Team sports have higher level athletes than combat sports

[Fredwreck619]

It’s obvious most of the fellas here don’t know much about any other sport besides mma...and most folks here probably don’t even train mma either...

 

[the ambush]

Wayne Gretzky

Michael Jordan

 

[ferrisjso]

I think most people already agree that higher level athletes end up playing pro team sports rather then getting their brains banged in for pennies in MMA etc

however the reason isn’t necessary just the money for the actual athletes, rather IMO it takes a lot of more of an effort to build up a fan base for an individual over a fan base for a city based team.

The average NFL player plays professional for 3.3 years, this is when a young man is in his absolute athletic prime. It is because a team can afford to switch the player up often as the fans aren’t as attached to the squad as they are for the team that in some cases has been around for generations.

MMA is an individual sport that takes a while to build up awareness and a fan base for an individual athlete, the sponsorship opportunities are low in comparison to other individual sports like golf, F1, etc.

The result is MMA having athletes who are fighting way past their physical prime, and athletes who stay relevant despite having many losses simply because they have a fan base.

team sports such as football have players who are competing in their prime for an average of 3.3 years after graduation and as a result they have the absolute best athletes completing at their physical prime resulting in the highest level competition.

Yes we can agree. But that gap isn't nearly as wide as it used to be.

Even if MMA had A athlethes most ain't getting to the top till they are in their 30s are close to it. It takes time to reach the apex at the sport, you don't get to hit the ground running out of college like in team sports(exceptions like Jones, Shogun etc not included). Most prospects in MMA are in their late 20's and A athlethes wouldn't change that. I mean it'd change that at first cause they'd kick all the C athlethes asses like Jones did but once that was a normal thing, it'd take them years to get to the belt, long after their so called "prime".

The sport though requires at most 45-60 minutes of fight time a year for (non champs) and then camps, that's a lot less wear and tear than a team sport athlete. Maybe the human body doesn't break down in the 30s just under the mileage of being a pro athlete.

 

[crodor3]

I disagree. The great athletes in MMA are generally champions (Bones, GSP, DC) who would have been pros at other sports had that been their focus. I think team sports like football have more high level athletes because they have more athletes period.

 

[Vincentsky]

I disagree. The great athletes in MMA are generally champions (Bones, GSP, DC) who would have been pros at other sports had that been their focus. I think team sports like football have more high level athletes because they have more athletes period.

Wow this thread is old but what I mean to say is the average participant not the top dogs, ofcourse guys like jones and GSP are elite, and it’s not a secret that superstar team sport players play for a decade

I’m talking about the mere fact that it’s cheaper for the UFC to put Weidman on a card than to bring in a no name who probably deserves to be there more, and that is because marketing fighters is much harder than marketing a city, so if you already have a recognized name even though they have suffered plenty horrible loses and have no business competing at the highest level we keep seeing them there and were being sold that they are the best at what they do, and the examples are plenty.

 

[Vincentsky]

Yes we can agree. But that gap isn't nearly as wide as it used to be.

Even if MMA had A athlethes most ain't getting to the top till they are in their 30s are close to it. It takes time to reach the apex at the sport, you don't get to hit the ground running out of college like in team sports(exceptions like Jones, Shogun etc not included). Most prospects in MMA are in their late 20's and A athlethes wouldn't change that. I mean it'd change that at first cause they'd kick all the C athlethes asses like Jones did but once that was a normal thing, it'd take them years to get to the belt, long after their so called "prime".

The sport though requires at most 45-60 minutes of fight time a year for (non champs) and then camps, that's a lot less wear and tear than a team sport athlete. Maybe the human body doesn't break down in the 30s just under the mileage of being a pro athlete.

The point I was trying to make is that you will rarely see an athlete who is performing poorly ie, wiedman, pettis, BJ, cowboy and others with multiple KO losses or just many losses in general stay as relevant in sports outside of MMA, That is a direct result of marketing, and because of that the level of competition isn’t necessary a showcase of the best in the world, unlike other sports unfortunately.

