Ground Game Out, Stand-up Wars In
by Cannon Jacques on May 29, 2008 9:11 PM EDT
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PrintA fun debate. promoted by Kid Nate.
Saturday's EliteXC card is stacked with stand-up warriors. This could provide a night full of brutal punches, elbows, and kicks that yield vicious knockouts. It's quite obvious that this card is catered to less knowledgeable fans who don't yet understand the intricacies of ground fighting. On the surface, this may appear to be a savvy move by EliteXC. In the long-run, however, MMA events built primarily on stand-up is doomed to failure.
First of all, the more tightly structured sports of boxing and kickboxing already exist. Kickboxing had a run in the 90's, but it fizzled. Boxing's struggle to stay relevant is well documented. Certain boxers like Mayweather and De la Hoya still bring in tons of revenue, but its significance in the American sports world has diminished greatly. MMA with little to no ground game is like kickboxing with smaller gloves.
The type of fans that tune in just to see someone potentially knocked unconscious are not the kind of fans that a sport can be built on. It has been said that people watch NASCAR for the wrecks. As a NASCAR fan, I feel safe in estimating that these people make up an insignificant minority. Fans who pay large amounts of money on tickets and merchandise have a genuine interest in the competition. Besides, hardly anyone is going to stay tuned in for hours just to see a few mangled cars. The same goes for MMA. True fans watch a match to see which fighter prevails. These fans want to know which fighter's all-around fight game is superior.
It's disheartening to think that Sean Sherk may have abandoned the strongest part of his game - wrestling - because he felt it was more beneficial to put on an "exciting" fight. The guy has proven to be an amazing mixed martial artist, but at UFC 84 his strategy of standing with a better boxer, possessing a definitive reach and height advantage, put him in an almost impossible situation.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with a stand-up battle. Stand-up is a huge part of MMA. I just don't want to see the ground game completely thrown out because it's perceived to be less exciting. It just takes time to learn. When I first became interested in MMA a few years ago, I was ignorant in regards to jiu-jitsu and wresting techniques. It wasn't long, however, before I learned to appreciate amazing ground work. Palhares transition into an armbar last Saturday was nothing less than spectacular.
The bottom line is that knowledgeable and casual MMA fans aren't stupid. We can handle the wide variety of styles that comprise modern MMA. Knockouts are exciting, but they're just part of a diverse sport. Making the majority of matches between two fighters who will almost certainly stand is a disservice to all viewers. Encouraging fighters to forsake their ground game to stand and trade blows is ridiculous and shortsighted. Setting up matches ( or mismatches) in order to produce a highlight reel knockout only sets the sport of MMA back. People will eventually see these tactics for what they are - manipulation. Manipulation is something that true sports fans won't tolerate. As is usually the case, an honest representation is the most prudent action.
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Sherk actually wanted to show everyone he could competitively stand with BJ, not necessarily to make the fight more exciting.
While the card does seem on the surface filled with strikers you can bet at least two fighters will consistently try for takedowns.
Thompson implied in one of his interviews he’ll try to take Kimbo down – perhaps a wiser strategy given his glass jaw and Kimbo’s heavy hands. But whether it’ll work or not would depend on how well Bas prepared Kimbo for the ground.
Kaitlin Young’s been doing Caveman Training with Sherk and you can bet she would have picked up a thing or two about fast and powerful shoots. Carano meanwhile had been busy with American Gladiators and might not have worked on the ground game as much as she should have.
by Flying Gogoplata on May 29, 2008 10:07 PM EDT reply actions
I hope that some of these fighters do employ some ground strategy, especially Thompson. I’m sure that Young has some ground skills. I just believe the matchmakers set these fights with stand-up fireworks in mind.
As for Sherk, I don’t believe he fought in that way just to prove he could trade with BJ. I think it was also to improve his future marketability as a fighter who could potentially deliver a big KO.
by Cannon Jacques on May 29, 2008 10:33 PM EDT reply actions
I don’t buy Sherk’s excuse.
He tried to shoot in on BJ at the very beginning of the fight. He was stuffed and I think that demoralized him.
I dunno
He’s had shots stuffed before and still came back – I’d have to re-watch the fight, but BJ usually does a good job of defending shots while a) staying upright instead of sprawling and b) laying fists into his opponent’s head as they struggle with his unusual mixture of incredible balance and deceptive strength. It might be that he got popped good and hard right in the start and wanted to avoid that happening again.
Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
This has bothered me ever since I first heard Wandy say it back in the day. Since then everyone and their brother says they wanna “give the fans what they came to see. They wanna see us stand and bang. I’m a banger, I just come to swing and give it everything.” Bonnar and Griffin are definitely a landmark in the sport, but should they be the goal? I don’t think so.
I actually like the ground game, when it’s done with intelligence. Laying on top of people and landing awkward clubbing shots is what didn’t impress me about Sherk, not the fact that he took it to the ground. When he gets there he seems stiff. Sorta like his footwork when standing with Penn.
Arms?
Could his lousy striking on the ground be a factor of his stubby little arms, just like in the stand-up?
Seriously, the guy is a beast who could whip the ass of most of humanity, but he’s just not built right for MMA. Reach is just too important for every aspect of the game. I think that as the sport develops we’ll see more guys built like what BJ is turning into – lean, strong and without too much cardio-sucking muscle mass – and less of the steroid-fueled muscle-heads who get by on strength alone.
Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
Word
The only other option for Sherk is working on a fierce inside Muay Thai game; Using his wrestling to maintain a near-clinch and letting off. But it’d require what you said, losing the baggage.
Wishful thinking.
And we are in complete agreement about evolving past the excessive muscle mass in the sport overall.
I guess it makes sense for Elite XC to concentrate on stand up wars for their first card, to grab the new fans. 1 year ago… My friends new to the sport, only wanted fighters to stand and bang. But now they never complain… they love it all.
The longer you watch MMA, the more you appreciate the ground game.
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