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UnderGround Forum >> Elite tier of strikers in MMA?
| 1/27/13 12:38 PM | |
orcus
Edited: 01/27/13 3:15 PM Member Since: 8/1/03 Posts: 75814 |
(no order)
Who else really stands head and shoulders above most? I honestly haven't been dazzled by anythng Overeem has shown yet in MMA. Jones is obviously extraordinarily effective, but I hesitated to include him because he doesn't typically get the same "wow" that the technique of the other three elicits.
I added Machida because DamnSevern reminded me I had forgotten him. But then I thought, Jones and Shogun both beat him standing, so logically they would have to go on too. And personally I just don't feel like those guys are indisputably in that god tier like the three I listed are (especially Shogun, who is often quite sloppy).
So I guess with this list I mean true God Tier in terms of striking in MMA.
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| 1/27/13 12:43 PM | |
OnlyTheStrongSurvive
255 
Member Since: 1/29/11 Posts: 10579 |
That's probably the top tier, with guys like Machida and Cruz just behind them. 
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| 1/27/13 1:29 PM | |
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DamnSevern
969
Member Since: 9/29/09 Posts: 23133 |
how is machida not on that 1st tier?
also Barboza and Cosmo Alexander on the 2nd tier. |
| 1/27/13 1:58 PM | |
Soup Nazi
2136
Member Since: 9/26/02 Posts: 211735 |
don't forget Cung Le! |
| 1/27/13 2:24 PM | |
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ShawnTheBadger
91
Member Since: 1/10/13 Posts: 102 |
Do they have to have produced "wow" in MMA to be a serious world-class striker? Sometimes the best strikers do not "wow" in MMA because they (obviously) can't solely concentrate on striking. Not sure about leaving Reem and Hunt off your list simply for the their K-1 Grand Prix Champion accomplishments. Pretty hard to ignore that type of pedigree when discussing strikers. Same with Semi Schilt (sp?) who fought in Pride. I'd also have to say Crocop (during Pride, ret.). Right leg hospital, left leg morgue. Melvin Manhoef. I always wanted to see Manhoef vs. Anderson Silva with K-1 rules. Holy crap that would have been good. Definitely agree with other folks including Jones, Machida, Barboza and Cung Le. How about Cyrille Diabate? Pat Barry has made me wince and say "wow" more than once. Mark Hominick (ret.). His technique was outstanding. Picture perfect. A perennial contender. |
| 1/27/13 2:28 PM | |
Shroom
18
Member Since: 10/17/11 Posts: 1988 |
Jake Shields Demian Maia Brock Lesnar |
| 1/27/13 2:30 PM | |
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B_Goetz
Edited: 01/27/13 2:32 PM Member Since: 6/29/08 Posts: 5596 |
I think Barboza is among the elite. Etim is a damn good kickboxer and we saw how that went. Hopefully people keep underestimating him because of the Varner fight, and I can keep betting him in the -2xx range. |
| 1/27/13 2:31 PM | |
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liquidrob
Member Since: 9/9/02 Posts: 9126 |
Mousasi still never dropped standing or outstruck |
| 1/27/13 2:35 PM | |
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liquidrob
Member Since: 9/9/02 Posts: 9127 |
Eddie's boxing is really good, just gets caught at least once in a fight hard Pat Curran is very technical sound and much much better than the average MMA "striker" |
| 1/27/13 2:41 PM | |
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GarlicSauce
Member Since: 9/13/12 Posts: 503 |
Um, Overeem? Sorry if he can't leap off cages, has to do with him being 6'5" and built like an armored vehicle. His knees are already the standard by which all else are judged. |
| 1/27/13 3:04 PM | |
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FixedPartialArts
2
Member Since: 6/12/11 Posts: 889 |
GarlicSauce - Um, Overeem? Pettis hasn't just leaped off cages to fit the criteria. He's never been out-struck on the feet. Overeem on the other hand, has been out-struck several times, i.e. vs. Sergei, Shogun, Chuck, etc. It's not just Pettis' creativity or offense which makes him elite. It's his striking defense. He seldom gets hit. He circles to a position where you can't him him temporarily, and when Cerrone was lined up look how quickly Pettis would back off when Cerrone started to charge. Look at all the champions, striking D is a common thread amongst their success. Andy, Jones, Cruz, Aldo, and GSP have top notch striking defense. Bendo's and Cain's are solid, not withstanding Cain getting hit as a stationary target w/ a torn acl. As they say, defense wins championships, and that especially rings true in a sport you can lose solely based off one moment. |