 

[crodor3]

Wow this thread is old but what I mean to say is the average participant not the top dogs, ofcourse guys like jones and GSP are elite, and it’s not a secret that superstar team sport players play for a decade

I’m talking about the mere fact that it’s cheaper for the UFC to put Weidman on a card than to bring in a no name who probably deserves to be there more, and that is because marketing fighters is much harder than marketing a city, so if you already have a recognized name even though they have suffered plenty horrible loses and have no business competing at the highest level we keep seeing them there and were being sold that they are the best at what they do, and the examples are plenty.

ok man I got it. I agree with that...lots of inferior athletes aside from the top dogs ..

 

[dissectingaorticaneurysm]

Overpaid gymnastics girl

Chael considers her not only the greatest current athlete, but the greatest athlete to ever live. And who am I to disagree with the Biggest Arms in West Linn, Oregon?


Simone Bless

 

[TeenageMutantLesnarTurtle]

Wayne Gretzky

Guy was a genetic runt compared to Yoel or Brock.

 

[Big Nog vs Bus]

Combat sports have better fighters than team sports so it doesn't matter

 

[Fredwreck619]

Except you can hide in team sports. No hiding when it's one on one. And all the pressure is on you. You take the loss and bear the punishment. Combat Sports>Contact Team Sports.

I enjoy watching UFC and boxing more so than team sports sometimes, but your statement is incorrect.

 

[Fredwreck619]

Dont give a fuck about athletes,only fighters.

Cool story bro!

 

[Fredwreck619]

I'm confused - you said team sports but you're only talking about the NFL..?

MLB, NHL, Cricket and a lot of football (soccer) leagues don't really have athletes that are out of this world relative to the top MMA athletes. They got some outlier guys for sure, just like MMA does. NBA guys are very athletic relative to their height - but they still have long careers compared to NFL guys - using the average length of a career as a barometer for athleticism is a little wacky.

MMA has a lot of elite wrestlers and wrestlers are pretty damn stellar athletes. There is a steady stream in athleticism because of them alone.

Boxing has a ton of great athletes also. Inoue, Lamenchenko, Canelo, Floyd, Manny - I mean when you think about their training and what they have to do it makes sense.

Muay Thai filled with a lot of athletic Thai's - just look at how explosive they are in their fights when they throw strikes. A lot of athletes from other sports cannot duplicate that without a ton of training, if then.

MMA fighters can fight when they're old because a lot of it is a technique heavy sport. American Football players are heavily specialized to do a few movements depending on their position hence why when they get a bit old they fall off significantly in usefulness - they are like track athletes (in fact many of them were great track stars).


Team sports do not have greater athletes than combat sports - not at the top end of combat sports at least. NFL is an exception, hardly representative of all team sports.

Fighters do not need to run and jump. As you age your ability to run and jump declines faster than the other stuff.

Flat out wrong dude.
Think of it like this.

Lebron James if he wanted to can train and prepare, and probably perform well in the UFC given his physical supieriorty.
But Conor can’t go to the NBA.

 

[tramendous]

I think most people already agree that higher level athletes end up playing pro team sports rather then getting their brains banged in for pennies in MMA etc

however the reason isn’t necessary just the money for the actual athletes, rather IMO it takes a lot of more of an effort to build up a fan base for an individual over a fan base for a city based team.

The average NFL player plays professional for 3.3 years, this is when a young man is in his absolute athletic prime. It is because a team can afford to switch the player up often as the fans aren’t as attached to the squad as they are for the team that in some cases has been around for generations.

MMA is an individual sport that takes a while to build up awareness and a fan base for an individual athlete, the sponsorship opportunities are low in comparison to other individual sports like golf, F1, etc.

The result is MMA having athletes who are fighting way past their physical prime, and athletes who stay relevant despite having many losses simply because they have a fan base.

team sports such as football have players who are competing in their prime for an average of 3.3 years after graduation and as a result they have the absolute best athletes completing at their physical prime resulting in the highest level competition.

