I was watching an interview with Bas a few days ago and he said that at one point in time Pride was close to making this fight happen. Bas had a technical, powerful Muay Thai style with a great, dynamic submission game. On the other hand there was Wanderlei, a relentless, come forward fighter with a deadly clinch who also possessed an underrated ground game. So if this fight did happen who do you think would come out on top??
Rutten was too polished a Nak Muay for Silva's bumrush and caveman hooks to get very far with him. Rutten shatters his Glass Jaw within two.
theyre similar fighters but i think bas is just that little bit sharper and would find him with something big. silva also cant rely on the intimidation factor here either.
bas....what made wandy exciting was he was fierce but chinny...bas could lay out some serious pain, and had a lot of xp on the ground coming from pancrase
El Guapo all day every day. He would have been too smart for Wand and would have picked him apart. I am a huge fan of Wanderlei too. Still got my Pride figurine of him and one of Yoshida in the office!
I think most of you are under-rating how nasty Wand was. Certainly he wasn't polished, but he was among the sharpest tools in the shed. As polished as Bas was, he didn't have the sort of knockout ratio Wanderlei had, but he did have great subs. Pre Crocop Wand was an absolute beast. I think a lot of you are remembering Wand in light of his last 10 or so fights when during his prime he was as pure a knockout artist/ finisher as there ever was. He buzzed you, he put you out and thats just how it was when he was in his prime. Just take a look at his record when he was on his tear, this is a guy who demolished a young Rampage. Just take a look at his record from 2000-2004. Personally, I think this fight could have gone either way, likely decision. I don't think either guy would shy away from striking. Certainly Bas had a great chin and very good technical standup. Wand had instincts, aggression and power. ****ing huge fan of both these guys, but some of you are some haters.
To call Wanderlei crude is to ignore the great timing that he had, as to the fight, I can't really say because I know Bas more as a commentator
theres no such thing as an easy win over prime wand. although i think bas takes it as well, it wouldn't be as cut and dry as you make out