Gavinmad
Mr. Poopybutthole
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MMA Thread
- Thread starter Wintermute
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Shano
Golden Knight of the Realm
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Not a bad list, can't really go to in depth since I gotta run in a sec, but I'll go through quickly.
JDS: Great hands, great foot work. Lack of knees, elbows etc makes it debatable for MMA striking though. Plus he just got completely and totally annihilated by Cain in the stand up in their last fight, but Cain isn't on your list.
Nick Diaz: Same as JDS, lots of punches. Lack of knee's, elbows, kicks etc makes it debatable in MMA striking department. Great boxer.
Pat Barry: Good striker, but top 10? Got wrecked by Lavar Johnson in standup and had Cheick Kongo so wobbly he could barely stand / see ... and still managed to get himself knocked out. No hate for Barry, always love his fights, but doesn't belong in the top 10 imo.
All I got time for now.
Edit: 1 more! Keep an eye on Chris Weidman. Always improving drastically. That standing elbow he did against Mark Munoz was beautiful and incredibly smooth.
calhoonjugganaut
Trakanon Raider
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Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson would fit in there somewhere probably. Also Dennis "Mini Brock" Siver. After what Cain did to JDS, I think you have to consider him as well.
And then there are guys that can just knock your head off like Johnny Hendricks. Not saying he's really in that conversation, but guys like him with that walk off one punch ability are sometimes left off such lists but still deserve some sort of recognition.
And then there are guys that can just knock your head off like Johnny Hendricks. Not saying he's really in that conversation, but guys like him with that walk off one punch ability are sometimes left off such lists but still deserve some sort of recognition.
Anderson should probably be #1 on every list, and Wanderlei shouldn't be anywhere near a top 10. He's never been good technically, he's just aggressive, or was.
Tuco
I got Tuco'd!
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Grimmlokk
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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Lists are silly without being narrowed down a lot. Just "best striker" is too vague for this sport. Beyond someone like Anderson there's not a concrete answer. The argument against Barry that he got KO'd twice, does that make him a poor striker? Or just too aggressive and/or undersized? Wandy was never the best technical boxer, but he was great in the clinch and his technique worked for MMA. Is he not an elite striker because he doesn't throw a lot of straight crisp punches and jabs? You could have made the same arguments against Liddell in his prime. If that's what you're looking for you get guys like Sam Stout, technically proficient but it's not the best striking for MMA.
I don't think I could make a list of current top 10 strikers. Some of the guys I'd have said not long ago have taken a fall(Manhoef, Daley), others I haven't seen enough yet to be totally sold on as cream of the crop(Barboza). So instead of a best list I'll just say my favorites that I can think of right now.
1: Anderson Silva
2: Machida
3: Overeem
4: Aldo
5: Pettis
6: Barboza
7: Jon Jones
8: Robbie Lawler
9: Cung Le
10: Ellenberger/Mark Hunt/Wonderboy/Michael McDonald/Condit/Cerrone/Alvarez
So, yeah. There's no perfect list=P But I do likethis approach to making one.
I don't think I could make a list of current top 10 strikers. Some of the guys I'd have said not long ago have taken a fall(Manhoef, Daley), others I haven't seen enough yet to be totally sold on as cream of the crop(Barboza). So instead of a best list I'll just say my favorites that I can think of right now.
1: Anderson Silva
2: Machida
3: Overeem
4: Aldo
5: Pettis
6: Barboza
7: Jon Jones
8: Robbie Lawler
9: Cung Le
10: Ellenberger/Mark Hunt/Wonderboy/Michael McDonald/Condit/Cerrone/Alvarez
So, yeah. There's no perfect list=P But I do likethis approach to making one.
Tuco
I got Tuco'd!
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Rating striking/boxing in MMA is really awkward because good strikers are only enabled with good wrestling/submission defense. The better their wrestling is or the more confident they are on their back the more able they are to strike confidently, aggressively and with striking-centric stances.
That's why the following is true:
1. James Toney is probably the best boxer in MMA. (Not currently but during his prime)
2. GSP has a good chance of outstriking Nick Diaz in later rounds if Diaz worries too mcuh about takedowns.
That's why the following is true:
1. James Toney is probably the best boxer in MMA. (Not currently but during his prime)
2. GSP has a good chance of outstriking Nick Diaz in later rounds if Diaz worries too mcuh about takedowns.
Grimmlokk
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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Grimmlokk
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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calhoonjugganaut
Trakanon Raider
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Ameraves
New title pending...
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I am really surprised at the number of people picking Bader over Matyushenko. I can see it being close, but 90% picking Bader seems crazy to me. Am I missing something? Isn't this the same guy that got schooled by Ortiz and Machida, and had to lay on Rampage for 3 rounds to beat him?