- Joined
- Jul 30, 2006
- Messages
- 170
- Reaction score
- 16
In the early 1993 and 1994 vale tudo tournaments (the first UFCs, the Vale Tudo Japan event, etc.), was there anyone around who would probably have beaten Royce, Rickson, and the other Gracie representatives?
Admittedly, by about 1996, the game was changing and the huge, athletic wrestlers were adapting to BJJ.
But in the 93/94 period, I'm not so sure there was anyone in the world who could do it. The early MMA-esque competition formats like Pancrase, Shooto, Daido Juku, and the Lumax Cup sent their people, and they lost. Luta Livre might have had somebody, but they'd lost the 1991 Desafio to BJJ, and Rickson seems to have been better than Duarte. Ruas was the only one I can call to mind from that group. And then there's Taktarov from sambo, perhaps?
Admittedly, by about 1996, the game was changing and the huge, athletic wrestlers were adapting to BJJ.
But in the 93/94 period, I'm not so sure there was anyone in the world who could do it. The early MMA-esque competition formats like Pancrase, Shooto, Daido Juku, and the Lumax Cup sent their people, and they lost. Luta Livre might have had somebody, but they'd lost the 1991 Desafio to BJJ, and Rickson seems to have been better than Duarte. Ruas was the only one I can call to mind from that group. And then there's Taktarov from sambo, perhaps?
