The balanced berserker

[Valhoven]

Roxanne Modafferi

Me before looking up:

Who?

Me after looking up:

O, that peaceful warrior chick from TUF...BLOODY HELL NO.

 

[billharford]

Me before looking up:

Who?

Me after looking up:

O, that peaceful warrior chick from TUF...BLOODY HELL NO.

Ohhhhh, Peaceful Warrior. For some reason I was thinking Balanced Berserker

 

[Valhoven]

Vitor seems like the correct answer. He plays the strategic counterstrike game, then turns into a tornado of punches at the slightest hint of blood.

I'll admit the more I think on Vitor the more he fits the description, but he doesn't employ strategy in the purest sense; he's just very talented and imposes that talent on opponents while also struggling to find a good barber.

 

[Valhoven]

Ohhhhh, Peaceful Warrior. For some reason I was thinking Balanced Berserker

You got me on that one, LOL. Nice one, brother...

 

[The MM Analyst]

Cyborg. Lots of people think she's a brawler that wins through size and strength, and that does help, but she's one of the best counterstrikers in WMMA. She has a very technically sound pressure game - diagonal movement, pivots on the backfoot, kicks and body punches to cut off lateral movement, feints her opponents to the cage, etc. Her pressure forces her opponents to throw an ill-advised shot to find reprieve, and she counters it.

 

[laleggenda27]

I'll admit the more I think on Vitor the more he fits the description, but he doesn't employ strategy in the purest sense; he's just very talented and imposes that talent on opponents while also struggling to find a good barber.

I'm not sure why you don't think he employs strategy. Strategy is intrinsically built into the training camp. Based on your opponent, you work on certain footwork to direct your opponent to where you want them. You work on certain combinations that your opponent will be susceptible to. You may not see it, but the strategy is there. Vitor isn't just going out there and winging it.

 

[Valhoven]

Cyborg. Lots of people think she's a brawler that wins through size and strength, and that does help, but she's one of the best counterstrikers in WMMA. She has a very technically sound pressure game - diagonal movement, pivots on the backfoot, kicks and body punches to cut off lateral movement, feints her opponents to the cage, etc. Her pressure forces her opponents to throw an ill-advised shot to find reprieve, and she counters it.

I read this without looking who it was and thought "Yes, excellent suggestion..." Not surprised, MF.

Great profiling. Her striking is bettered only by her understanding of how to gain advantage from it and go for the kill - and that, folks, is fight IQ.

I'm ashamed I wrote her off for so long; I hope I wasn't victim of the UFC-propaganda machine but probably was. I've made an effort this year to watch her short docs and read her interviews; she is a such good person and far better role model than the people who get all the push behind them, like Rousey, but the world might well never find that out.

 

[Turtlejuice]

These are good, mate. One eliminator of most is however that they display aspects of the balanced berserker over their careers; I want to lock down guys who employ this balance by the bout.

Pierce and Story...nice ones. Need rewatch some of their outings but both definitely eluded me.

I knew NBK would pop up (Cheers too @Turtlejuice) but he's such a great tactician...does he really "lose it" in fights? I get a feeling from watching Robbie that he sees red in there at times but can re-focus. Carlos has too high fight IQ to truly let go; he's just violent so it seems like he does, when that was just the plan, LOL.

I'd almost describe it as controlled aggression, or precision aggression. What I mean by that is he almost goes 'zerker in short, controlled, well timed bursts.

 

[The MM Analyst]

I read this without looking who it was and thought "Yes, excellent suggestion..." Not surprised, MF.

Great profiling. Her striking is bettered only by her understanding of how to gain advantage from it and go for the kill - and that, folks, is fight IQ.

I'm ashamed I wrote her off for so long; I hope I wasn't victim of the UFC-propaganda machine but probably was. I've made an effort this year to watch her short docs and read her interviews; she is a such good person and far better role model than the people who get all the push behind them, like Rousey, but the world might well never find that out.

I think her situation is really unfortunate. She's an elite fighter with no challenges in her weight class and cutting to 135 is incredibly hard for her if not impossible. I know a lot of people don't like her because she popped for PEDs once 5 years ago, but that's whatever to me. PEDs are a thing in pro sports, they're always going to be a thing, and I don't think it makes sense to condemn athletes for making a rational decision to take them.

 

[Valhoven]

I'm not sure why you don't think he employs strategy. Strategy is intrinsically built into the training camp. Based on your opponent, you work on certain footwork to direct your opponent to where you want them. You work on certain combinations that your opponent will be susceptible to. You may not see it, but the strategy is there. Vitor isn't just going out there and winging it.

