I know this. I was using a fight that most people are familiar with to show how speed can neutralise power and size advantages as well has how the bully mentality of the supposed stronger fighter can fold.
Crocop has always been a frontrunner but besides that I don't really see it being that good an example. Mirko really isnt that much bigger than Anderson and I'd argue was at his best just as quick.
Yes Cro Cops punches and kicks were deployed with lightening speed and power. But I was mainly thinking of his footwork. It can be described as plodding and stalking at times and it didnt need to be super fast, as he was great at cutting off the ring in PRIDE. Andersons best attribute imo is his footwork, he always finds angles to strike with his side to side in out of range styles. And I think if Anderson were to win that would be key to dictating the fight. Im sure you've seen the Fedor fight and apart from when he was countering Fedor was never in the same spot for long. Mirko looked visabley frustrated as the fight went on and Fedor was able to dictate the exchanges with more authority. I was merely tryna suggest this with the Ali Liston comparison with out going through the effort of typing out the above paragraph
Mirko and Anderson both seem very similar to me, both stalk/stalked there opponants looking to stuff takedowns and land big counters. Mirko is pretty sluggish these days but certainly wasnt 5 years ago, he could be very light on his feet indeed. Fedor broke him with shear aggresion and the threat of the takedown, I don't see Anderson taking that route. It would IMHO end up as a slow counter contest but with Crocop having faster, harder and technically superior kicks to punish Andersons more boxing like stance.
Obviously neither would be going for the the takedown. Everyone would agree thats a given. It wasnt my intention to imply that his footwork was as sluggish as it is now. But relative to Andersons it could look plodding. His footwork was probably swift in comparision HW's like Barnett, Herring, and Igor, and as I said more than adequate to cut off the ring Andersons more boxing orientated stance would leave him open for legs kick and eventually body kicks and would slow him down. But Mirko has never been one for thinking on his feet generally speaking and Anderson's unpredictability would give him fits as Mirko rarely had a plan B. I truely think Anderson has he edge in handspeed and would get the better of the counter game when combined with my footwork post, As you said both were stalkers as such, but on the whole Mirko wore people down a little more than Silva, but of course there's examples of both types when considering this Ohhh **** it, way too much thinking for a Friday night Mirko by LHK :tired
Mirko,back then he was a whole other fighter,I would say his prime was when he had his last fights in k-1 and starting mma,that was just scary,he is past now,but all k-1 fighters of his time are too some retired,hard to say that its drugs,people in the ufc probably use drugs too.
Mirko by whatever he wants. Mirko was an ELITE level K-1 striker. Silva is not. Take him out of MMA and his striking is quite average.