Nog vs Sergei 18 years ago

[Jewish Lightning]

Hard to believe this was almost 20 years ago. Seeing this makes me sad about the HW division of today. Here you have two HWs in their 20s with incredible speed, power, technique and endurance backed by world class skill in multiple disciplines.

Sergei was a paratrooper and very well versed in Sambo and qualified for the Olympics in boxing. Nogueira was a world champion in BJJ at the brown belt level, a black belt in Judo and black belt in BJJ under De La Riva and trained extensively with the Cuban Olymlic Boxing team. They met in the middle and went head to head and skill for skill in a grueling tournament fight with a brutal, 10 minute first round that required endurance you don't see from most HWs today.

Both guys have a great understanding of distance. Both guys have a great jab, strong right hand, and solid body shot and shuffle through each with cleverly selected combos. Sergei's body shots sound like gunshots. Big Nog is light on his feet, slick with his punches and really sneaky and fast with his takedown entries. The way he moved before all of the damage and hip surgery was something to behold.

The intensity of the final minute of this fight and seemlessness and smoothness in the final scramble on the ground was on a higher level than anything you will see from most (if not all) HW fights in the UFC today. How is that the sport has evolved so much yet most of if not almost all of the top 10 HWs of today don't come close to demonstrating this kind technique, awareness and overall intensity of fighting? How has the HW division regressed so much?

 

[BrockLesnarsTurtleBack]

It's a good fight, but TBH the stand up looks pretty slow, not a whole lot of switching stances or faints or leg kicks like you see today.

 

[StonedLemur]

Its so good hearing Bas and Mauro

 

[Jewish Lightning]

It's a good fight, but TBH the stand up looks pretty slow, not a whole lot of switching stances or faints or leg kicks like you see today.

Lol

 

[StonedLemur]

It's a good fight, but TBH the stand up looks pretty slow, not a whole lot of switching stances or faints or leg kicks like you see today.

You don't see stance switching out of many HWs.

 

[SSgt Dickweed]

It's amazing that Sergei's still winning fights at 42.

 

[Jewish Lightning]

It's amazing that Sergei's still winning fights at 42.

Looking at him today you almost can't believe it's the same guy from the video above.

 

[BrockLesnarsTurtleBack]

You don't see stance switching out of many HWs.

The stand up in Gane vs Ngannou was really high level

 

[Jewish Lightning]

The stand up in Gane vs Ngannou was really high level

Lol

 

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

You don't see stance switching out of many HWs.

Very good point and true

 

[Fluffy_Bunny]

Almost 20 years, time flies, Pride FC epic it was, obligatory:

 

[StonedLemur]

The stand up in Gane vs Ngannou was really high level

The sad thing is, I can't even tell whether you're serious or not.
Either way I don't care about it enough to argue.

 

[StonedLemur]

Very good point and true

That cat is a trip lol

 

[Thesnake101]

That's just par for the course in combat sports. Look at boxing and Kickboxing in terms of HWs.

 

[JustOnce]

Big Nog
Fedor
Crocop
Sergei
Alex
Josh
Werdum
Herring
Fujita
Hunto/Schilts or Coleman/Randleman

MMA evolution 18 years later, UFC is the best eva! New Breeds!

Ngannou
Stipe
Gane
DERRICK LEWIS
Blaydes
Volkov
Rozenstruik
Daukaus
Shamill
Tybura

 

[Iroh]

Man there's alot of bitching about the HW division lately.

 

[Jewish Lightning]

Man there's alot of bitching about the HW division lately.

It's justified.

 

[Yrat]

Hard to believe this was almost 20 years ago. Seeing this makes me sad about the HW division of today. Here you have two HWs in their 20s with incredible speed, power, technique and endurance backed by world class skill in multiple disciplines.

Sergei was a paratrooper and master of sport in Sambo and qualified for the Olympics in boxing. Nogueira was a world champion in BJJ at the brown belt level, a black belt in Judo and black belt in BJJ under De La Riva and trained extensively with the Cuban Olymlic Boxing team. They met in the middle and went head to head and skill for skill in a grueling tournament fight with a brutal, 10 minute first round that required endurance you don't see from most HWs today.

Both guys have a great understanding of distance. Both guys have a great jab, strong right hand, and solid body shot and shuffle through each with cleverly selected combos. Sergei's body shots sound like gunshots. Big Nog is light on his feet, slick with his punches and really sneaky and fast with his takedown entries. The way he moved before all of the damage and hip surgery was something to behold.

The intensity of the final minute of this fight and seemlessness and smoothness in the final scramble on the ground was on a higher level than anything you will see from most (if not all) HW fights in the UFC today. How is that the sport has evolved so much yet most of if not almost all of the top 10 HWs of today don't come close to demonstrating this kind technique, awareness and overall intensity of fighting? How has the HW division regressed so much?

Most of the heavyweights in Pride weighted 230 LBS compare to 250 LBS like Gane and Francis and then we have Derrick Lewis att 280 LBS off season

Today it is more about physical preparation

Most of them who are doing crossfits with kettlebells and deadlifts can easily do MMA .

 

[Iroh]

It's justified.

Waste of energy, IMO

 

[HHJ]

Really a great fight. Nog's use of knees on the ground were pretty slick