More dominant: Riner or Karelin?

[Gregoire1]

Who is more dominant champion and why? Who woulddo better at head-to-head prime vs prime?

 

[RJ Green]

Ono
Inoue
Yamashita

Teddy's been the best player in the weakest division in the decade without leg grabs.

 

[yetanother]

Teddy's been the best player in the weakest division in the decade without leg grabs.

Does lack of leg grabs make it easier to be dominant?

 

[jack36767]

I'd have to say Karelin.. more depth at heavyweight in wrestling, and as far as "dominance" he made a habit of picking up grown men who were flat on their stomach who didn't want to be picked up.. and dropping them on their heads.

And His Only Olympic loss was because his grip slipped for a second.. and by all accounts was our of shape, old, and was forced by the Russian government/mafia to even wrestle in Athens. I am biased though lol

 

[Emanuele]

Ono
Inoue
Yamashita

Inoue got injured in 2001, so his prime was interrupted; I wouldn't put in the same league with Riner, Yamashita ecc.

Does lack of leg grabs make it easier to be dominant?

For a very tall judoka it does. A short judoka is in disadvantage for not grabbing the legs.

And His Only Olympic loss was because his grip slipped for a second.. and by all accounts was our of shape, old, and was forced by the Russian government/mafia to even wrestle in Athens. I am biased though lol

I don't remember Karelin in Athen.

 

[Thrawn33]

People faked injury to avoid Karelin.

World class wrestlers, some of the baddest folks on earth would rather take a loss than risk injury against him in his prime.

Let that sink in....

 

[jack36767]

Inoue got injured in 2001, so his prime was interrupted; I wouldn't put in the same league with Riner, Yamashita ecc.

For a very tall judoka it does. A short judoka is in disadvantage for not grabbing the legs.

I don't remember Karelin in Athen.

oops Sydney.. civilization will fall because I messed it up

 

[AnotherOldGuy]

Teddy's been the best player in the weakest division in the decade without leg grabs.

Possibly, however not relevant when comparing him to Karelin.

 

[Gorbag]

Karelin may very well been more dominant in greco roman wrestling than Riner in Judo; If I remember correctly Karelin had only 2 losses in more than 800 bouts - I dont think Riner can match that yet.

Some posters above claim that heavyweight judo is weak at the moment, but without supporting any proof or evidence. Personally I believe that heavyweight judo has waay more depth than heavyweight greco-roman wrestling also without supporting my personal beliefs with any hard facts.

Prove my subjective beliefs wrong somebody, but with evidence...

 

[Hotora86]

 

[Kaffe]

I'd put Yamashita before Riner, though I'm not sold on HW being so terrible now compared to before.

Got to go with Karelin. 13 years undefeated and 6 without giving up a point. And he wins on x factor with his freakish gutwrench too.