Don't Let MMA Become Bad Kickboxing

(Though I kinda think you could`ve chosen your example`s more carefully, cause now most comments will be aboutrthose instead of the real issue here)

In a way I think Tyson Griffin personify`s bad kickboxing even more than Gurgel. Gurgel hsan`t the best takedowns in the game, while Griffin actually CHOOSES to stand… And then gets his ass handed to him by Sherk`s T-rex-boxing.

I think the wrestler`s in reverse are the worst part of the problem.

If the judging/rules changes that many people want to see take place, then this trend will be reinforced.

Even in the modern age of MMA where casual fans tend to be fairly well-educated about the ground game, a good portion of the ticket-buying public is still there for the knockouts and the beer. Not that there’s anything wrong with either.

Maybe I’m being a dick, but in my area, casual fans have no fucking clue as to what anything involving a ground game means or why it is even part of an MMA fight. I’ve been to bars where I’ve had to listen to bar fight blowhards battle it out about how the fight is “two men humping”. Sure, you could argue that it’s the minority of casual fans that believe that, but I’m not convinced at all. I think a lot of casual fans tune out Rogan’s explanations for the two big-tittied broads at the bar over actually understanding what they are watching.

All he said was that it features one aspect, striking.
Would anyone argue that Griffin vs Bonnar was not a great fight. I think it rank as the most significant fight in UFC history. They have nothing to do with skill set, its just how the fights listed played out.

I think lightweights are the biggest problem. They should be wrestling and submitting eachother, but since most of em can`t KO, they “stand and bang” instead.

Quite often the UFC fight of the night is nothing more than bad kickboxing.
I can’t remember seeing a fight of the night due to lots of solid evenly matched grappling that does not result in a submission.
Jason Macdonald vs Demian Maia would have been my fight of the night.

I`m pretty sure you mis-translated. I can clearly hear him say “I need a KO-loss now..”. Which I found to be very strange.

The bad kickboxers will learn one way or another when they get pwned by guys like Damian Maia.

As the years progress, this will become a diminished problem. Popularity of the sport is growing immensly… I had to refrain from training for 6 months due to studies and when I got back my gym was PACKED, and not just the no-gi or muay thai classes on weekends, we’re talkin weekday Gi or Boxing classes on Monday nights.
As with the many other concerns a hardcore fan may have, education of the masses continues more and more each day…. and with that education comes an appreciation for transitions and ground work. A good headkick KO is what sucks ’em in, and what keeps them is their respect for the years upon years spent perfecting grappling and striking.

Patience, grasshopper.

Gurgel has bum knees. Guys with garbage knees can’t shoot (see: Frank Shamrock circa ’07- present).

having said that….. since this is still a business, what ever gets the dough gets done. two out of the three fight bonuses for ufc cards are geared toward stand up battles. fighters arnt stoopid(?), they are there to make that money. so if standing and banging makes money, we get people like gurgel trying to slug it out. yes getting paid and remembered, but also losing and damaging your body far beyond what is nessecary. his fight with Riley almost made me vomit on my cat.

He is a much more technical striker than the slugger he seems to be. He relies on his good chin to see him through the wars he deliberately engages in.

I think the fact he still gets a FTN bonus after the Guida Diaz fight is the UFC saying thanks. They know whats he is doing.