I was reading a couple threads @ shitdog and a lot of people were bitching about how MMA won't get much popular than how it is right now because of how boring wrestling is to the casual fan. Do you guys agree or disagree with this? Fighters like Rashad (not hating on him) are boring to the casual fan because although he may dance, he doesn't really look to go for the kill, instead he wrestles and clinches a lot but doesn't throw much in the clinch. GSP just came out and said that he plays it safe purposely and doesn't always look for the finish. Is this going to be a problem in the future or has MMA already hit its peak? Also, are you a fan of this style?
I usually just get annoyed when the ref doesn't break them up after they're down there for like 2 minutes straight not doing anything.
I thought Herb Dean did a great job last night of separating 'Page/Shad when Rashad was laying up against Rampage for a minute or so with no activity. If the refs is active, I don't mind the wrestling...but when the ref lets it go on, LnP has no business winning a fight.
Straight up lay and pray will be a problem, if a guy is active and looking to advance position and go for subs (Like GSP) then I have no problem with it. I think that the refs should be more active in fixing this issue though, like some sort of unwritten rule where if a guy just lays there for 45 seconds - 1 minute without doing much the fight should be stood up.
oh I guess I would also add that sloppy striking is just as bad as boring wrestling, I think it makes the fight look so amateurish. Like in the Efrain Escudero fight last night, he was shuffling around trying to be Ali but his striking isn't that good, made him look like a fool, dude should of just stuck to taking the guy down and pounding the shit out of him and use the strikes to set up takedowns.
I think your first mistake was going over to shitdog. I think its poor training. If your going against a known wrestler, wouldnt you train how to posture up and get off the mat? Or even train how to stop the take downs?
Hathaway used wrestling to keep it standing against Sanchez. Its not all about lay-and-pray and wall-and-stall.
I think the rules favor the ground game, and I does draw away casual fans, but if I wanted to watch an all stand up fight I'd watch K-1. Wrestlers have an easy out with little repercussions. What should happen is they should legalize knees to downed opponents. It would open up a lot more dimensions to the ground game. Now, how it is with the 3 point ground technique (or whatever the hell the term is called, I forget) where the guy can't get hit with a knee because his hand's on the ground just limits the fights. It'd totally change the north/south and sprawl positions, and fights like Kos/ Daley would have different outcomes. Koscheck could have been knocked out in the last fight, instead he cruised to a decision victory. But that's just one of the things I would change with the rules.
but wouldn't knees to the ground and more open elbow strikes favor the wrestlers even more? now not only can they take a guy down with superior wrestling, but now they can inflict damage. Eventually if you're not an Olympic caliber wrestler you'll have no place in MMA. I'd like to see a bit more diversity than that.
I think so. They have made too many rules against striking while down. I see more fighters land a few strikes, then take it to the ground for three or four minutes. The Kim-Sadollah fight sums up my view. It was like watching a baseball game.
