Remember when Jones would outbox the Klitschkos?

[DhakaMMA]

Dana has about 10% equity, so he technically is an owner but his main role is to be the front man/lightning rod.

Nah, Dana's 9%. Flash Entertainment owns 10%.

 

[Blazeblack]

I think as mma "evolved," a lot of what made it entertaining when with it. The style vs style matchups don't really exist anymore.

It feels like every fighter has the same style these days and I think the talent pool is really pretty shallow.

During the Pride vs UFC days, I was as big a fan of mma as I was of boxing, believe it or not. But once Dana White bought MMA, it went down the dumper.

I couldn't agree more mma has hardly evolved, more like the fighters to day have to modify their fighting styles to adapt to a rule set slated ridiculously toward wrestlers.

 

[ironfist05]

I couldn't agree more mma has hardly evolved, more like the fighters to day have to modify their fighting styles to adapt to a rule set slated ridiculously toward wrestlers.

takedown defense

it exists

 

[consortium11]

If anything I'd say the rules have been slanted against wrestlers since the early days. Referee standups, rounds (as opposed to one long period), things such as removing headbuts mean that wrestlers actually have a harder time of it now. Even things that could seemingly help those facing wrestlers such as knees to a grounded opponent (to punish someone who shoots and turtles when the opponent sprawls on top of them) would equally help wrestlers; see what Randleman, Coleman and Herring were all able to do with dominant position in PRIDE or even wheat Severn could do to Taktarov in the early UFC's.

There were few things worse than the post-Royce UFC's when a time limit was introduced and many a bout descended to one man lying on top of the other for 10 minutes+ with nothing happening.

The success of wrestlers has less to do with the rules being in their favour and more that you have a group of athletic competitors used to the idea of training camps, cutting weight and being part of a team. Compared to the bar room brawlers, streetfighters, traditional martial artists and other grapplers that populated MMA wrestlers had two key advantages; they had a level of physicality the grapplers lacked and a level of technique the brawlers lacked.

 

[animalfan10]

Being a better boxer in boxing does not necessarily mean you would be a better boxer in mma....Totally different.

 

[Blazeblack]

If anything I'd say the rules have been slanted against wrestlers since the early days. Referee standups, rounds (as opposed to one long period), things such as removing headbuts mean that wrestlers actually have a harder time of it now. Even things that could seemingly help those facing wrestlers such as knees to a grounded opponent (to punish someone who shoots and turtles when the opponent sprawls on top of them) would equally help wrestlers; see what Randleman, Coleman and Herring were all able to do with dominant position in PRIDE or even wheat Severn could do to Taktarov in the early UFC's.

There were few things worse than the post-Royce UFC's when a time limit was introduced and many a bout descended to one man lying on top of the other for 10 minutes+ with nothing happening.

The success of wrestlers has less to do with the rules being in their favour and more that you have a group of athletic competitors used to the idea of training camps, cutting weight and being part of a team. Compared to the bar room brawlers, streetfighters, traditional martial artists and other grapplers that populated MMA wrestlers had two key advantages; they had a level of physicality the grapplers lacked and a level of technique the brawlers lacked.

Perhaps my personal distaste for the occasional two minute stalling routine that some of the grapplers in the UFC get a way with has made me a little too bigoted aginst the brand for my own good.

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

I

The success of wrestlers has less to do with the rules being in their favour and more that you have a group of athletic competitors used to the idea of training camps, cutting weight and being part of a team. Compared to the bar room brawlers, streetfighters, traditional martial artists and other grapplers that populated MMA wrestlers had two key advantages; they had a level of physicality the grapplers lacked and a level of technique the brawlers lacked.

This is a great post and great point Consortium...the two most exhausting moments in my life...have been wrestling practice back in high school and my CrossFit WOD's.

Wrestlers, like boxers have incredible stamina, a sense of discipline, physicality and technicality as you mentioned...

it's no big surprise that wreslters find such success in MMA...

Hell, Dan Severn almost won UFC 4 on wrestling alone..the man didn't even know how to throw a punch. (until UFC 5)


Chad Mendes is dominating with ease because of his wrestling back ground...