where does Wonderboys karate compare to prime Lyoto Machida?

[Guestx]

That's true. Lyoto is my favorite fighter of all time, but i'm not expecting any late career resurgence or revitalization or a title run. You can't stay great in this game forever when amazing young fighters are always on the rise, I'm lucky to have watched and learned from him during his best years but I do hope he can get a few wins and go out on a high.

Yeah, I have no idea what will happen with Lyoto now, but he's already done enough to reach LEGEND status.

 

[Vegeta12]

Wonderboy fights Kempo while Lyoto fights Shotokan.
Kempo is more "American Kickboxing" whereas Lyoto is more traditional.

They both use Boxing and MT in MMA, though. I believe Thompson uses his abilities found in other striking arts a bit better in setting up his Karate than Lyoto does.

 

[deweydeucalion]

Thompson would lose most matches against Shoto Cup style tournies ( in finalist categories). They (and Machida) would sweep the living daylights out of him. The problem with Hendricks is that he has (apparently) absolutely no straight karate skills necessary to manage the sht that Thompson was getting away with on him. I use the phrase "get away with" because I am nearly 100% convinced that high level traditional Karate practitioners could look at the Thompson-Hendricks fight and identify numerous things that Thompson would simply not have been able to get away with against high ranking traditional Karate practitioners.

Don't get me wrong, I am front row right now on the Wonderboy hype train but I think Machida schools him 9 of 10 in Shoto Cup rules fighting. The reason why I say Shoto Cup is because they don't let you get away with the atrocious point sparring girly-tap nonsense you find in so much of American open tourny Bullshito.

WB is 65 and 0 in kick boxing. Did full contact and that strange Chuck Norris combat league "that thing was brutal."

 

[Guestx]

Wonderboy fights Kempo while Lyoto fights Shotokan.
Kempo is more "American Kickboxing" whereas Lyoto is more traditional.

They both use Boxing and MT in MMA, though. I believe Thompson uses his abilities found in other striking arts a bit better in setting up his Karate than Lyoto does.

There is very little about either guy that looks like Western boxing or MT. In fact, I believe Lyoto said himself that the only thing he took from MT is knees in the clinch.

 

[Guestx]

WB is 65 and 0 in kick boxing. Did full contact and that strange Chuck Norris combat league "that thing was brutal."

Dude, the WCL was fucking awesome! I miss that shit. Those guys fighting there were not ALLOWED to have a boring fight.

 

[josh345]

Wonder boy uses an American style of Karate used in both point and full contact. Kicks must be above the waist in the US style so they use the side kick to the hip and the front snap kick like a jab. The hands are similar to boxing. WB, Holly, Cruikshank, and Cung Le all use American Style Karate. Machida uses a more Japanese style with one punch or kick ending the fight and more punch to trip combinations.

I miss those trip combinations from Machida. He had a good one in the Moussasi fight.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

Man, every idiot wants to throw around the "glass chin" phrase as often as they can while having no idea what they're talking about.

Is funny because most of the people talking about glass chins get into a fight, eat one clean punch, than don't want to fight anymore.

 

[jeff7b9]

Lyoto KOed a UFC champ with a crane kick during a UFC fight.
Wonderboy failed miserably at attempting a crane kick for the cameras AFTER his fight.

Crane kick advantage- Lyoto.

 

[Phrozenspite]

wonderboy's style is more similar to kickboxing and kyokushin than traditional karate. Machida uses more hand traps and trips from karate as well that thompson hasn't demonstrated

 

[Vegeta12]

There is very little about either guy that looks like Western boxing or MT. In fact, I believe Lyoto said himself that the only thing he took from MT is knees in the clinch.

Like I mentioned, I believe Wonderboy uses it a bit more. They both are obviously very heavily karate fighters, but Thompson has some roundhouse kicks he lands with the shin that are more akin to MT than Karate, among other strikes.
I hope I didn't come off as implying that their MT/boxing was significant in their styles. Just that they uses set ups, strikes, or movements in general that are generally found in those bases to better disguise and set up their Karate. Neither of them are purely Karate in the cage, was my point.
They both are incredible examples of it's effectiveness, though. Their success most certainly comes from their Karate-based techniques.

 

[hugemmafan22]

Machida got soundly out struck on the feet by Romero. I doubt Romero would soundly out strike Wonderboy while never attempting a takedown. Though I think Romero could be competitive on the feet with Wonderboy and would ultimately get Wonderboy down and thrash him like he did Machida and Jacare. I think Wonderboy is clearly the better mma striker than Machida and much more athletically gifted.

 

[Jesus Freak]

I have little knowledge in the art, but I'm curious how their levels & accomplishments in that realm compare.

Karate is like 30% kicks, 70% punching, so I'm not certain that Karate is his predominant art inside the cage.

Lyoto, on the other hand...

 

[ultramanhyata]

Lyoto doesn't react well to getting hit, there's a reason he avoids getting hit at all costs, his chin can't handle the punishment.

Or maybe he's just trying to minimize the amount of long-term brain damage he will suffer in his retirement. Like Dom Cruz.

 

[deweydeucalion]

Dude, the WCL was fucking awesome! I miss that shit. Those guys fighting there were not ALLOWED to have a boring fight.

LMAO! the pressure had to be crazy. You had like 2 seconds before you had to throw a strike. Yikes

 

[BJPenn2012]

Until Thompson wins a belt I'll go Machida. They were effective like many others said almost in opposite ways. Thompson is an offensive beast and lyoto was damn near impossible to hit in his prime, or "Era".

 

[Guestx]

LMAO! the pressure had to be crazy. You had like 2 seconds before you had to throw a strike. Yikes

Yeah, exactly, with REAL penalties for just standing there. It was action-action-action. I keep meaning to order the DVDs off Amazon just so I'll have that shit forever.

To me, it was more interesting than watching Glory or MT. At the very least, it was different and unique.

 

[Guestx]

Karate is like 30% kicks, 70% punching, so I'm not certain that Karate is his predominant art inside the cage.

Lyoto, on the other hand...

There are a lot of different types of karate. The American karate world in particular is very diverse and has a lot of "freestyle" variants. Many of these have adopted kicks from TKD.

 

[Jesus Freak]

There are a lot of different types of karate. The American karate world in particular is very diverse and has a lot of "freestyle" variants. Many of these have adopted kicks from TKD.

True dat...WB's kicks look more TKD-inspired.

 

[NinjaNiK]

I think their styles are very different. Machida focuses on counter striking and has better defense imo. Wonderboy is way more aggressive and has more kicking variety.
Both have very good technique imo.

Agreed.. Wonderboy fights more offensively and I prefer his style over Machida's.

 

[Number1StockBroker]

Lyoto doesn't react well to getting hit, there's a reason he avoids getting hit at all costs, his chin can't handle the punishment.

We get it already, you are stupid. Why do you want to further cement your point that you are stupid?