This is not an A level Athlete argument rather it is stating that the level of competition is a direct result of marketing, outside of MMA there are almost no sports where a losing bad performing athlete can have a decade long career.

It takes more than an athlete to be a fighter.

 

[the ambush]

Guy was a genetic runt compared to Yoel or Brock.

By the same token Yoel or Brock did not dominate their sport analytically like Gretzky did. Gretzky dominated hockey both in championships and stats.

 

[kflo]

I think most people already agree that higher level athletes end up playing pro team sports rather then getting their brains banged in for pennies in MMA etc

however the reason isn’t necessary just the money for the actual athletes, rather IMO it takes a lot of more of an effort to build up a fan base for an individual over a fan base for a city based team.

The average NFL player plays professional for 3.3 years, this is when a young man is in his absolute athletic prime. It is because a team can afford to switch the player up often as the fans aren’t as attached to the squad as they are for the team that in some cases has been around for generations.

MMA is an individual sport that takes a while to build up awareness and a fan base for an individual athlete, the sponsorship opportunities are low in comparison to other individual sports like golf, F1, etc.

The result is MMA having athletes who are fighting way past their physical prime, and athletes who stay relevant despite having many losses simply because they have a fan base.

team sports such as football have players who are competing in their prime for an average of 3.3 years after graduation and as a result they have the absolute best athletes completing at their physical prime resulting in the highest level competition.

This is not an A level Athlete argument rather it is stating that the level of competition is a direct result of marketing, outside of MMA there are almost no sports where a losing bad performing athlete can have a decade long career.

you think a short prime is evidence of the best athletes?

if you had a choice as an athlete to play football, baseball, basketball or soccer, most will not pick football. only a sure fire quarterback.

fact is most athletes don't simply "pick" the sport, the sport picks them.

individual sports require greater individual investment. the infrastructure for team sports, the friend building of team sports, the lack of need for as much individual attention make team sports alot easier to invest individual time. it's more rewarding for most.

individual sports are lonelier. they require more individual coaching. they require more self driven discipline. and of course, for mma and boxing, they can fuckin hurt.

 

[kflo]

By the same token Yoel or Brock did not dominate their sport analytically like Gretzky did. Gretzky dominated hockey both in championships and stats.

well, for championships, messier won twice without wayne. wayne none outside of that oilers team (making the finals with la was great of course).

not that he wasn't amazing and likely the greatest ever (peak super mario was close).

 

[superpunch]

 

[Vincentsky]

you think a short prime is evidence of the best athletes?

if you had a choice as an athlete to play football, baseball, basketball or soccer, most will not pick football. only a sure fire quarterback.

fact is most athletes don't simply "pick" the sport, the sport picks them.

individual sports require greater individual investment. the infrastructure for team sports, the friend building of team sports, the lack of need for as much individual attention make team sports alot easier to invest individual time. it's more rewarding for most.

individual sports are lonelier. they require more individual coaching. they require more self driven discipline. and of course, for mma and boxing, they can fuckin hurt.

Short prime in team sports is a testament to the fact that team sports don’t need to rely on an individual athletes marketability in order to provide the highest level competition, it’s corporate thinking allows for individuals to be replaced by the next best thing

 

[the ambush]

well, for championships, messier won twice without wayne. wayne none outside of that oilers team (making the finals with la was great of course).

not that he wasn't amazing and likely the greatest ever (peak super mario was close).

There's no single hockey player close to Gretzky's level in terms of sheer dominance. Sure we can talk about players success with multiple teams which has various contributing factors to shortly include head coaching, goaltending and key leadership players. I will not entertain the idea of Mark Messier as a legit better player than Gretzky was.

Name Games Played - Total Points
Wayne Gretzky 1483 - 2857
Jaromir Jagr 1733 - 1921
Mark Messier 1756 - 1887
Gordie Howe 1767 - 1850
Mario Lemieux 915 - 1723