UFC observation

[TMA17]

It seems the UFC has changed over the years. More and more fights are two guys striking, often throwing wild punches until one connects (often sloppy street fight resemblance). Or, they use the cage (which imo should be done away with as it gives a person an advantage) and throw the guy to the ground and pound away. Obviously there are submissions but they seem less frequent.

Also, as great as BJJ is, I find the Gracie JJ arrogance annoying. They seem to come across as if it’s the only art that works which is clearly not true.

It almost appears that athleticism is overriding the fine techniques.

 

[jobo]

It seems the UFC has changed over the years. More and more fights are two guys striking, often throwing wild punches until one connects (often sloppy street fight resemblance). Or, they use the cage (which imo should be done away with as it gives a person an advantage) and throw the guy to the ground and pound away. Obviously there are submissions but they seem less frequent.

Also, as great as BJJ is, I find the Gracie JJ arrogance annoying. They seem to come across as if it’s the only art that works which is clearly not true.

It almost appears that athleticism is overriding the fine techniques.

Well yes, fighting is an athletic contest, first and foremost, and is also a lit easier to come by than fine techniques,

 

[marques]

You don’t need to start by “it seems”, you can use ready made stats as Fightnomics; and you’re right, from what I remember, submissions are decreasing in number.

Athleticism and genetics always matter at elite level. Fine technique is hard to apply in the cage, I imagine. But we have some IMO, anyway.

 

[Buka]

I fail to see any "Gracie JJ arrogance". What am I missing?

 

[Flying Crane]

I fail to see any "Gracie JJ arrogance". What am I missing?

I definitely saw some in the past, but that was a long time ago and I stopped paying attention to them. That’s just me.

 

[Kababayan]

When the UFC began I was a bit put off by the arrogance of the Gracies. Now I completely understand their marketing strategy. They created a world-wide brand and completely influenced the culture of sport fighting and martial arts. They made-up the stat that 90% off all fights end up on the ground, used it as a marketing tool, and now many people quote that as fact. They came in and said, "Look at us. We are going to beat you." And they did. Many people bought the PPV's to see the Gracies get beat. A friend of mine fought in UFC 7 (or 8) and lost to a grappler. He began learning BJJ and it changed the way he fought and ran his dojo. My point is, their marketing strategy was genius. Much respect to them. I have trained with a few of the Gracies (I'm in SoCal) and they have been nothing but nice people. I don't think there are as many submissions in sport fighting because many of the competitors have some grappling experience, as opposed to when the UFC began.

 

[Headhunter]

The cage gives someone an advantage,...well yeah it's the fighters to either use that advantage or stop their opponent using it. Also a cage is a lot safer than a boxing ring

 

[Martial D]

Naw, it's just that everyone is good at all ranges now, so things get neutralized.

 

[TMA17]

Good points.

I should have clarified. I was watching the Gracie Academy YouTube videos lately lol.

 

[Danny T]

Grappling is king when strikers don't know how to grapple. When both are good grappling then striking turns into the preferred method of softening up the opponent.
Today most all of the higher levels in mma are wrestlers who have added striking and bjj to their skills.

In the beginning bjj was king due to strikers not knowing how to defend against them. Wrestlers fared much better but didn't have the types of submissions. Striking has once again become the main component due to all parties being excellent at grappling.

 

[frank raud]

They made-up the stat that 90% off all fights end up on the ground, used it as a marketing tool, and now many people quote that as fact

The stat is not made up, it is taken out of context. It comes the LAPD. It is a lot easier to cuff someone who is resisting if they're on the ground. When your training and intent is to get someone on the ground, it shows in your stats.

 

[Buka]

Having spent a few years in the Arts, I've been around some arrogant people. (In the Martial Arts? Nah, say it ain't so!) I only know two of the Gracies, trained with them, been to their schools, they've been to mine, I've even been to their home back in the day. As humble and low key as anyone I've ever met. Especially in the Martial Arts. I mean really chill.

Maybe people training in Gracie jiu-jitsu these days are arrogant, I don't know, but I don't see any of it. Maybe I'm just a blind old man, seeing what he wants to see. Maybe they're respectful around old Karate guys and their arrogance comes out in spades when I'm not around. But I kinda' doubt that.

I was just in a Gracie school last month, checking out the kids class for a friend. Everybody was very nice, seemed humble. Fricken' fakers, obviously. There's a Gracie blue belt, father of one of my buddy's Tang Soo Do kids. Him and I help out my buddy at his school from time to time. Man, he's as sweet and humble a man as I've ever met. I better keep an eye on him, too.

Fricken' Gracies......

 

[TMA17]

I shouldn't have based my opinion on a few youtube videos. My bad. LOL.

 

[TMA17]

Speaking of Gracies, tomorrow night will be my first taste of BJJ as I am trying a free trial class from an instructor that received his Black Belt from Ricardo Almeida, who is a 4th Degree Black Belt under Renzo Gracie. LOL!!

 

[Kababayan]

The stat is not made up, it is taken out of context. It comes the LAPD. It is a lot easier to cuff someone who is resisting if they're on the ground. When your training and intent is to get someone on the ground, it shows in your stats.

I think I know the study that you are referring to...the one conducted by Sgt.Greg Dossey? If I'm not mistaken it showed that almost half of all situations went to the ground when people resisted arrest, and that almost all situations (high 90%'s) involving hand-cuffing required the officer to have a base. You're right. The stat was taken out of context...or used to completely mislead the public. Marketing never does that, of course. I do think that the Gracies were marketing geniuses. If it wasn't for thm, I probably would have never studied BJJ.

As a side note, much love to all law enforcement officers. They don't get the respect that they deserve.

 

[Buka]

Speaking of Gracies, tomorrow night will be my first taste of BJJ as I am trying a free trial class from an instructor that received his Black Belt from Ricardo Almeida, who is a 4th Degree Black Belt under Renzo Gracie. LOL!!

Go have fun, bro.

 

[Anarax]

It almost appears that athleticism is overriding the fine techniques.

Interesting, I somewhat agree with that assessment. The Demian Maia vs Tyron Woodley fight was a perfect example of that. Maia who's a submission wizard and regarded as one of the top BJJ guys in the UFC couldn't get Tyron to the ground. Tyron being a great wrestler and an amazing athlete neutralized everyone of Maia takedown attempts.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Interesting, I somewhat agree with that assessment. The Demian Maia vs Tyron Woodley fight was a perfect example of that. Maia who's a submission wizard and regarded as one of the top BJJ guys in the UFC couldn't get Tyron to the ground. Tyron being a great wrestler and an amazing athlete neutralized everyone of Maia takedown attempts.

I don’t know if that’s directly relevant to the idea of athleticism overriding technique. Woodley may be an amazing athlete, but he’s also an excellent technician. It’s a matter of both-and, not one vs another.

 

[TMA17]

I was watching an interview on London Real with Jocko Willink and he said that the athleticism and creativity is where the sport is at now.

 

[Anarax]

I don’t know if that’s directly relevant to the idea of athleticism overriding technique. Woodley may be an amazing athlete, but he’s also an excellent technician. It’s a matter of both-and, not one vs another.

It's going to be difficult to find a UFC fighter that uses only athleticism. My point was that Tyron's athleticism helped him immensely against Maia. Tyron's speed/strength was superior to Maia's, thus in conjunction with Tyron's skill, made it more difficult for Maia to take him down. Maia had great form and technique, but Tyron was too quick and strong for Maia to position himself to use his ground game effectively.