Best Japanese fighter ever?

can we add a poll to this?

i smell a new front page poll

killerofchicken wrote:

can we add a poll to this?

You think it's worth it?

GDPofDRC wrote:

OU wrote:

http://mma.sbnation.com/2011/8/17/2368168/ufc-rio-kazushi-sakuraba-dana-white-yushin-okami-mma-news
Jonathan Snowden on this topic.

Johnathan Snowden wrote:

That message isn’t directed at the buying public thinking about purchasing the PPV. It’s a calculated shot at the hardcore fans of the sport and old enemies.

Quote :

UFC President Dana White told MMA Nation's Luke Thomas that Sakuraba's status as Japan's best was "absolutely true." That was in July, 2010.

It just falls back to the same old UFC war on MMA business in the end.

OU wrote:

killerofchicken wrote:

can we add a poll to this?

You think it's worth it?

yeah why not, besides, we don't have a current poll up

i wanna see how many side with this douche in my sig, lol

killerofchicken wrote:

OU wrote:

killerofchicken wrote:

can we add a poll to this?

You think it's worth it?

yeah why not, besides, we don't have a current poll up

i wanna see how many side with this douche in my sig, lol

Sure why not, poll now up.

OU wrote:

http://mma.sbnation.com/2011/8/17/2368168/ufc-rio-kazushi-sakuraba-dana-white-yushin-okami-mma-news
Jonathan Snowden on this topic.

Great artical

Ludo wrote:

Sakuraba is the Japanese GOAT, but Yushin is getting there and if he somehow finds a way to grind Anderson down for three rounds or more he would be very close to taking it since that would make him the first japanese fighter to ever hold a UFC title, even if it is in the Middleweight division.

There is nothing wrong with the MW division. It has just been on lock-down for several years by one dominant fighter giving the impression that it is weak. It is not. Countless guys have dropped or moved up to only find that it isn't so easy. Hendo, Marquardt, Swick, Franklin, Kampmann etc. all moved out because the division was too tough, for lack of a better way of saying it. They either couldn't win or couldn't see a title in the future, but have enjoyed success at their new weight classes, except for Marquardt who has yet to compete.

And Bisping, Wanderlei, Gouveia, Reljic and Jason Lambert [all arguable top 10 lhws at one time] all thought they could roll through the division when things got tough at LHW, and are finding that wins are hard to come by.

It's a matter of demographics. Most athletic, in-shape men don't weight 205 or more. That is a small civilization of society that competes in those divisions. The most common weight for athletic men is somewhere between FW and MW. Those will always be the deepest divisions because those divisions just hav more competition. It's like being a point guard in basketball. To earn that spot you have to beat out way more people than the center does because by nature of being tall, you've all but earned a spot. Seriously, look at how bad/1-dimensional/unathletic some of the HWs are -- it's awful compared to any other division.

killerofchicken wrote:

OU wrote:

killerofchicken wrote:

can we add a poll to this?

You think it's worth it?

yeah why not, besides, we don't have a current poll up

i wanna see how many side with this douche in my sig, lol

Killer doesn't get much good ideas so when he does we should encourage him by listening to them

boomer sooner wrote:

Ludo wrote:

Sakuraba is the Japanese GOAT, but Yushin is getting there and if he somehow finds a way to grind Anderson down for three rounds or more he would be very close to taking it since that would make him the first japanese fighter to ever hold a UFC title, even if it is in the Middleweight division.

There is nothing wrong with the MW division. It has just been on lock-down for several years by one dominant fighter giving the impression that it is weak. It is not. Countless guys have dropped or moved up to only find that it isn't so easy. Hendo, Marquardt, Swick, Franklin, Kampmann etc. all moved out because the division was too tough, for lack of a better way of saying it. They either couldn't win or couldn't see a title in the future, but have enjoyed success at their new weight classes, except for Marquardt who has yet to compete.

And Bisping, Wanderlei, Gouveia, Reljic and Jason Lambert [all arguable top 10 lhws at one time] all thought they could roll through the division when things got tough at LHW, and are finding that wins are hard to come by.

