Which fighter has the greatest martial arts credentials?

[Presinator]

This is turning into a competition of useless or obscure credentials in everything but BJJ. May as well add Akebono, Stephen Thompson, Alistair Overeem, Gunnar Nelson, and Kit Cope. Are we going to start adding in Pancrase winners soon? Or do we have any more obscure world titlists to get to?

And if we're going to add bjj we can add a couple dozen more guys who have won at the mundials or adcc and have dabbled in MMA.

 

[JKS]

That is very impressive for Anderson.....Jacare was 2 high black belts in BJJ and Judo and his grappling credentials speak for themselves.

 

[Presinator]

sorry but it is bollocks. Itd be easier for a BJJ black belt to get a Judo one than vice versa but easy? No.

Yeah, they aren't exactly equivalent (BJJ generally holds a much higher standard for black belts), but the skills in the disciplines are similar. It shouldn't be easy to get a BJJ black belt at all, but don't keep writing as if a BJJ black belt is something sacred. There are TONS of crappy BJJ black belts out there.

 

[Benoco]

 

[ironfist05]

I really believe that 5th Dan black belt in Taekwondo is extremely questionable. If you read his book, it doesn't say ANYTHING about getting that high, it says how he practiced it in his youth for 'many years' , but when he switched to Muaythai, he was still 'young' enough so that his friends who trained in muaythai did not allow Anderson to watch them train because he was too young. If he was indeed 5th Dan in Taekwondo, it must be one of the greatest Mcdojo ever. I once knew a kid who was 3rd Dan in Taekwondo when he was 8 years old, so I guess it might be possible, who knows.

And, I'm not so sure about that Judo either. HE does not EVEN MENTION about training in Judo in his book.

from what I understand, he got awarded his 5th degree for his role in promoting TKD in brazil

 

[killatwee]

Dana's brother has a black belt in WTF TKD?!

ytf is it a big deal that its wtf. wtf is wtf

 

[Redhawks100]

Yeah, Anderson is pretty accomplished. He's been doing martial arts since he was 8 years old.

 

[Taric]

8th dan.

sorry but it is bollocks. Itd be easier for a BJJ black belt to get a Judo one than vice versa but easy? No.

It wouldn't take you long to upgrade your knowledge of one to the other considering most BJJ techniques are taught in Judo and vice versa.

 

[greenmanwldcard***]

Yeah, they aren't exactly equivalent (BJJ generally holds a much higher standard for black belts), but the skills in the disciplines are similar. It shouldn't be easy to get a BJJ black belt at all, but don't keep writing as if a BJJ black belt is something sacred. There are TONS of crappy BJJ black belts out there.

I wouldn't say CRAPPY. Anyone with a legit black belt lineage in BJJ could do whatever he wanted to a man 100 lbs heavier than himself. Even if that doesn't mean he can't sub Roger so what

 

[Presinator]

I wouldn't say CRAPPY. Anyone with a legit black belt lineage in BJJ could do whatever he wanted to a man 100 lbs heavier than himself. Even if that doesn't mean he can't sub Roger so what

There are black belts with lineage going back to Carlos Gracie/Jigoro Kano out there who would get beaten up by properly trained blue belts.

Some guys just keep coming to class and end up getting belts even though they suck just because they've paid enough membership dues.

 

[Presinator]

8th dan.

At that level it has nothing to do with grappling ability and everything to do with where you are within the "Gracie Jiu-Jitsu" family business.

After all, does anyone really think that the founders of BJJ were actually better at it than elite modern competitors?

 

[Patof]

Dana's brother has a black belt in WTF TKD?!

Calling him brother because he's black...that ain't right.

 

[killatwee]

There are black belts with lineage going back to Carlos Gracie/Jigoro Kano out there who would get beaten up by properly trained blue belts.

Some guys just keep coming to class and end up getting belts even though they suck just because they've paid enough membership dues.

doesn't really apply to pro athletes. they obviously came up in a competitive stream and weren't going to bjj class 3 times a week not learning shit and paying membership fees on the road to become mma fighters. if they're getting they ass beat in the gym to lower level belts they prob wouldn't be fighting at such a high level. as to Silva getting his belt when he was young, knowing him, he was probably really fucking good for his age. he mentioned wanting to compete in tkd, not sure how he'd do at pro but I'm sure he'd tornado kick 50% of tkd black belts who've never actually used it

 

[Presinator]

doesn't really apply to pro athletes. they obviously came up in a competitive stream and weren't going to bjj class 3 times a week not learning shit and paying membership fees on the road to become mma fighters. if they're getting they ass beat in the gym to lower level belts they prob wouldn't be fighting at such a high level. as to Silva getting his belt when he was young, knowing him, he was probably really fucking good for his age. he mentioned wanting to compete in tkd, not sure how he'd do at pro but I'm sure he'd tornado kick 50% of tkd black belts who've never actually used it

I guarantee there are plenty of blackbelts in MMA who wouldn't do well competing at blue belt in grappling competitions. Some fighters never get great at it no matter how much they train but get black belts anyway because of "respect" or whatever.

 

[dissolved]

Don't know why noone has mentioned GSP:

3rd dan black belt in Kyokushin kaikan

1st-degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Gracie Barra Montreal

Black belt in Gaidojutsu

Black belt in Shidokan

Well trained in Muay Thai

 

[killatwee]

I guarantee there are plenty of blackbelts in MMA who wouldn't do well competing at blue belt in grappling competitions. Some fighters never get great at it no matter how much they train but get black belts anyway because of "respect" or whatever.

I don't train GI but I know that a lot of these guys with black belts would have an athletic advantage, especially from the amount of practice they do wrestling and training no GI. you see Chris Weidman and mark Munoz survive on the ground with demian maia. its shirtless and with gloves and punches but there is no question he is among the top bjj guys they've touched. they aren't good examples because they are both very good grapplers, but I feel like mma fighters would annihilate the lower divisions at local tournaments. and a lot of the bjj guys they'd be facing at the big tourneys would usually be above white and blue level to begin with

 

[Thrawn33]

Who has Olympic gold?

Beside that point, when it comes to MMA, the best MMAist wins.

 

[campbecc]

Not at all... Not that I think there's anything special about a black belt anyway. There are too many crappy black belts out there.

Black belts are kind of pointless unless you know who they trained under. Some places basically sell them, other places it's an accomplishment that takes a lot of work to get one.

 

[MCS]

Chuck was 20-2 in kickboxing (though the competition should be noted) and was a D1 wrestler. Only guy that comes to mind who has multiple good bases coming in.

Well, I guess Lyoto, though I don't know the extent of his success in Sumo.

Overeem if we're not talking success at an entry level, his ADCC & K-1 stuff came later on.