One thing people overlook in great fighters: Creativity, and their will to improvise!

[CereserBr]

If you look at many greats in this sport, you will see great creativity. 2 guys that stand out the most for me nowadays are Jon Jones and Fabricio Werdum: They are highly creative, intelligent individuals that bring this skill to the cage.

Jones shoulder lock on Teixeira and Werdums knee knockout on Hunt are good examples of great improvisation. These guys are really crafty.

And you will see the same stuff when you see a Prime Anderson Silva, Pettis on his good days, Shogun back in Pride, even Fedor... Those were really creative individuals.

 

[Reach4theSky]

I agree. For awhile there, many fighters were looking like mirror images of each other. I would like to see more fighters think outside the box and take risks.

 

[12ga.]

You forgot Ferguson - probably most creative after Silva.

 

[FrontNakedChoke]

One of my favourite attributes a fighter can have.

 

[SassyPants]

You forgot Ferguson - probably most creative after Silva.

I love Ferguson because 1. he always goes out and takes the action to people and fights. 2) he isn't scared to throw any technique because he's fine with the fight going anywhere. it allows him to be creative and it's so refreshing to watch.

 

[HelloJapan]

Kin eh.

 

[Mochan]

Creativity thread without mentioning Sakuraba is a big fail. So let me save this thread by saying:

Sakuraba is the most creative fighter in the history of MMA.


Nobody came up with more creative ways to deal with opponents and situations in MMA than Sakuraba did.

He was the first to figure out how to destroy butt scoot BJJers (either with legkicks or cartwheels)
He was the first to figure out how to guard single leg takedowns with kimuras.
He was the first to figure out how to reverse rear-control with kimuras.
He was the first to figure out how to escape mount position through the backdoor.
He was the first to use an opponent's gi against them.

Could go on once I have a few more drinks to remember stuff.

 

[mma sharingan]

Creativity thread without mentioning Sakuraba is a big fail. So let me save this thread by saying:

Sakuraba is the most creative fighter in the history of MMA.


Nobody came up with more creative ways to deal with opponents and situations in MMA than Sakuraba did.

He was the first to figure out how to destroy butt scoot BJJers (either with legkicks or cartwheels)
He was the first to figure out how to guard single leg takedowns with kimuras.
He was the first to figure out how to reverse rear-control with kimuras.
He was the first to figure out how to escape mount position through the backdoor.
He was the first to use an opponent's gi against them.

Could go on once I have a few more drinks to remember stuff.

wow sounds like He was the first to split the atom.

sakuraba gettin that chuck norris treatment.

 

[Rum]

If you look at many greats in this sport, you will see great creativity. 2 guys that stand out the most for me nowadays are Jon Jones and Fabricio Werdum: They are highly creative, intelligent individuals that bring this skill to the cage.

Jones shoulder lock on Teixeira and Werdums knee knockout on Hunt are good examples of great improvisation. These guys are really crafty.

And you will see the same stuff when you see a Prime Anderson Silva, Pettis on his good days, Shogun back in Pride, even Fedor... Those were really creative individuals.

Great call.

Haters act as if Jones's success is all about his long limbs when in reality his most powerful weapon is his mind.

 

[waldywaldy]

Creativity thread without mentioning Sakuraba is a big fail. So let me save this thread by saying:

Sakuraba is the most creative fighter in the history of MMA.


Nobody came up with more creative ways to deal with opponents and situations in MMA than Sakuraba did.

He was the first to figure out how to destroy butt scoot BJJers (either with legkicks or cartwheels)
He was the first to figure out how to guard single leg takedowns with kimuras.
He was the first to figure out how to reverse rear-control with kimuras.
He was the first to figure out how to escape mount position through the backdoor.
He was the first to use an opponent's gi against them.

Could go on once I have a few more drinks to remember stuff.

This 1000 times.

First to figure out Vitor had horrible kicking defense.
First to effectively use a spinning back kick in mma.


Bonus:

Sliding side kick to the face anybody?

