Rickson or GSP

Was at Pride GP 2000

Brown Belt
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Assuming GSP does not come back.

Not many retire after a win. Both of these guys did. Does one look like they went out at a better time?

Does the mystery of going out on top add to the lure of possibilities.

Who in your opinion has more of a mystic about the what ifs if they came back.
 
GSP looked beyond mortal in his last few fights and many would argue he lost. And he could not finish anyone.
 
Different eras. GSP was fighting the best. Rickson was fighting cans and a couple of OK guys. We never saw Rickson against the best. Can't compare the two.
 
Armbar vs. Decision.

You decide.


FTR - I think GSP is GOAT level. However, Hickson, well fahk, come on, it's Hickson. Zillion and 0. Undefeated on the streets, in dreams, and in time. Makes Marco R., Freddy Kruger, and Hercules shit their pants. Fahkin' Hickson. By. Armbar.
 
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There is a YouTube of Rickson vs an Olympian wrestler, but in a bjj match which was no match. I think v GSP Rickson would win prime to prime in bjj but MMA not so ...
 
Assuming GSP does not come back.

Not many retire after a win. Both of these guys did. Does one look like they went out at a better time?

Does the mystery of going out on top add to the lure of possibilities.

Who in your opinion has more of a mystic about the what ifs if they came back.

Nice thread, friend. You get a like. I have to be honest, though. I don't know alot about Rickson.

However...

I hated GSP retiring. Strictly, from a selfish fan, pov. It only lasted a very short time, though.

This man earned that right, imo. No second guessing, no major controversy, no career ending injury. The man gave MMA, the UFC, and us FANS, everything he had. And he did it with class. No matter how much shit his opponents talked. Georges always said... " I do my talking in the octagon ". And, he orated a classic.

Part of me wants him to stay retired. Part wants him to come back. But, it's his call, and neither choice would change my thoughts about the guy.

EDIT... I just hope if he does come back. It's for nothing less than a Superfight ( Silva, Robbie, or to settle the score against Hendricks ). Hendricks technically, not a super fight. But, I think you get my drift. And I would totally consider the current WW champion vs the GOAT WW, a superfight.

Please, no freakshows, or " fun fights "

ALL OR NOTHING.
 
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GSP went out at the better time because he went out on a fight that he lost, to a guy we now know is not dominant but GSP got the W for it. The sport had passed GSP by and he still got out on a great win streak. Rickson probably had some more wins in him but I don't think GSP did. So GSP left at the perfect time.
 
Different eras. GSP was fighting the best. Rickson was fighting cans and a couple of OK guys. We never saw Rickson against the best. Can't compare the two.
Yeah I agree. Rickson had this godlike mystique as the best of the gracies, but we never really got to see if it was true because he only had a couple fights against nobodies. With GSP, we got a more realistic view of what he could do and that he was a great fighter but also mortal and beatable.
 
There isn't a ton of mystique about Rickson in my book. If he had continued fighting after Takada he would have clashed with Vovchanchyn, Coleman, CC, Fedor, Randleman, etc. and he would have lost more than he won.

GSP, I still wonder how he'd do in a Hendrix rematch or vs Lawler etc.
 
Assuming GSP does not come back.

Not many retire after a win. Both of these guys did. Does one look like they went out at a better time?

Does the mystery of going out on top add to the lure of possibilities.

Who in your opinion has more of a mystic about the what ifs if they came back.
big fan of both Rickson and GSP

Georges always found a way to surprise his opponents and win

Rickson was a real pioneer, with a lot of courage as well
 
Yeah I agree. Rickson had this godlike mystique as the best of the gracies, but we never really got to see if it was true because he only had a couple fights against nobodies. With GSP, we got a more realistic view of what he could do and that he was a great fighter but also mortal and beatable.

We saw enough to know where he stood. Watch his fight against Funaki. He knew why he didnt fight the better guys, and why he balked on the Sakuraba match.
 
I have trained with Rickson. He is/was a best on the ground. I think it would be more educational to see him come back and how he would handle todays fighters. When he fought there was no one really developed in MMA as we know it today. Even still an MMA brown belt in jiu jitsu wouldn't be enough for Rickson IMO. He destroys world champion level black belts. His son Kron (Nate diaz training partner) would be the best to view how Rickson would use his BJJ. I think Kron is becoming his own man so i don't think he wold fight exactly like Rickson but would be the closest intepretation of that invisible jiu jitsu stuff :)
 
There isn't a ton of mystique about Rickson in my book. If he had continued fighting after Takada he would have clashed with Vovchanchyn, Coleman, CC, Fedor, Randleman, etc. and he would have lost more than he won.

GSP, I still wonder how he'd do in a Hendrix rematch or vs Lawler etc.
I don't like the mystique either, but I honestly feel he would have been 3-2 against those guys, losing to CC and Fedor.
 
The question is could the best of the best MMA grapplers like Fitch and GSP hang with Rickson on the ground? Punches and all? Could Rickson?
Such a mystery
 
GSP would ground him and pound him until he got a limb caught .... Rickson is fluid....eventually GSP would get caught
 
Different eras. GSP was fighting the best. Rickson was fighting cans and a couple of OK guys. We never saw Rickson against the best. Can't compare the two.
85 to 95 who hasn't Rickson faced that wasn't the best?

El Guapo and Ken Shamrock were at Pancrase or UFC, places Rickson wasn't fighting. He fought Zulu and Marco Ruas in the 80's who were top fighters in Brazil Vale tudo at the time, he faced Yoshihisa and Yuji Nakai who were top fighters in the japan vale tudo scene at the time. His later fights he was 38+ years. People clamoring Rickson should have faced Mark Kerr, they don't know that Rickson was 39 when Kerr was considered the best.
 
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