| 1/27/13 3:11 PM | |
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Wasa-B
46
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 42970 |
Anderson Aldo Pettis Machida Not Shogun anymore. I think Reem could be there but in MMA and of recent, he hasnt cemented it yet, but he will. Jones, i think is up there but its also a mix with his wrestling. There is nothing wrong with utilizing his reach, lol, as if other strikers dont but like GSP, i still think his wrestling is a good core behind it, though he did find his timing on Machida so.... I suppose Hendo should be up there simply based on results. Anderson is the Grand Master of course where the others are masters. |
| 1/27/13 3:12 PM | |
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Wasa-B
46
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 42971 |
FixedPartialArts -GarlicSauce - Um, Overeem? Big up on the defense aspects esp on someone like Cruz, people dont realize how sophisticated his movement and defense is. Mighty Mouse is also good at this despite being caught by Dodson. |
| 1/27/13 3:12 PM | |
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BackAndLeft
10
Member Since: 1/12/13 Posts: 37 |
Uriah Hall.
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| 1/27/13 3:12 PM | |
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Wasa-B
46
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 42972 |
liquidrob - Mousasi still never dropped standing or outstruck He can be off though at times when is ...timing is off and/or gets taken down. |
| 1/27/13 3:13 PM | |
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orcus
Member Since: 8/1/03 Posts: 75818 |
DamnSevern - Machida -- just forgot him. I'll add him for sure. "Not sure about leaving Reem and Hunt off your list simply for the their K-1 Grand Prix Champion accomplishments." I haven't seen them be truly impressive with their striking in MMA. Overeem fleeing from Werdum while eating shots and running from Kharitonov before getting KTFO is probably enough to disqualify him right there, along with many of his LHW fights. I thought about Diabate but I admit I haven't paid a ton of attention to most of his fights. |
| 1/27/13 3:14 PM | |
TheBigBadBootyDaddy
Member Since: 7/16/09 Posts: 619 |
Kru Hughes isn't on the list?
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| 1/27/13 3:15 PM | |
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The Sauce
14
Member Since: 10/24/03 Posts: 4915 |
Bendo's overall stand up game is impressive for MMA! He uses a great variety and puts them together very very well! 
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| 1/27/13 3:16 PM | |
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orcus
Member Since: 8/1/03 Posts: 75819 |
Added some notes to OP. I guess I want to single out extraordinary technique and skill and not just "being effective with cinderblock hands and a great chin" and that kind of thing. |
| 1/27/13 3:18 PM | |
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LETMEBANGBRO
Member Since: 11/5/12 Posts: 216 |
Shroom - Jake Shields You forgot Fitch |
| 1/27/13 3:19 PM | |
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Wasa-B
46
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 42977 |
Billy Joe Rottoncrotch -DamnSevern - Barboza has 0 wins over elite fighters though. I know he's still up and coming but Machida is doing what he does against the best. Speed is not the ultimate criteria, its hitting and not getting hit. Look at the Bader fight, that is perfection. Can Barboza do that against a wrestler of Bader's caliber? |
| 1/27/13 3:19 PM | |
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Wasa-B
46
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 42978 |
orcus - K, so take Hendo out? ;p He's def perfected the timing though...but yeah. Machida/Bader is an example of master craft. |
| 1/27/13 3:21 PM | |
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Wasa-B
46
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 42979 |
This one sequence doesnt do it justice because Machida set up this punch from the beginning of the fight with is "elusiveness" and Bader got impatient and Machida completely capitalized:
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| 1/27/13 3:24 PM | |
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DamnSevern
969
Member Since: 9/29/09 Posts: 23141 |
Wasa-B - one of the most underrated ko's of all time |
| 1/27/13 3:28 PM | |
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NorthFromHere
243
Member Since: 1/4/07 Posts: 14306 MMAViking.com |
Condit and Swanson are pretty good too |
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