Valid point and it is my oversight in not communicating well enough.

All fighters have "training-camp strategy" and I reckon most of the time it is the coaching team that formulates the like (not the fighter himself), but by "reel it in" in OP I mean rather the firebrands of fisticuff that can also Plan-B and -C; audibles they intuitively call themselves when there is more blood on their face than breath in their lungs and the knees are buckling...to have the inner bear hibernate so as to collect themselves (Robbie, Fjodor) versus going out on their shields (Wanderlei, Leben, Lytle).

Wielders of both fire and ice are rarer than what it would seem.

 

[Valhoven]

I'd almost describe it as controlled aggression, or precision aggression. What I mean by that is he almost goes 'zerker in short, controlled, well timed bursts.

You are not allowed to post videos like this here...it screws with my head and robs me of impartiality.

I do still see control there even if in violent bursts (well put by you); too high fight-IQ with Carlos, mate.

 

[laleggenda27]

Valid point and it is my oversight in not communicating well enough.

All fighters have "training-camp strategy" and I reckon most of the time it is the coaching team that formulates the like (not the fighter himself), but by "reel it in" in OP I mean rather the firebrands of fisticuff that can also Plan-B and -C; audibles they intuitively call themselves when there is more blood on their face than breath in their lungs and the knees are buckling...to have the inner bear hibernate so as to collect themselves (Robbie, Fjodor) versus going out on their shields (Wanderlei, Leben, Lytle).

Wielders of both fire and ice are rarer than what it would seem.

Condit

 

[Chesten_Hesten]

Wait, what was the point?

 

[tramendous]

That's an oxymoron right there.

while technically it is, its an actual literary concept of the exotic outsider not corrupted by civilization. like how we idealize various warriors, barbarian leaders, tribal chiefs

 

[Haj01]

while technically it is, its an actual literary concept of the exotic outsider not corrupted by civilization. like how we idealize various warriors, barbarian leaders, tribal chiefs

That was simple yet deep bro. Stupendous! I love that. Something inside of us all strives to be a warrior like our ancestors

 

[Matt Hutchings]

Good one, Matt.

My only issue (and you pointed this out as well) is that Overeem has displayed everything I am looking for but with each style mutually exclusive to another and also over a career. If former and current Alistairs found a balance though...HW-gold, mate. You think he's got Stipe's number regardless?

I think Overeem will beat Stipe with a KO or Sub.

All you ever hear against him now, is he's got a glass chin. That's all well and good if the other guy isn't frightened to attack. Look at JDS, Overeem had him like a deer in the headlights. JDS is a beast but he knew the skills and power of the Reems striking, and rightfully so. Same with Arlovski in a way. Compared to how aggressive he was against, say, Browne, against Overeem he was definitely not taking as many risks.

Overeem won't chase Stipe down like Werdum and I don't think Stipe will chase Overeem, so that'll leave them in the centre - Overeems best place for precision striking!

If there's a takedown attempt I believe it'll come from Stipe against the cage but Overeem has that recently unseen deadly guillotine which could stop Stipe from completing the takedown. Might not be the sub but the threat of it could halt his takedown attempts at least if he feels it once or twice.

Anyway my prediction is they'll be in the centre, Stipe will step in with a jab then hook combo, Reem will slip the jab and counter the hook with an overhand, rocking Stipe. Stipe will either go for a takedown and Reem will throw him off towards the cage, or Stipe will back up against the cage. Reem will close in cautiously and throw two or three measured strikes, then ground and pound a rocked Stipe for the ref to jump in.

Very specific and obviously biased for the Reem. He's one of my favourite fighters though so that's why!

 

[kammfreudenstei]

Robbie is an interesting answer. His holiday rounds are unorthodox for a brawler with a good gas tank.

I think thats a part of him pacing himself, but I could be wrong. He has very good parrying ability, which helps him in those rounds

 

[FedorFanBoy]

Also there is one obvious choice. The most decorated guy for being cold and hot at once... Fedor. Nobody could get as agressive as Fedor in certain moments when he smelt blood. If he felt that he can go with the monster inside him he just pounded people till they were dead.

He had many victims of his rage.

Guy was madman. Totally ragin bull when he needed it.

 

[loyalyolayal]

 

[ShreddinMMA]

Wand is actually a great example if you look at the way he fought at the end of his UFC run.

And, well, Fedor.