Greatness of Guy Mezger

Some of you might say ugggghhhh what??

But honestly Guy Mezger really was one of the best fighters in the Mixed Martial arts world at one time. Won a King of Pancrase and UFC tournament. One of the best in his division and in the P4P discussion in his prime.

Was a kick boxer, Karate, and Judo practicer then met Ken Shamrock and formed Lions Den Dallas (best one IMO)

His MMA debut came at UFC 4 vs Jason Fairn. I remember this perfectly, and a little insider info, they both had long hair and had agree to not pull hair. Guy comes out fighting Fairn and Fairn immediately pulls Guys hair. Fairn ended up tapping due to punches. The winner was supposed to be guaranteed a spot in UFC 5 tournament but this was not honored.

Instead Guy took on John Dowdy in a alternate match at UFC 5 by strikes. Mezger is 2-0

Guy then goes to Pancrase and defeats John Renfroe but suffers his first defeat in MMA to the great Makatui Funaki at Pancrase Anniversary Show 1995.

Guy then draws with Ryushi Yanagisawa and losses to Minori Suzuki (who went 2-0 vs Ken) via doctor stoppage. Guy then defeats Gary Schmilt and then faces

Bas Rutten at Pancrase 2 in 1996. Guys MMA record is 4-2-1, Rutten is the clear favorite, but Mezger manages to last damn near 20 minutes. He is stopped around the 19 minute mark in a very entertaining Pancrase fight.

This is the critical point in Mezger's career in my opinion. His record was 4-3-1 and he was on the brink of being .500 . Here is the thing in 8 fights Mezger had managed to fight 3 All Time Greats. Lost to all 3 of them but he learned from each loss.

At Pancrase 3 Guy was faced against Tataka Fuke a good fighter in the first of a 4 fight tournament, Guy won via decision. He faced Manabu Yamada next. Guy scored a TKO.

Yanagisawa won the other 4 man tournament at Pancrase 3 so he and Guy faced each other at Pancrase 4 in the main event. Ryushi had already had a draw with Guy, this time Guy was the victor. he scored a Knockout about 12 minutes into the fight.


1 month later at Pancrase 5 Guy s pitted against Minori Suzuki in a rematch. Suzuki who had beat Ken and Frank Shamrock as well as Guy was a great fighter. This was a really big fight for Guy. He ended up controlling the stand up and rocking Suzuki. He knocked Suzuki out and I will never forget watching it, Suzuki asks Guy what happened, Guy says, "I knocked you out" and then Suzuki falls down. Guy is 8-3-1

At Pancrase 6 Guy draws with Osami Shibuya, at Pancrase Anniversary he has the 3rd match with Ryushi Yanagisawa and Guy won again going 2-1 in the 3 fights. Then at Pancrase 7 in the next round of the tournament Kiuma Kionuke Guy losses for the first time in 6 months. Mezgers record stood at 9-4-2 Mezger gets back on the winning track and defeats Yuki Kondo at Pancrase 10 on Points. Mezger has gone 7-2-1 in 1996 facing the likes of Rutten, Ryushi, and Kionuke in the same year. Fought 5 times in 1995, and in 15 fights has fought 4 ATGs a total of 5 times, add in Ryushi and Fuke pretty impressive. In 1996 Guy is proclaimed King of Pancrase and top fighter in their Rankings.

Next Guy is faced against Semmy Schilt ya the 6'11 mother fucker , in one of Guys best performances he controls the action for nearly the whole 20 minutes and gets the unanimous decision vs Schilt another good fighter. 11-4-2 then at Pancrase 2 (they started over) in a controversial decision Yuki Kondo got a decision after 20 minutes of fighting. Mezger is know 11-5-2, Guy is fighting good or great fighters nearly every time he competes.

Guy fought his first 2 MMA fights in the UFC then fought his next 16 fights in Pancrase. He then went to UFC to participate in their Lightweight tournament. He gave up his King of Pancrase title to do so. At UFC 13 Mezger defeated Christen Leninger via clear cut 15 minute decision and then in one of the most important matches in MMA history.

Guy Mezger is facing UFC substitute Tito Ortiz for the tournament title. Ortiz scores a takedown and scores knee's to the head, cuts are formed on Guy's head and there is a controversial moment when some say Guy tries to tap (ya just like Randy is tapping on Tito's ass!) but there is a Big John stoppage. Leon Tabbs ok's everything and they restart, Guy sprawls a Tito shot and chokes TIto out. THE MOST IMPORTANT RIVALRY IN MMA HISTORY IS STARTED . Guy doesn't have any clue what he has started he goes and tells Tito great fight Tito says "fuck you" Guy says whatever pats his back and walks off.

