Lyoto Machida in the early UFCs

Hed blow through the tournament pretty easily and alot more unscathed than Royce.

The game would probably evolve the same but alot faster (more well rounded guys) , wrestlers would still be wrestlers and still be dominant. On the other hand 1 dimensional strikers like Mo Smith and Pete Williams were able to beat Coleman who was a beast back then.

But Machida would pretty much have the advantage striking over everyone and would give grapplers nightmares as well.

Plus he has great tactics and strategies. Hed be considered perhaps the GOAT in that reality.

 

He'd def be P4P.. Almost every UFC fighter would with the training they have nowadays.

It wasn't until UFC 6, 7, or 8 did enthusiast recognize that you needed a well rounded game or as Severn would call it "cross training".

 

Mo Smith was pretty one dimensional, but adapted his game for the Coleman fight and worked extensively on his grappling with Frank Shamrock.

 

He would absolutely decimate everyone at UFC 1. I would think this is fairly obvious tbh.

 

He would prolly go undefeated in the UFC as Frank and retire due to being bored

 

What an odd thread

 

^^^No its not because intended or not, it shows that current fighters are better than older ones and we're talking only 15 or so years of evolution.

Hopefully, MMA in its current form survives and becomes one of those sport that respects its elder statemen but doesn't propagate the myth of them being unbeatable.

 

Don't know about that just because Royce would have won his share of matches and probably loses to Machida via decision. People would still hail him as the small guy that could. The rest of the Gracies got into the fray, who wasnt shocked at the way Renzo destroyed Taktarov and Rickson and Roylers run at Pride.

Secondly, Carlson Gracie brought hordes of his talent to MMA at that time. His protege Bitteti, along with Ze Mario, Allan Goes, Ismail, Bustamante. These guys were top of the line practitioners and surely people took notice.

One of these guys would have certainly faced Machida and for the first time would have been dominated and damaged because unlike Royce, they "think" they can strike. It would be an eye opener.

Against Wrestlers, Machida would avoid the TD and would have dominated guys like Frye and Randleman who has the tendency to stand up toe to toe.

This dominance would almost force the sport to evolve quickly. Perhaps we would have seen more Wreslers who can strike and Strikers with Andersons BJJ skills. Fighters would have focused on his style and not only try to emulate it but try to defeat it.

 

yep

 

what would have hapenned if the earth was actually flat
can you imagine
lets debate

 

:rofl:rofl

 

Machida v Ettish would be an ATG fight