The grappling in the UFC is at an all-time LOW

[wwkirk]

If it's not at elevation I don't think Jan gasses like that lol. That was rough.

Ah! Sea Level Jan! I like it.

 

[GrantB13]

I don't personally even consider anything over welterweight real mma. That's stupid mma slop for goofy lummoxes.

170 and under is good though.

It’s funny you say that because that’s literally the exact stance people used to have. Anything below 170 was for midgets and not real men.

 

[markantony20]

Guys like Islam and Olivera submit 98% of the UFC’s LW roster from 10-15 years ago imo.

And guys like Khamzat outwrestles all but the best WWs of all time like GSP.

 

[Shoguns Prodigy**]

Ufc is designed for strikers now. They don’t want any top level grapplers who fight safe.

 

[markantony20]

It doesn't seem to translate quite as well these days. Multiple time world BJJ champ Buchecha lost to fucking Reug Reug on Friday.

Senegalese Wrestling > this “BJJ” thing.

 

[Myrddin Wild]

I've noticed high level wrestlers in the UFC going from completely dominant in the early days of the UFC & then less so recently. A part of that is fighters evolving on the receiving end of TD's, recognizing the threat & becoming skilled at TDD & escaping from the bottom.

Still, these wrestlers often fail to even try their wrestling, which is a falacy, since even the attempt of TD's makes the receiver have to change his stance & gives him more to worry about on the feet & so it offers an advantage on the feet if you have that threat.

The best I can make of it, is that the cardio expenditure for wrestling is much higher, & it gets worse if the receiver of a TD can avoid them or escape. The 2nd thing is how wrestlers like Cain & DC basically had to lighten their wrestling in fights due to the wear & tear on their body. (it's especially hard on the knees & neck.)

If you got a wrestler that is in top physical form, they've honed that skill from childhood (GSP being an exception) & so by the time they make the UFC... their body has already taken what could amount to long term permanent physical conditions. As these conditions take hold in them as more & more time goes by, they simply can't do it the way they used to. (kind of like Aldo waz a terror with leg kicks before he reckognized the long term damage & so had to quit throwing them as often.)

 

[Speakerbox]

It’s funny you say that because that’s literally the exact stance people used to have. Anything below 170 was for midgets and not real men.

I remember those times, but, just like boxing, the lower divisions have proven to be very entertaining full of well rounded and well conditioned fighters who also often have finishing ability these days, while the quality at LHW seem to have dropped.

The last FW title fight was ridiculous, and Bantam and LW are full of bangers. I do enjoy watching higher weight class fights, but mostly ironically in a "funny bad" way.

An unranked HW would smash your favourite 170lb fighter.

Oh well. Most of my faves aren't at 170 anyway.

 

[Cowboy Kurt Angle]

What

 

[michi972]

A decade or so ago, the top grapplers were insanely accomplished amateur wrestlers, BJJ artists, or Judo practitioners.

Now the top grappler at LHW is a Polish striker with 1.5 rounds of cardio.

I agree that grappling was better at HW, LHW.
In other weight classes most of the top guys have at least good grappling