Mike Tyson on grappling, Gracie and the UFC

[CrashStitches]

Jesus, Roy was fast. Fake right, leaping left hook, and he's already behind Toney before James can start to fall. And he still gets off punches before Toney hits the corner. Shit is lightning.

 

[lowsingle]

tyson had the most drastic maturing in the public eye ive ever seen. he comes across very wise and humble these days, maybe its because he has nothing to prove, win or lose, but the guys been on the money lately

 

[Diet Otsuka]

Tyson with tdd.

 

[PGlew]

Good on ya TS

 

[Inabox]

Much enjoyed read

 

[Willy Lump Lump]

MMA is a fantastic sport, and a guy like Mike - who doesn't have the kind of insecurity issues a lot of boxers and boxing fans have with regards to MMA - is of course going to recognize that. It's about time people grew up and recognized the awesomess of both of these sports, I think. It's not this versus that - both are class A fighting sports as far as I'm concerned.

This all day.

I first boxed as a kid, and still do occasionally. Love it.
Eventually I got older, trained some bjj. Love it.

I can watch a great mma fight, ala shogun/hendo, and love it.
I can watch a great boxing match, ala mayweather/Marquez. And love it.

I've seen boring fights in both sports also, to me it's not boxing>mma, or vice versa. Both can be beautiful, violent, inspiring. Both can sometimes fall short.

 

[Willy Lump Lump]

Honestly not trying to be ignorant about it. Ive been to boxing gyms and had this same conversation with trainers who shared my opinion bro. He was never that kind of fighter and thats the truth. Im not going to lie he was easily one of the most gifted athletes to ever put gloves on. But he never showed the actual skills and thats why he wasnt able to keep going like guys with legit skills like bernard and Toney. As far as Jon Jones goes. Yes hes also amazingly athletic but hes an amazing wrestler and uses it to his advantage. Im not a wrestler myself and personally am not a fan but most people who do wrestle on these boards point out that he has amazing technique and skill as far as wrestling goes.

While he was gifted with his speed and power, but he learned head movement to get inside, and that was a learned skill. His power punches WERE technically thrown soundly as we'll. He was an undersized heavyweight, so maybe his jab and footwork weren't to par, but he fought perfectly to suit his frame and strengths. So I disagree when you say he never "showed actual skills".

I have always argued with friends who aren't as familiar with the sport that Tyson isn't the Goat, in fact, IMO was never a top 5 all time heavyweight. However he did have some crazy skills, as well as a freakish fast twitch explosion that has yet to be rivalled IMO.

 

[Toxxus]

I watched boxing for years and years since there was very little MMA in the 70s and 80s and most of it was not known in America. Then with Pride and UFC in 1993 the world changed.

I found boxing to be, minus the occasional great fight, to be one-dimensional and boring. MMA had so many styles and techniques available to the fighters. As time went on I was able to appreciate how refined boxing techniques were with pure boxers and realized it would be very rare to see that with MMA fighters.

They're both good sports, but MMA is my favorite and by no small margin. I'll take a good boxing match over a shitty MMA match, but 9/10 I'd rather watch MMA.

Gracies made that possible for us in America and in a more personal way since I had the privilege of training under Relson for awhile.

 

[MMAfanWA]

Good on ya TS

No worries brothers!

 

[Mike01010101a]

I was a big boxing fan but the last couple years I see MMA instead of boxing.

 

[Someone88]

Tyson makes some great points.

 

[THeCHeeSe24]

While he was gifted with his speed and power, but he learned head movement to get inside, and that was a learned skill. His power punches WERE technically thrown soundly as we'll. He was an undersized heavyweight, so maybe his jab and footwork weren't to par, but he fought perfectly to suit his frame and strengths. So I disagree when you say he never "showed actual skills".

I have always argued with friends who aren't as familiar with the sport that Tyson isn't the Goat, in fact, IMO was never a top 5 all time heavyweight. However he did have some crazy skills, as well as a freakish fast twitch explosion that has yet to be rivalled IMO.

Im jus generalizing when i say showed no skills. I dont really mean he never had any but overall he was never technically sound on offense or defense. When i would watch his fights it was like ok this dude is fast as fuck and can get off 3 or 4 punches before the other guy gets off one . Perfect example in his prime he beat Bernard Hopkins rather easily. They rematch again both clearly out of there athletic prime and Bernard outboxes him rather easily? Why do you think that is my man? Like i said he was one of the most physically gifted ever to put on gloves and used it to his advantage. Once that advantage leaves its all about the skills you posess. Thats why like i mentioned guys like Bernard and Toney could fight forever because they have those skills. Im not trying to bash him anyone and everyone enjoyed watching RJJ in his prime including myself he was great to watch. But idk bro i just knew deep down it was the athleticism that carried him and im always going to feel deep down i was proven correct because when it started to fade i mean he was getting knocked out cold by trash cans who wouldnt of stood a chance when he was at his physical peak.

 

[UJustGotChaeld]

He speaks of a divine state of Gracie

There's a reason every single fighter trains BJJ. Gracie is it's name.

 

[Nerdslayer]

it

 

[trott]

Because he was the apex of combat sports at one point? His defense may no longer be impregnable, but people who've never watched a boxing match in their lives still know who he is. And it's nice to see that he's reppin' grappling like he knows what he's talking about instead of calling it gay sex.

this made me lol so hard!

praise be to allah

 

[Mark]

Why is Tyson seen as something of a holy man these day amongst fight fans? I still see a low-intelligence individual who only seems more zen because his testosterone has drained with age.

Maybe it's because he feeds doves. Peace, brother.

Well, you are from Kentucky...not exactly the home of Nobel Laureates or Rhodes Scholars, lol... :icon_lol:

 

[PunchFaceToWin]

If he'd hit Gracie, Gracie would have been KTFO, let's not pretend.

Tyson is a really nice guy and it's a shame people won't move past what he did in the past. He served his time and he's done his best to make everything right.
He's a true legend.