It's a matter of demographics. Most athletic, in-shape men don't weight 205 or more. That is a small civilization of society that competes in those divisions. The most common weight for athletic men is somewhere between FW and MW. Those will always be the deepest divisions because those divisions just hav more competition. It's like being a point guard in basketball. To earn that spot you have to beat out way more people than the center does because by nature of being tall, you've all but earned a spot. Seriously, look at how bad/1-dimensional/unathletic some of the HWs are -- it's awful compared to any other division.

There is a lot wrong with the middleweight division. It has been the weakest division in the UFC since it started.

boomer sooner wrote:

Ludo wrote:

Sakuraba is the Japanese GOAT, but Yushin is getting there and if he somehow finds a way to grind Anderson down for three rounds or more he would be very close to taking it since that would make him the first japanese fighter to ever hold a UFC title, even if it is in the Middleweight division.

There is nothing wrong with the MW division. It has just been on lock-down for several years by one dominant fighter giving the impression that it is weak. It is not. Countless guys have dropped or moved up to only find that it isn't so easy. Hendo, Marquardt, Swick, Franklin, Kampmann etc. all moved out because the division was too tough, for lack of a better way of saying it. They either couldn't win or couldn't see a title in the future, but have enjoyed success at their new weight classes, except for Marquardt who has yet to compete.

And Bisping, Wanderlei, Gouveia, Reljic and Jason Lambert [all arguable top 10 lhws at one time] all thought they could roll through the division when things got tough at LHW, and are finding that wins are hard to come by.

It's a matter of demographics. Most athletic, in-shape men don't weight 205 or more. That is a small civilization of society that competes in those divisions. The most common weight for athletic men is somewhere between FW and MW. Those will always be the deepest divisions because those divisions just hav more competition. It's like being a point guard in basketball. To earn that spot you have to beat out way more people than the center does because by nature of being tall, you've all but earned a spot. Seriously, look at how bad/1-dimensional/unathletic some of the HWs are -- it's awful compared to any other division.

Hendo actually left the UFC because he was not given a 2nd shot at Anderson(along with money). Marquardt was dying for his 2nd shot at Spider before Okami fucked that up for him. Franklin was just a bad style match for him and the UFC had him move up rather then knocking off contenders. Kampmann was sent to MW by Marquardt and not Silva but he was a pretty damn small MW to begin with. I don't think fear of Anderson drove off any of those fighters.

Why, because you say so? I don't think Hendo, Marquardt, Wanderlei, or Franklin would say it is so easy.

*meant for freak

boomer sooner wrote:

Why, because you say so? I don't think Hendo, Marquardt, Wanderlei, or Franklin would say it is so easy.

So you are calling them all bold face liars? Hendo wanted his rematch after KOing Bisping, that was very public and most fans thought he deserved the rematch. Marquardt said multiple times he wanted another shot at Anderson Silva, multiple times. Franklin being asked to move to LHW is nothing secret. Hell he was on The Voice VS a few months ago saying he wouldn't have any problems fighting Anderson again. This is not my opinion, this is public knowledge.

freakzilla wrote:

killerofchicken wrote:

OU wrote:

killerofchicken wrote:

can we add a poll to this?

You think it's worth it?

yeah why not, besides, we don't have a current poll up

i wanna see how many side with this douche in my sig, lol

Killer doesn't get much good ideas so when he does we should encourage him by listening to them

hey, at least i didn't make my own mma board

OK more importantly who the hell voted for Okami, you zuffa lovin bastard! LOL

Sakuraba FTW! Bitches

ohhh just realized you were probably not talking to me lol

MMAEYES wrote:

OK more importantly who the hell voted for Okami, you zuffa lovin bastard! LOL

Sakuraba FTW! Bitches

My guess would be Josh, even if he isn't logged on lol

OU wrote:

boomer sooner wrote:

Ludo wrote:

Sakuraba is the Japanese GOAT, but Yushin is getting there and if he somehow finds a way to grind Anderson down for three rounds or more he would be very close to taking it since that would make him the first japanese fighter to ever hold a UFC title, even if it is in the Middleweight division.

