Why didn't early MMA wrestlers like Tank Abbott utilize G&P as effectively as Mark Coleman?

[shockwave kicker]

I don't think he was particularly gifted in any area other than having a decent smack on him.

He was an awful boxer, truthfully. He entered range with his chin lol...

But he did have talent with hand speed and power.

 

[legatoblues]

I can't find it now.

This is what I can dig up ."He continued wrestling in college, where he was a NJCAA All-American."

how many beers did Tank drink between that point in time and his UFC career?

 

[shockwave kicker]

how many beers did Tank drink between that point in time and his UFC career?

Did he have a drinking problem?

 

[ryun253]

I mean, he tried to learn how to grapple so he went to WCW

 

[Jose Beehive]

He was an awful boxer, truthfully. He entered range with his chin lol...

But he did have talent with hand speed and power.

I'm not even sure of that, he was pretty big bloke and he trained his hands/boxing more than anything, you would hope there would be some payoff after the years he put in.. By todays standards I don't think he would have come close to becoming a Professional fighter with the same attitude and lack of talent he had.. His personality got him more opportunities than his talent imo.

 

[Natural Order]

Tank was a bar brawler with 1 round in him.

This has gotta be a troll thread.

 

[shockwave kicker]

Tank was a bar brawler with 1 round in him.

This has gotta be a troll thread.

But surely more potential.

 

[Bullitt68]

Severn was pretty clueless despite entering the UFC later.

Later than who? Not Tank. Severn was already a tournament champion - and already displayed nasty GNP - before Tank debuted.

Also worth mentioning you are talking the same era- Coleman started at UFC 8 and Tank at 6.

Coleman debuted at UFC 10, not UFC 8.

 

[shockwave kicker]

Later than who?

Later than UFC 1. Didn't look like he had any clue against Royce

 

[xentreos]

Tank abbot just isn't the guy to make this type of comparison with. Tank knew fuck all about grappling and certainly didn't care to train it.

Nor did he need to in those days, he was a smasher. He smashed things and gassed

 

[shockwave kicker]

Tank abbot just isn't the guy to make this type of comparison with. Tank knew fuck all about grappling and certainly didn't care to train it.

Nor did he need to in those days, he was a smasher. He smashed things and gassed

He has wrestling credentials in case you didn't know it...

 

[Typrune Goatley]

Tank did have devastating GNP as seen in his win over Hugo Duarte, who was a very good grappler.

Tank would have done that if he could against Frye and Taktarov but they were better grapplers than him. Frye was an early guy that had great GNP. So did Shamrock.

Mark Coleman was a whole different level. We are talking about an Olympic wrestler who also placed 2nd in the World Championships. Coleman probably had the strongest double leg takedown in MMA history and was the best or one of the best at holding people down. It's not fair to compare anyone to Coleman because he is still the gold standard for takedowns, keeping people down, GNP. Coleman only lost to Pete Williams and Mo Smith because those were like 20 to 30 minute fights. Had they been 3 5 minute rounds Coleman probably would have rode them out for easy decisions.

 

[MartinGibson86]

He was A) not a jiujitsu guy
B) already out cold before he hit the ground.

There are guys Tank could have done very well against if he utilized effective G&P

Which fights specifically?


Also, Tank was about 1/10 the wrestler of Coleman. See their respective Severn fights

 

[Christhammer]

I've always wondered why early MMA wrestlers like Tank Abbott were at a such a disadvantage on the ground against jiujitsu despite cross training BJJ.. Wheras later ones made a living out of it.

Why couldn't the early wrestlers learn the pitfalls and use their G&P to the same extent at later fighters like Coleman?

Was that phase of MMA simply not developed enough? Or were they too lazy?

Tank literally, literally, literally had a passion for drinking in bars and getting into fights. He enjoyed getting paid to train for a few weeks and throw hands for money. Also, Mark Coleman was an entirely different wrestling pedigree than ole Tankerino.

 

[StonedLemur]

Sorry for the dumb question but how can you not be good at G&P if you have very solid wrestling skills? What did he lack?

He lacked desire, he lacked intelligence in the sense that he just wanted to swang and bang.
He didn't care about winning that way, only about knocking mothafuckas out sir.

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

This was highly competitive and he should have won if he knew what he was doing on the ground

It took the fight on short notice, he knew he was going to gas, he was fat wit a limited gas Tank and basically just hung on once he gassed.

Also Coleman didn't have much success with Mo on the ground ether

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

Severn was pretty clueless despite entering the UFC later.

Severn fought in UFC4, Tanks debut was UFC 6

 

[blaseblase]

Is this TS's shtick? Asking stupid questions and then refusing to accept the answers that are given?

 

[TXstriker]

Also, Mark Coleman was an entirely different wrestling pedigree than ole Tankerino.

Colemans record compared to Tanks who won a NJCAA championship back in the day.

 

[NoSmilez]

Not staying healthy and far removed from wrestling practice.