Will a "Brawler" ever be champ again?

[TH1RTE3N]

I've always been shocked with all the people that have considered Shogun a technical striker throughout the years. I know his striking has gotten more wild lately but still. The guy utilized stomps and soccer kicks like no other in Pride, that's brawling, nothing technical about it. Even before that point of the fights he wasn't really the cleanest/sharpest striker to me to claim he's so "technical". He could utilize has Muay Thai well and was active in the clinch with it, but he was always kinda just throwing punches and kicks recklessly. He didn't exactly wait for openings usually in a technical sense.

As for the question, it's tough to answer...just look at this thread. We got people calling guys with training boxing backgrounds brawlers instead of boxers.

 

[insomniatric]

None of the above has he shown during fights. He does throw wild overhand rights though if that makes you feel better.

You've shown me time and time again that you have no idea what you're looking at. He sets up his overhands with the jab, and counters effectively. He doesn't waste energy with his footwork (like Edgar or Cruz), and normally moves on the balls of his feet.

Look at this beautiful combo he landed on Yvel:

Yvel tried to come across with a left hook but Junior countered it nicely. Gilbert left himself wide open and Junior timed his counter brilliantly, which is something that no brawler could do. This was all set up by Junior's straight to the body, which Yvel was trying to counter with his hook.

Cain was trying to counter Junior's lazy throw-away jab but got clipped with Junior's overhand in the process (right behind the ear, which is a great place to land that punch), he set up the overhand.

If Junior walked right up to Cain and winged that overhand without setting it up, you'd have a case. There was nothing sloppy or wild about it, he threw it with speed and caught Cain behind the ear.