Can speed and agility overcome power and endurance? Can wit or strategy overcome size or weight? Can a guy who weighs 155 pounds be as powerful as a 200-plus-pounder?
Is it possible to beat a powerful fighter if you are nowhere near as strong as him? Does Urijah Faber have a major disadvantage against a guy like Kimbo Slice? Does BJ Penn stand a chance against Brock Lesnar? Should there be a "Super Fight" between Anderson Silva and Fedor Emelianenko to see who is the pound-for-pound best, and, if so, could Silva beat Fedor without fighting at his natural weight? Should there be an MMA division where a fighter has the choice to fight at whatever weight he or she is comfortable?
Can you really establish the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world without an open weight division?
These are questions that come to mind when I wonder who the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world is. I, for one, consider all these questions when I think of who really is the best fighter out there.
Some say size doesn't matter—most think size does—why is it that the little guy always seem to be underestimated? I believe it is a fact that some people's bodies can not gain huge amounts of weight without it taking a toll on their speed, mobility, flexibility, and technique.
There are smaller people out there that have bigtime power. There are Olympic power-lifters at 123 pounds that lift up to 672 pounds; these men are packing power and could probably knock out someone 200 pounds or more with ease if they had the proper attributes and training to complement that strength.
Some people say Bruce Lee had the power of a man three times his size; I am not going to get into if he would last in the UFC or not, that is an un-answerable question that holds room for speculation (although it is a shame we can not find out for sure how he would do, but that is also something that brings this topic to mind).
I, for one, have witnessed many small-statured men destroy huge men in street fights, and I have also seen skilled light fighters beat skilled heavy fighters. I ask can you really determine who the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world is with out an open weight division, and should fighters have the option to fight in a division that allows you to fight at what ever weight you are most comfortable considering the risks or stereotypes?
Do fighters deserve the choice to fight open weight? Also, a question of equal importance: Do we the fans deserve a clear answer to who really is the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world instead of so-called "expert" or analysts' opinions?
We can all continue to listen to analysts tell us who is what, but, let's face it, even the experts are wrong sometimes when speculating.
17 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment
Nick V 10 months ago
The way I look at is that in a street fight anyone can win. If you are a smaller skilled fighter of course you will most likely win. The fact of the matter is that this is professional fighters we are talking about. Yes, a smaller fighter can win in a higher weight class but only if the skill is higher than that of their opponent (i.e. Couture def. Sylvia, Silva def. Irvin). But, if you believe two fighters are skilled about equally (Silva v. Fedor) it would be very hard for the man two weight classes lower to win. Open weight would never be allowed because I don't think the would ever let Faber fight someone like Lesnar (who cuts to 265) legally, at least not in the U.S. Besides man half the fun of P4P is the debate about it. Although you never know if Affliction falls through and Fedor signs with UFC we could see a Silva/Fedor match but I only see that if Anderson has continued success at 205.
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Tyson Harris 10 months ago
Ya I feel that, but at the same time UFC was open weight at the start. It would be cool to see how it would go with the rules how they are now, and the evolution of thing would make it more entertaining.
Thing is with every advantage a bigger fighter has it may or may not cause a bigger disadvantage, you weigh 205 but you may sacrifice because you are a bigger target, you may have less speed and/or mobility. Smaller guys are usually twice as fast and some hit just as hard as heavy weights, plus most small guys are wired or high strung, usuallys hard for big guys to get ahold and keep ahold of when grappling, so little guys shake submission easier to. Taking me to the Silva vs Fedor fight, I see Silva a better striker, got kick, punches, knees, elbows, and a black belt BJJ to back. Fedor may have the edge on the ground put, Silva has the tools to keep it standing with the BJJ to help with fedors ground assult if he even got a chance to grab him with out gettin smashed. I think silva would overwelm Fedor in an open weight matching with the power he has at 185, added the extra speed gained. Hes more comfortable fighting at 185 that why I think he has no desire to move up and challenge for the LHW title. If Fedor likes 240 or what ever he weighs then thats on him, or if silva wanted to fight at his natural weight of 220 he could do that to, it would be cool if there was a division with that option.
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Jon Grilz 10 months ago
The principle seems a bit ridiculous if you think about a Sherk fighting a Lesnar, but also intriguing. It has been done in BJJ for a long time, of course, punches and kicks aren't involved. I would doubt that many people below middleweight would even entertain the idea.
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Dorothy Willis 10 months ago
Muscle bound big guys like Lesnar are often so lacking in flexibility that they cnnot tie their own shoes. Sherk might actually have the same problem, but a guy like BJ Penn who is tremendously flexible as well as physically gifted in the MMA field and very fast, could give a big inflexible guy fits. So I would favor a BJ vs Lesnar before a Sherk vs Lesnar (They are too similar in their builds and body types with the exception of size, of course).
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Fortun Kimura 10 months ago
Nice article, I may write a response article to your question. :D I'm glad you bring up "open weight tournament".
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Anthony Pole 10 months ago
The existence of weight classes in ALL arts, be it no-rules military commando sambo or no-contact Karate or point fighting, proves that size matters.
Size is not just about mass. it's about having more reach, more leverage and more strength.
Eye pokes and groin attacks don't save the little man, because the big guy can do that too.
The smaller man CAN beat a bigger man IF he is more skilled, but if skill is similar the bigger man wins. The End.
No open weight tournament was EVER won by a small man IF a great bigger fighter also participated.
It is silly to compare Bruce Lee to modern fighters, as Bruce himself wrote: "Don't study my moves, they'll be outdated before this book is even published."
Yet now 40 years later we still have people who think he was a top fighter by today's standards...