There is nothing wrong with the MW division. It has just been on lock-down for several years by one dominant fighter giving the impression that it is weak. It is not. Countless guys have dropped or moved up to only find that it isn't so easy. Hendo, Marquardt, Swick, Franklin, Kampmann etc. all moved out because the division was too tough, for lack of a better way of saying it. They either couldn't win or couldn't see a title in the future, but have enjoyed success at their new weight classes, except for Marquardt who has yet to compete.

And Bisping, Wanderlei, Gouveia, Reljic and Jason Lambert [all arguable top 10 lhws at one time] all thought they could roll through the division when things got tough at LHW, and are finding that wins are hard to come by.

It's a matter of demographics. Most athletic, in-shape men don't weight 205 or more. That is a small civilization of society that competes in those divisions. The most common weight for athletic men is somewhere between FW and MW. Those will always be the deepest divisions because those divisions just hav more competition. It's like being a point guard in basketball. To earn that spot you have to beat out way more people than the center does because by nature of being tall, you've all but earned a spot. Seriously, look at how bad/1-dimensional/unathletic some of the HWs are -- it's awful compared to any other division.

Hendo actually left the UFC because he was not given a 2nd shot at Anderson(along with money). Marquardt was dying for his 2nd shot at Spider before Okami fucked that up for him. Franklin was just a bad style match for him and the UFC had him move up rather then knocking off contenders. Kampmann was sent to MW by Marquardt and not Silva but he was a pretty damn small MW to begin with. I don't think fear of Anderson drove off any of those fighters.

Well I don't think anyone who competes in MMA is fearful of another fighter, but I do think those guys knew a. they couldn't beat Silva, or b. they couldn't get to him.

Agree with the Hendo/UFC stuff, but he ultimately left the division because he lost to Jake Shields at MW.
Marquardt got beat by both Okami and Sonnen.
Franklin would never beat Silva and he knew it so tried his hand at LHW, where he would always be the smaller guy.

Not saying it's the best division, but nowhere close to saying it's the worst the way so many MMA fans would suggest. Demographics and history doesn't show it. I just think the problem is that the division has been tough to promote. It just doesn't have the star power of a Chuck, Rampage, Tito, BJ, GSP, Hughes, Brock, Faber etc.

OU wrote:

ohhh just realized you were probably not talking to me lol

Had to have been Josh, lol

OK throw the word "fear" out, those men were actively looking to fight Anderson Silva. Marquart was 1 win away from his wish, Rich went through a stretch of helping the UFC by taking catchweight fights and being told the UFC has no interest in a 3rd Spider fight(understandable) he choose the only division where he could work up the ranks. I think you are bending the truth with your argument, it's just now how it really went down.

boomer sooner wrote:

Well I don't think anyone who competes in MMA is fearful of another fighter, but I do think those guys knew a. they couldn't beat Silva, or b. they couldn't get to him.

Agree with the Hendo/UFC stuff, but he ultimately left the division because he lost to Jake Shields at MW.
Marquardt got beat by both Okami and Sonnen.
Franklin would never beat Silva and he knew it so tried his hand at LHW, where he would always be the smaller guy.

Not saying it's the best division, but nowhere close to saying it's the worst the way so many MMA fans would suggest. Demographics and history doesn't show it. I just think the problem is that the division has been tough to promote. It just doesn't have the star power of a Chuck, Rampage, Tito, BJ, GSP, Hughes, Brock, Faber etc.

Zuffa made Franklin switch weightclasses. Remember it was before the 195 fight with Wandy or Vitor where he was bitching because Zuffa wanted him to move up to 205 he got his body ready for that then they kept asking him to fight at 195 he wasn't happy. I believe Franklin would still be a top MW if he wasn't told to move up but the ufc doesn't want to keep sending Rich in to die at the hands of the spider for obvious reasons.

But that's the point, Marquardt couldn't get through the division losing two of his last four to Okami and Sonnen. So he figured he had a better chance of getting through the WW division.

Rich couldn't get past Silva and he and the UFC knew it so they moved where he could potentially compete again.

You could meaningfully say the division [or spider] was too tough for those guys. I'm not bending anything, I completely agree with your explanation and believe it proves my point.