UFC 94 Georges St-Pierre Vs. BJ Penn your thoughts?

[VictorCharlie]

A guy can only fight in the era he has. I think we can safely say Marciano would have a lot of problems with the bigger HWs of today. This in no way takes away from how great he was. I agree that even a prime Chuck would be behind the curve on where MMA has evolved to today, but there was a period of time where he was as good as any LHW in the world. His resume is full of KOs against top notch fighters. As far as one dimensional goes. Hughes is another example of a great fighter who also hasn't evolved. The guy epitomizes one dimensional but does this take away from his legacy?

[VictorCharlie]

Bilbo,

Anderson has shown he has no problem fighting at 205. I think he would demolish Forrest. Rashad to me is a less experienced Rampage. Great athlete, good wrestling and vastly improved striking but he would be in over his head. He will get a take down or two and have his moments but eventually the Spider gets a ko or sub no later than the 3rd. Rampage is a tough call. After watching the Forrest fight I firmly believe that Anderson could out "plan" Quinton. I don't think this would be a very exciting fight early on. Anderson would use his reach and technique to frustrate Rampage. If its a 5 rounder Rampage will lose patience and ratchet up the pressure and get caught in the Spider clinch. See Rampage vs Wandy 1&2 for results. I believe that Anderson Silva is the kryptonite to Machida. His size/techniqu/balance will make it very hard for Lyoto to be a counter puncher. I believe that Machida will have to press the action to win this one. That being said no one fights backing up better that Anderson. Spider by SD.

Now about Mr. Emelianko: I dont think we ever see this fight. Anderson is eyeing the end of his career and getting Fedor under contract will be tough. Affliction may or may not go under either way they are running out of options for their cash cow. After Barnett who will they match him with? W/O Fedor can they sell tickets? Anyway lets just say this fight did happen at 205. Fedor could make this weight after taking a big shit. Fedor isn't a technical striker. He has great hand speed and power but he doesn't striker with technique or a definitive game plan. His ground game is about as dynamic as they come. The man pulls subs out of thin air. He has a great chin, gas tank and never gets rattled. Most importantly the guys just knows how to win. Anderson's size and technique won't be an issue. He is neither the biggest or best striker Fedor as faced. He wont have a better ground game either. So the question isn't if, its how Fedor would win. I don't know how but this fight wouldn't go the distance and Mr Emelianko would have his hand raised at the end

[Von Milash]

A guy can only fight in the era he has. I think we can safely say Marciano would have a lot of problems with the bigger HWs of today. This in no way takes away from how great he was. I agree that even a prime Chuck would be behind the curve on where MMA has evolved to today, but there was a period of time where he was as good as any LHW in the world. His resume is full of KOs against top notch fighters. As far as one dimensional goes. Hughes is another example of a great fighter who also hasn't evolved. The guy epitomizes one dimensional but does this take away from his legacy?

No, of course it doesn't. When they were at their primes, they were the best.

[Heavy D]

I fully understand the havoc that Chuck wrought upon the LHW division, but ever since I first saw him fight all those years ago, I immediately noticed that any decent striker should be able to eat him alive. He quasi proved me wrong with Tiger White, but even then, I felt he was losing until he got that magic jab that dropped White (although I admit, my memory MAY be tainted on that one). Randy Couture exposed that hardcore in their first fight, and even in their second and third. However, he wasn't quite able to avoid that right. I will take nothing away from his legacy, I guess, but in my eyes, he was simply never a very good fighter, simply a good puncher with a good enough jaw.

[the_PRODIGY]

I fully understand the havoc that Chuck wrought upon the LHW division, but ever since I first saw him fight all those years ago, I immediately noticed that any decent striker should be able to eat him alive. He quasi proved me wrong with Tiger White, but even then, I felt he was losing until he got that magic jab that dropped White (although I admit, my memory MAY be tainted on that one). Randy Couture exposed that hardcore in their first fight, and even in their second and third. However, he wasn't quite able to avoid that right. I will take nothing away from his legacy, I guess, but in my eyes, he was simply never a very good fighter, simply a good puncher with a good enough jaw.

and with a great takedown D. Randy took him down and in fact slammed him to the ground but he was a superb Greco-Roman wrestler.

[VictorCharlie]

Chuck's style worked best as a counter puncher. If you look at his losses especially the 2nd Rampage fight, Quinton was moving forward but waiting for Chuck to throw first. Chuck has/had? real good reflexes and timing but not real good hand speed. His "looping" punches came at strange angle thus quite often his opponent didn't see them. I've heard the whole low hands was a big part of his take down defense. Even if this is true, in today's LHW picture most of the guys are stand up fighters first and he should change this. When Chuck has to come forward or press the action he doesn't have the hand speed and isn't accustomed to throwing in combinations to do well. There was a brief period of time where Chuck's style was more technical than most MMA strikers (brawlers might be a better title) but the striking game has come leaps and bounds in the past couple of years. Chuck should really look to put more kicks into his game plan and after having success with takedowns against Wandy why not look for more GNP. Its probably to late but if he doesn't get some new people in his camp that will challenge his style and gameplan he won't get another win against a top 5 LHW.

[Heavy D]

True about the takedown D, but I wouldn't quite call him skilled in Greco-Roman wrestling...I don't recall any instances where he ever did ANYTHING with the clinch, etc. His takedown D was stellar, but that's about all I ever saw from him wrestling wise.

And I also realize I'm in the big time minority in this issue. Like I said earlier, I equate him to Mike Tyson. Tyson had a tight guard and some of the most explosive fists the sport has seen in quite some time, but to me, he was never a truly great boxer. And while I understand the whole D'Amato thing, once Tyson was "found out," people ate him alive. Same thing with Chuck. He did great and beat many people, but people can now see Chuck's pony doing its one trick from a mile away.

And yeah, I realize I'm essentially just brewing a shit storm, but I just never really saw how people couldn't pick his stand up apart.

[VictorCharlie]

Well Heavy I do agree that Tyson is woefully over rated. The difference to me is Tyson never beat another great boxer who wasn't well past their prime. If you or anyone believes that Couture is a great fighter then Chuck has to be given credit for going 2-1 against the guy. Outside of Randy Chuck's win over Overeem was very impressive to me. Overeem is a huge LHW and a great striker. Chuck took everything the guy had then iced him. MMA is a very young sport and as its grown people have definately figured Chuck out now but during his "prime" the sport leaned more towards submissions and GnP. He had a great style to counter this. Now he needs a lot of work if its not too late already.

[the_PRODIGY]

True about the takedown D, but I wouldn't quite call him skilled in Greco-Roman wrestling...I don't recall any instances where he ever did ANYTHING with the clinch, etc. His takedown D was stellar, but that's about all I ever saw from him wrestling wise.

And I also realize I'm in the big time minority in this issue. Like I said earlier, I equate him to Mike Tyson. Tyson had a tight guard and some of the most explosive fists the sport has seen in quite some time, but to me, he was never a truly great boxer. And while I understand the whole D'Amato thing, once Tyson was "found out," people ate him alive. Same thing with Chuck. He did great and beat many people, but people can now see Chuck's pony doing its one trick from a mile away.

And yeah, I realize I'm essentially just brewing a shit storm, but I just never really saw how people couldn't pick his stand up apart.

Oops.. I was referring to Randy Couture as the one having great Greco-Roman wrestling skills. He took Chuck down by pitting him to the fence then used the bounce to slam him. Against freestyle wrestlers, Chuck's takedown D is a nightmare.