Mezger has know been a King of Pancrase and won the UFC 13 Lightweight Tournament. Mezger is know 13-5-2. 6 ATG's 8 times and is 4-4 in these fights. It is 1997 and Guy Mezger is one of the best fighters in the world. He can stand with you or submit you.

Mezger then go's back to Pancrase and fights in 11 straight Pancrase bouts from 1997 to 1998. Going 9-2 during this time facing Kunioki in a revenge fight, Ryushi AGAIN twice, Hasegawa, MASAKATSU FUNAKI (1-1 vs Funaki in this time period), Yamayiya and then in his last Pancrase fight he defeats Yuki Kondo in a rubber match. the 2 losses came vs Schilt and Funaki. Mezgers record is 22-7-2. He has fought has fought 7 ATGs 12 times and gone 7-5 in the fights.

Guy then goes back to the UFC for UFC 19. HERE IS WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO GIVE GUY PROPS ON. He went from organization to organization to take the best fights, the fights that made the most sense for the MMA world.

At UFC 19 Mezger is for the most part beaten handily by Ortiz although there are brief moments for him. In the fight most people remember Guy for, which isnt fair, Guy is stopped by Ortiz and Ortiz does all his prefight bullshit that starts the most important fued ion MMA

In 1999 Guy then goes to Pride and faces Akiro Shoji at Pride 6 and losses a split decision that I think he won. Guy is 22-9-2. At the Grand Prix Open Weight Tournament Mezger was matched against Sakuraba in the first round. 1 problem, actually 2, Guy took the fight on 2 weeks notice and had a boken foot. The contract stipulated the fight be 15 minutes NO OVERTIME. Guy ate Sakuraba's shots and clearly won but got a bullshit draw. Left the ring because of the bullshit with the contract. President of Pride apoligized that night to Guy for the bullshit. Guy is 22-9-3 and recieves a draw in probably his greatest performance.

Guy then goes 2-0 Brad Jones and Masaki Sataaki and is 24-9-3 and Guy is set to face Wanderlei Silva at Pride 10. In a great fight Guy lands good combinations initially but is eventually stopped by the Axe Murderer in a great Pride fight. Guy is 24-10-3, fought 10 ATGs 16 times. going 8-7-1.

Mezger then has a great run going 4-0 beating Alex Otsuka twice in a row (Otsuka was a big shit talker), Samd Adkins and Egan Inoue. Guys record is 28-10-3 and he is one of the best Light Heavyweights in the world.

At Pride 14 Guy faces Chuck Liddell. The first round was all Mezger, he scored 2 knockdowns, was controllingthe stand up, and was keeping Chuck off balance. All that was erased in the second round when Chuck scored a great knockout that will be played on Iceman highlights for years to come.

Mezgers record is 28-11-3 he has foguht 11 ATGs and gone 8-8-1 vs them.

At Pride 16 Mezger is faced against Ricardo Arona and in another controversial split decision losses after the time limit. I think Guy got some shitty decisions in his time, this was one of them. Then at Pride 22 Guy faces Yammamato and defeats him via decision. Talk abot tough, Liddell, Arona, Yamamoto all in a row. 12 ATGs 9-8-1.

THen in his last big fight, of course Guy fights another great. At Pride 24 Guy is facing Antonio Nogueira. In a great fight which Guy shows his stand up and submissions (his strong sets) Guy lands a picture perfect right head kick. Of course it goes the distance and is controversial. In a split decision Mezger loses.

He Fights 1 more fight in his career and wins vs Daniel Bergman at EVT? His record stands at 30-14-2, he has fought 13 ATG's from Funaki, Rutten,Suzuki, Ortiz, Otsuka, to Nogueira,Sakuraba, Kondo, Arona and Liddell. went 9-9-1 . He is one of the few men to have over 5 fights in the UFC, Pancrase, and Pride.

Think about that, he competed at the highest level in all 3 organizations!

Guy Mezger in 2000 was the LHW GOAT.

He at one time was the best fighter in the world. One of the original legends.

went 4-2 that year and not going to argue at all, he was a great fighter, especially at Light heavyweight. glad you give him props wolf, even though he lost to Silva that year he kind of got fucked by that illegal head butt which i stupidly forgot to mention

silva head butted him in that fight?

I just rewatched it this week, I dont remember that

Wolfgangsta wrote:

silva head butted him in that fight?

