Take Khabib for example, in all of his fights he pushes his entire weight bending forward against his opponent on the cage over and over until the opponent gets tired and gives way to the take down. This doesn't represent realistic MMA because a downward elbow could easily stop that type of aggression. UFC should allow downward 12-6 elbows so it won't be so favored for fighters who just want to grapple all day and not make it a more exciting fight on feet. If wrestlers and grapplers want a take down, then they shouldn't be exempt from legitimate defensive strikes as long as it's not something scummy like eye gouging or a knee to the nuts.
Masvidal said the same thing in his Dan Hardy interview. It is what it is. There's a lot of fighters that would be food in Pride (Usman, Khabib, Gregor)
MMA needs to change the way it is scored imo including for example the way somehow guys are winning rounds just because they get a TD or 2 despite doing nothing and little to no damage with it,which somehow is being scored sometimes more favourably then sustained damage on the feet. The sport would also be a better and more attractive product, if referees started warning the fighters and standing them up or separating them when the action is stalling.
Pride scoring should be adapted by the unified rules. They want to **** on Pride but the scoring was better. damage should be rewarded and stalling should be penalized. That goes for stalling in striking exchanges as well.
The sport is Mixed Martial Arts so the other fighters need to improve their own skills. Have you never seen Travis Browne brutally elbow guys trying to take him down/grapple him against the fence ? Yes some wrestlers can be boring but I don't care, I want to see the best fighters fight the best fighters irrespective of styles.
They should reward amazing takedown defense and stuffing of takedowns, look at Cro Cop stuffing Barnetts takedowns and Colemans takedowns, it was beautiful and sexy.