Would a prime Couture still be one of the best today?

[BigMuffler]

Aside from DC and Gus who would probably beat him, how do you think The Natural would fare against the top LHWs of today such as Glover, Volkan, Manuwa and OSP? What about at HW, would the Randy who beat Sylvia do well against guys like Ngannou, Overeem, Hunt and Black Beast?

 

[Frankie Baby!]

No. MMA has evolved too much, he'd get smashed.

 

[fiftywattmafia]

Yes he would. It hasn't evolved enough in the HW division or LHW for that matter.

 

[Rampage_Jackson]

Of course he would be elite lol

No. MMA has evolved too much, he'd get smashed.

lol people need to stop perpetuating this myth of evolution in MMA

 

[Blossom's Hat]

Usada via tko

 

[Polish Punisher]

He's beat everyone except Jones, DC, Gus and Rumble.

But I could see him mentally breaking down Rumbe like he did to roided up Vitor back in the day. I could also see Johnson KO'ing him ala Lidell.

 

[HUGHPHUG]

Yep, the best version of Randy Couture would still be top 5 in both divisions. Easy

 

[Tyrannosaurus rex]

I think he could still be top 10 in both divisions. LHW isn't very deep anymore. And HW has a lot of good fighters on suspension or injury.

He wouldn't be champ though.

 

[Frankie Baby!]

Of course he would be elite lol


lol people need to stop perpetuating this myth of evolution in MMA

So you're saying that since 1993 to now, MMA hasn't evolved? Just recently the low calf kick is being utilized more.

 

[Mr T_712]

Difficult to pinpoint Couture's peak but I would say beats any UFC LHW or HW excluding maybe DC, Gus, Miocic, Cain on a good day and MAYBE Werdum.

 

[Polish Punisher]

The only evolution in the past 5 years in MMA has been the level boxing skill modern fighters now have along the new Karate/Boxing hybrid strikers in the sport.

One other technique has been added with effectiveness, its the low kick to the calf instead of the thigh.

The has been no evolution of MMA wrestling or grappling in the past 5 years. Couture would still be an elite MMA wrestler with only DC and Jones able to exceed him in that regard.

 

[BigMuffler]

So you're saying that since 1993 to now, MMA hasn't evolved? Just recently the low calf kick is being utilized more.

I wouldn't see Volkan, Manuwa, Black Beast or Hunt as being very "evolved" fighters compared to those of yesteryear, maybe not OSP and Ngannou either.

 

[Rampage_Jackson]

So you're saying that since 1993 to now, MMA hasn't evolved? Just recently the low calf kick is being utilized more.

I'm saying since about 2005 to now the sport hasn't evolved nearly as much as people try to say. It's largely the same

 

[FinalConflict2005]

Let’s just say The Natural wasn’t so natural. With that being said it was the era he was in.

 

[plataoplombo]

At LHW he'd probably be top 5 but not champ. He'd do worst at HW I think.

 

[Rampage_Jackson]

I wouldn't see Volkan, Manuwa, Black Beast or Hunt as being very "evolved" fighters compared to those of yesteryear, maybe not OSP and Ngannou either.

Exactly. People cite evolution while ignoring that one dimensional guys with huge gaps in their skillsets are near the top of LHW and HW rankings

 

[george14]

I'm sick of this "MMA has evolved light years" garbage. Overall, yes it has evolved. However, the LHW and HW divisions are not evolved at all really. Outside of Stipe, DC, Jones (roids), and Gus I don't see much of a difference.


However, yes, USADA TKO1.

 

[Tyler Durden]

USADA would have him looking like George Sotiropoulos... so no.

 

[Sirwastealot]

MMA has evolved a lot, but prime randy would be top 5 at LHW or HW imo.

He had a very high fight IQ, he knew how to win. Also this argument of how much the game has evolved, that also means he'd have access to the same facilities that guys like DC and Stipe have now. So he'd be more than a handful for the top guys.

 

[Polish Punisher]

So you're saying that since 1993 to now, MMA hasn't evolved? Just recently the low calf kick is being utilized more.

I personally am talking in the past 5 years. You realize Randy was fighting in his mid 40's right? He didnt even come to the UFC until he was 32 yrs old.

Why would you use 1993? Couture was fighting up until 2011.

If Randy was born 25 years later he would have come over to MMA much sooner and with his fight IQ would still have been a force today.