I just rewatched it this week, I dont remember that

Yep, he headbutted Guy and it completely changed the tone of the fight, alot of people, basically everyone when it happened thought it palyed a result in the fight but Guy said it was no big deal and anything can happen in a fight. He was classy and didnt use it as an excuse . Wandy even gt warned by the ref for it

Guy's career would have been a lot different if things had just went his way more, a lot of bad luck. He was beating the shit out of Chuck Liddell that whole fight, robbed in some fights in Pride, I guess Wandy head butted him.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Guy's career would have been a lot different if things had just went his way more, a lot of bad luck. He was beating the shit out of Chuck Liddell that whole fight, robbed in some fights in Pride, I guess Wandy head butted him.

completely agree, that Liddell fight took a complete 180 out of fucking no where. He was running on all cylinders just took to much energy to do it I guess. definitely got some bullshit decisions in his time.

also damn it

I forgot to say why the Tito Ortiz vs Guy Mezger rematch happened


Anyone remember who Guy Mezger was originally slated to fight at UFC 19?????????




VITOR BELFORT

Injury forced the Tito vs Guy rematch, talk about a good substitute match

and not only was Guy the King of Pancrase, he won the King Of Pancrase Title Fight 3 times in a row.

A record tied only by Semmy Schilt.

Also defeated Schilt, Kondo, Funaki, and Suzuki, All King of Pancrase Champions.

Lost to Rutten (a King of Pancrase. Faced 5 of the 7 Kings of Pancrase not counting himself. Ken and Frank are the only 2 he didnt face!

Yeah I didn't pay as much attn as I should have I guess. I am gonna school myself on him better. I know I have watched 3-4 of his fights. wasn't enough because he never left an impression. fn hammered im out! c f i can vote anymore1st split w you guys if so. I know i gave wolf 2 pos earlier.

bord got one or two an d wp;f two i know. drunken pos votes. hope you enjoy em but you guys gave me sumpin til tomm. cant wait til then. I hope you guys find me a link to watch?
later for good tonight

like to bang that yellow belt chick rite now hah

I think Guy would have beaten Frank too. He was the better striker.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

I think Guy would have beaten Frank too. He was the better striker.

Woulld have been interesting to see, I agree he was the better striker. That really would have been a great fight

bigbeastcardinal12 wrote:

bord got one or two an d wp;f two i know. drunken pos votes. hope you enjoy em but you guys gave me sumpin til tomm. cant wait til then. I hope you guys find me a link to watch?
later for good tonight

cant upload anything right know but when my other computer works I will load some of his fights up

I give Guy respect because he was one of the most Lions Den guys there was unlike Frank and Ken. Also he just didn't do boring fights most of the time his striking was better then his opponents he just lacked the finishing power. He was great to watch but I dont know about an all time great. He is right by that greatness area but I would not place him in it. Being close to winning so often and not being able to break through does not make you a great fighter. I would have loved to see a guy vs tito 3.

muayjitsu wrote:

I give Guy respect because he was one of the most Lions Den guys there was unlike Frank and Ken. Also he just didn't do boring fights most of the time his striking was better then his opponents he just lacked the finishing power. He was great to watch but I dont know about an all time great. He is right by that greatness area but I would not place him in it. Being close to winning so often and not being able to break through does not make you a great fighter. I would have loved to see a guy vs tito 3.

You are a hater, and your communication skills have really deteriorated.

Yeah my internet sucks in this hotel I am staying in so I just type as fast as I can without proof reading so at times it comes out shit. By the way I reserve the word greatness for fighters such as Fedor, GSP, Randy, BJ Penn, Shogun, Anderson and so on. So me not putting guy with those fighters I don't find insulting to him. Many people credit Frank Shamrock as the first complete MMA fighter I would be willing to put Guy right there with him. Guy was good at almost every aspect of fighting.

for his generation Guy was really great.

There was a time when he was the best in the world.

muayjitsu wrote:

I give Guy respect because he was one of the most Lions Den guys there was unlike Frank and Ken. Also he just didn't do boring fights most of the time his striking was better then his opponents he just lacked the finishing power. He was great to watch but I dont know about an all time great. He is right by that greatness area but I would not place him in it. Being close to winning so often and not being able to break through does not make you a great fighter. I would have loved to see a guy vs tito 3.

What I am trying to say is that during a time period, he was without a doubt one of the best fighters in the world

Wolfgangsta wrote:

for his generation Guy was really great.

There was a time when he was the best in the world.

exactly

Also forgot to mention, Guy ran the Lions Den Dallas gym alomost by himself. It was a great place to go and he found alot of talent and deserves credit for this