Cormier on Josh Barnetts Generation

I don't know about this one. I'm thinking Cormier is going to take it. Barnett is going to have a tough time taking it to the mat, and it will likely end up being a boxing match. Cormier's hands seem to improve quite a bit each fight, and Barnett's striking is all around pretty solid. To me, it's a 50/50 fight. Barnett has a ton more MMA experience, but Cormier has been competing his entire life in wrestling, so I'm not sure if experience is going to play a massive role.

 

I think it's true that the lower weight classes skill sets have improved immensely and there's more strength in depth. but when you look at it, the HW division is taking much slower to develop imo Not surprising when you consider how big these guys are and how relatively uncoordinated their bodies are compared to an Aldo, Jones or Rory Mac for example who've popped up in their early 20's looking the real deal already

 

Reality is that journos would be constantly bringing up the experience issue. Cormier has probably turned around and said 'Look I've only had 9 fights but I have always fought and trained in the modern era as a true mixed martial artist utilising all styles, so the gap in experience isn't quite as big as it looks on paper as many of his early fights were in a more basic era'

At the end of the day he is about to fight Josh Barnet who is massively more experienced and has been asked about the gap in experience, what is he going to say? Like when grapplers say they are going to stand and trade with strikers in pre fight interviews it's all bravado and mind games. Take it with a pinch of salt Scurla, I'm sure he respects all the old school guys plenty.

 

What the **** is this? Are you serious? You seem to be taking the word 'evolve' a bit literally and pointing out that the fighters haven't developed wings or mastered levetation in the past decade. Yes they are both a bit chunky and blokes usually hit hard with their right hand. Are you really saying that there is no difference in skill and ability between these two guys?atsch

 

You made two posts in a row with out mentioning Jon Jones, well done

Of course I wasnt being serious. Cormier is better than Tank but he's still employing the same stylistic principles as Tank did back in the day, which I found ironic. he's not exactly a well rounded fighter himself is he. Tough to take down, and hits hard, a fat Chuck, who's hayday was the very same time he was dismissing

 

Obviously the 90´s and the Vale-Tudo days were very different, when it was one art vs one art things were different and fighters were only good in their thing.....
But yeah, we talked about this a bit before in other thread a while ago, definitely people exaggerate when talk about this "evolve thing" nowadays.....

 

Why would I, an MMA fan, not talk about a fighter like Jon Jones on Jon Jones threads? Is it like bands when you were a teenager, you only like them when they are underground then have to disown them when they hit big because they are uncool? You ****ing hipster idiot.

 

I was being nice :conf

 

The sport has changed, there's better fighters now than ever before and more of them.

But there's a lot of Fighter A beats Fighter B because B fought in 2005 and the sports evolved so A must be better

it's not like we are comparing eras like a John L Sullivan v Tyson type match up

 

Somebody got the tongue in cheek aspect whilst I also made a point then :happy

 

Lets look at the new breeds who are supposed to be so well rounded, so tell me how many submission wins JDS, Cain Velasquez and Brock Lesnar has?

The old guard like Fedor, Overeem, AS and Barnett are far more well rounded. Guys like Fedor was a top level judoka and samboist fighter who is very very good at striking as well, guys like Overeem is also a very good kickboxer who is pretty damn good on the mat.

I think MMA has devolved and has gone away from guys being a top level at one field to very very good in everything else. Today all you have is everyone being just ok at all skills.

 

Mma