Originally Posted by
brianspinaltap
Call me crazy if you like, but I don't think Roger trained in a gi to prepare for that fight. Doesn't that undermine the whole point of the article?
I'm willing to bet that 80% of his lifetime of training has been gi based. You'll also notice that with Gi players, instead of having a tight clinch based game, they're very open. Closed guard with wrist control is still the Nogueira style, for example. Old habits die hard.
Originally Posted by
brianspinaltap
I'm pretty sure Roger Gracie knows how to grapple without collar and sleeve grips... He just looked exhausted. I think he's fighting at the wrong weight. He looked starved.
I'm sure he does. But how efficient is he at it if a lower ranked guy was able to out grapple him?
As for submissions - the last UFC in Brazil was full of them. Why was that? That's the question that should be being asked.
Because most of the fights were BJJ guys vs BJJ guys? Not a whole lot of wrestlebox USA going on in that event.
Originally Posted by
brianspinaltap
But isn't that like saying - "you can't speak both French and Spdnish. All those years speaking French will f your Spanish up!"
And yet people can be fluent in 4 languages! The idea that having trained a lot of gi stops you being able to fight no hi is an assumption. I'm wary of assumptions.
Rickson trained for years with a gi. Watch Choke. 3 months before his fights he switched to no gi. That didn't stop him using Jiu Jitsu.
Damian Mia is mention in the article, obviously. Braulio and Drysdale are just starting out, let's see where they get..,
Those Brazilisn guys in the last UFC were fighting top notch competitors yet they went sub crazy on them. I bet they all trained in a gi for years. (An assumption I'll have to check) I also bet they have a hard job getting a visa to fight in the US more often.
I'm fluent in 2 languages. I'm dominant in one language. I'm great at debating. I having a mastery of the English language is a huge asset in being quick witted and being able to communicate the thoughts I formulate. However, despite being fluent in spanish, I'm not eloquent. I will lose a debate to a 10 year old because it's not second nature. I have to think a bit before communicating. And that goes for most people. Sure you can speak multiple languages, but you'll always have one language you're most dominant in because you spend most of your time using that one.
Rickson also fought a bunch of cans during a time where grappling was still low level on the opposing side.
Maia was used an example of how his style evolved for MMA. Very clinch based. I believe Drysdale and Braulio have potential.
The Gi is not the devil. It has it's purpose and it's still a beautiful art in its own way. But Roger hasn't being doing 100% no gi that long. You really should focus on 100% no gi before an MMA match. And you should train with the expectation to get punched. Otherwise you'll have a rough night.
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