One a side note: Mighty mouse needs to be mentioned in this discussion.

 

[Katsumi Yamada]

Creativity thread without mentioning Sakuraba is a big fail. So let me save this thread by saying:

Sakuraba is the most creative fighter in the history of MMA.


Nobody came up with more creative ways to deal with opponents and situations in MMA than Sakuraba did.

He was the first to figure out how to destroy butt scoot BJJers (either with legkicks or cartwheels)
He was the first to figure out how to guard single leg takedowns with kimuras.
He was the first to figure out how to reverse rear-control with kimuras.
He was the first to figure out how to escape mount position through the backdoor.
He was the first to use an opponent's gi against them.

Could go on once I have a few more drinks to remember stuff.

This x1000000

Sakuraba was the most creative fighter ever

P4p best chain smoker to fight 90 mins without gassing

 

[Mochan]

wow sounds like He was the first to split the atom.

sakuraba gettin that chuck norris treatment.

Just because you're ignorant doesn't mean you have to act ignorant.

Unlike Chuck Norris jokes, what I and the others have said about Sakuraba is true. He wrote the book on how to destroy BJJ, for all intents and purposes.

 

[HHJ]

Mark Hunt is underrated in this. The guy would clearly make things up as he went along. Besides the atomic butt drop,he tried to do a flying double knee drop on nishijima,and the highly illegal downward knee to the back of Dan Bobish's head,and is known to randomly throw spinning roundhouse kicks at a speed you wouldnt think him capable of. People like that are very dangerous.

 

[ithinktheymad]

They have corners yelling advice to them.

 

[discrawg]

Jones' shoulder lock on Glover yes, Werdum's knee was most definitely trained into him. Faking the take down into a knee up the middle against Mark Hunt is game plan, not improvisation.

 

[qw3rty]

Yair is the new breed of this IMO
Cucuy the representative of this generation where Pettis has fallen (for now, I hope he recovers the edge at FW)

 

[HHJ]

They have corners yelling advice to them.

so?

 

[UhVaiMorre]

True. But maybe coaches are afraid to let their guys improvise too much and deviate from original gameplans. and also, when someone wants to start in mma, they go-to arts complement each other and they get comfortable with it, turning into a bunch of carbon copies. There's infinite ways of winning without improvisation as there is with improvisation, i feel like they chose not to risk a lot in the fight with stuff they don't train often or don't know if its going to work.

 

[The guest]

How is it overlooked ? Isn't that exactly the thing that differentiates the greats from the also rans ?

Things rarely go strictly according to plan. If that happens, they need to recognize that in an instant and adjust. Go to plan B. That is often the difference between winning and losing. And that is on a fighter's corner as well. See what is or isn't working and get your fighter to adjust between rounds.

Not to pick on Ronda. But, that was as clear an example of not changing strategy as I've ever seen. Everything Ronda did played to Holly's strengths. And of course the credit for that goes to Holly and her team. When Holly took Ronda down she stepped back, to bring the fight to its feet again. You dont go to the ground with Ronda. Come on, ffs. But Ronda's coach is saying shit like ... Great, keep your hands up, etc. No useful information, or plan B, at all.

Or like Conor shooting for the panic wrestler take down... Against a legit BJJ black belt ??? How was that a good idea son ? Did you train that panic takedown all camp ?

Am I missing something here ? Isn't this just plain common sense ?

If your camp is worth a damn. Jackson/Wink for instance. They leave as little as possible to chance. There shouldn't be a need for massive improvisation during a fight ( Barring injury ). Unless you just really had no business being in the cage with that person, to begin with.

 

[mma sharingan]

Just because you're ignorant doesn't mean you have to act ignorant.

Unlike Chuck Norris jokes, what I and the others have said about Sakuraba is true. He wrote the book on how to destroy BJJ, for all intents and purposes.

ignorant? I read your post and learn't something new, i took the information in and and have new found respect for Sakuraba, not my fault your post made me picture you deepthroating Sakuraba, I guess that's how you got Saku's belt.