashed. And as we all know, once Marcelo gets a position in no-gi he never gives it up.
 
There's a new sparring video up on MGInaction of Marcelo absolutely demolishing a few guys all in a row. Going for submission over position and even uses a darce choke. I wonder if he's preparing for something?
 
ValveBJJ said:
There's a new sparring video up on MGInaction of Marcelo absolutely demolishing a few guys all in a row. Going for submission over position and even uses a darce choke. I wonder if he's preparing for something?
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Haha.

I'd say that's reading too much into it. Although it was cool to see Marcelo use Rafa's signature anaconda choke. He's been doing that, along with brabos/darces & arm triangles a lot more recently. At least on MGinaction.

Marcelo was rolling hard, but I've seen other recent videos where he's going just as hard. Plus keep in mind, that footage is not new. It's from his academy that was flooded in July?August. So this recent roll you're talking about was filmed even earlier than that.

Cool theory though.
 
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