Does Rampage really need to update his game?

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/9/23/2444316/does-rampage-jackson-really-need-to-update-his-stagnant-game-jonathan

Glad this article was written, as this has been one of the most irritating things for me personally to read for quite a while now

UFC champion Jon Jones thinks Quinton Jackson's fighting style is stagnant. Jonathan Snowden argues that the young fighter is confusing mature and refined with unevolved - perhaps to his detriment.

Sep 23, 2011 - I read with interest the new Jon Jones' talking point, a suggestion that Quinton "Rampage" Jackson's game had stagnated. People are picking up on it, but it's largely a nonsensical critique. What does it mean for his game to have "stagnated?" How would that apply to other sport's greats?

Why did Peyton Manning keep going out there and throwing touchdown passes? Why didn't he scramble more like Steve Young used to? Stagnant.

Roger Federer often runs around his backhand to hit a monster forehand smash. Why not mix in some Novak Djokovic style backhands? Stagnant.

Ichiro Suzuki just continued to get hit after hit for the Seatle Mariners. Surely he could have jacked some homeruns instead? Stagnant.

In those cases, of course, the complaints are absurd. The athletes in question are among the best in their sport, successful beyond their wildest dreams, stars of the highest magnitude. Rampage Jackson is no different. What critics are calling stagnant is actually a refined, mature, and successful game, built over 40 professional fights. This supposedly stagnant game has led Jackson to a 7-2 record in the UFC, including wins over four former world champions.

Jackson is a 33 year old fighter with a decade of professional experience. He's not a young guy getting a feel for what works for him in the cage. He's established that under fire. He's not stagnant, as much as he's comfortable with what he does well and understands what he doesn't do well. He's found his limitations, worked towards his strengths, and done as well as he can to eliminate weaknesses.

What makes these criticisms so infuriating to longtime fans is the fact that Jackson actually has put in a ton of work to get better as a fighter. This isn't a guy holding on desperately to something that isn't working. He's a wrestler who has, over time, developed a boxing heavy game. It's fair to knock some guys for not exploring the wide world of the mixed martial arts. But Rampage has worked hard to create and sharpen skills he didn't come to the sport possessing.

It makes no sense for Rampage Jackson to try to reinvent his game. He's already developed the skills needed to maximize his abilities. He's not a work in progress - he's a world champion level fighter still competing at the top level. Jackson may not beat Jon Jones - but it won't be because he didn't change his game. He got to the top for a reason; win or lose, it only makes sense to go out swinging, playing his game. After all, it's worked pretty well so far.

Suck it Ali! WOOOOOOOOO! I'm pumped! Them buggalos coming out Saturday night!

He's 33.

What updates could we expect?

Maybe he can put guys on their back more, but it's not like Rampage has not been very successful. 7-2 in the UFC, with one of those losses being a very questionable decision and the other coming off a long layoff which he might of finished if Shad didnt illegally pull himself up with Rampage's shorts to close the distance and avoid further punches.

In other words, if it aint broke don't fix it.

Of course, he does, MMA is an ever evolving sport. But that doesn't mean ignore what made you great either...

josh200612 wrote:

Suck it Ali! WOOOOOOOOO! I'm pumped! Them buggalos coming out Saturday night!

Better prepare the funeral pyre for tomorrow night, because Bones is going to slay your boy.

Does Rampage need to update his game if that simply means adapting to new fighters with different challenges? Then yes. I don't know that this is equivalent to the need to reinvent himself. He could update his strategies without the need to dramatically retool. He can always stay a boxer wrestler hybrid, but there are more things he could do without dramatically changing his style, like shooting more takedown attempts to open things up to the head. It is forgotten how dangerous he is dirty boxing in the clinch. If Rampage becomes too formulaic, like any fighter he runs the risk of being figured out. Prime Chuck Liddell would get his ass kicked by a lot of fighters today, simply because each of them spent a couple solid years all thinking about how to beat Chuck Liddell.

Does he need to update his game if that means refining his boxing and footwork? Absolutely. He is 33. He has a lot of room to learn if he plans on fighting at a high level for years to come. Randy Couture improved his boxing well into his mid 40s. Dan Henderson has become more dangerous as time as progressed into his late 30s as well.

Every season those players listed in the article had to improve aspects of their game while adapting to the changes in competition and strategy. Fighters are no different.