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Dorothy Willis 10 months ago
A lot depends on the man's intelligence and ability to think and react under pressure. There is more to fighting than just strength. I believe that Bruce Lee became dienchanted by the fighting over which martial art was superior, by the time of his death I think he was bitter and disllusioned.
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Fortun Kimura 10 months ago
I believe even with equal skills the little guy still has a chance. The human body is just designed in a way that as you get bigger your heart has to work that much more to keep up, you get slower, etc. With the right gameplan the little man can win. Even a guy your own weight is going to be difficult to handle if he's laying on top of you. Take a look at the lightweight Olympic weightlifters. Now comparing them to the heavyweight you will realize that there are limits on the human body, and bigger isn't always better. Unless we are talking about a different species. ---Plus if the little guy wins, the critics can say, "see the lighter wieghts do have more skill and the heavyweights are crap". Personally I wanna see Fedor beat up Anderson Silva.
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Tyson Harris 10 months ago
Thanks for you responces, I would love to see Fedor try to beat up Anderson Silva doubt it would happen although that is me speculating. Would also like to thank whom ever edited my articles you have a way with wording things that I try to copy but can never seem to match the quality, It is a skill I admire.
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dj durst 10 months ago
How do you not give Fedor a chance agaisnt Silva? I admit he has done well in the UFC, but excluding Henderson, who has he really beat? Has redeemed any of his losses?
Here is a video, of him tapping to Chonan and he was losing this fight when it happened. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb5B6xBZiX8
Have you ever seen this type of thing happen to Fedor? The answer is no. He had one No Decision for blood that he avenged, what about Silva, you don't hear him calling out for Chonan. Now I am sure everyone will talk about differatn weightclasses because Chonan is at 170, but they could fight at a catch weight. If he wants to be considered the best P4P, in my mind (not that it matters to him), he needs to avenge any losses. How can he be the best when he has a lose that he hasn't avenged? But I guess that doesn't matter.
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Tyson Harris 10 months ago
I am not saying Fedor doesnt have a chance. I could say negative things about Fedor also, hes fighting nobodys, everyone with a name that he has fought is washed up. Hendo was not the only good guy Silva fought, and its more the fasion he beat guys. It sounds to me like you are a pride buff, Pride seemed to of had alot of lower talent fighters, we tend to see how good tey are when they come in fight UFC. I just think style wize it would be a bad fight for fedor, Silva has the edge it seem on the striking end, grapple game would level out, maybe a little advantage on fedors end for experience and having a bit more weight, I dont know I just think Silva would win. Now Silvas loss to Chonan, every one has a bad fight, hes come a long way, it was 18 month before his last fight in pride, and I believe the fight was pretty even before Chonana pulled the heel hook. I dont know its up for debate.
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Stoker Mac 10 months ago
good job ..thier is a reason that sugar ray robinson was p4p..best and not a heavyweight boxer like ali..or liston....mma may be different than boxing but the p4p best right now is anderson silva../the words pound for pound were created for a smaller man with ..better skills but not big enough to beat a heavyweight/there are many more ways to win in mma ..so yes ..a big dude could possibly be p4p..
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Ramon ILICITO 10 months ago
I think what you are saying is possible, remember Royce Gracie?? tearin up guys almost double his size.... but i think mma nowadays wont do that anymore for fighters-safety reasons
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Nick V 10 months ago
Yes but Royce was also fighting guys who had no knowledge of what he was doing at all and unskilled fighters. He and Shamrock were the only guys who even knew submissions at UFC I. We are discussing skilled fighters of today who know submissions and well rounded fighters. A smaller fighter only wins a fight now-a-days if he is more skilled or presents a bad matchup for his opponent. (i.e. grappler vs. striker, or BJJ expert vs. Striker)
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Tyson Harris 10 months ago
Kind of what I am saying but, more I would like to see how it would look now that the sport evolved
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Tyson Harris 9 months ago
I KNOW THIS THREAD IS LONG DEAD BUT I THINK KIMBO BEING BEAT BY SETH LEAVES ROOM FOR DEBATE ON THIS TOPIC, SETH WAS CLEARLY FASTER THEM KIMBO AND PACKED ENOUGH POWER AT 205.5LBS TO TAKE OUT A MAN THAT WAS 30 POUNDS HEAVIER. NOW THE STRENGTH HAD SOME TO DO WITH THE TKO BUT WHAT LEFT KIMBO A SITTING DUCK WAS THE DIFFERENCE IN SPEED, SETH EXPLODED OUT OF THE GATE PICKING THE PROPER OPENINGS, HAD HE BEEN 30 LBS HEAVIER KIMBO MAY HAVE HAD TIME TO REACT. THATS THE WAY I SEEN THE FIGHT, UP FOR DEBATE ALTHOUGH, MAY HAVE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH LACK OF TRAINING, ALTHOUGH IT WAS ALL STRIKING SO KIMBO SHOULD HAVE HAD THE EDGE, I PERSONALLY THINK IT WAS A CLASSIC DAVID VS GOLIATH, BRINGS BACK WHAT WING CHUN TAUGHT ME MOST WHICH IS BEING TO BIG ONLY SLOWS YOU DOWN AND MAKES YOU EASIER TO READ TELEGRAPHS, DON'T GET ME WRONG THE STRENGTH GAINED BY SIZE CAN HELP A LOT BUT IN THE END SIZE DOESN'T MEAN A THINK, SPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS SOMEONE
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gaara hermoso 7 months ago
lol, tyson u sound like a typical dana nuthug beast or a 12 year old ufc fan boy...are u saying that pride hav less talented fighters than ufc? hahah! go watch tuf u worthless cunt...and basically saying that AS is p4p best makes u even more sick...first of all AS standup is very much inferior to fedors...fedor's stand up is just shadowed by his godly ground game...if u watch fedor's fights...he has never been dominated standing up...even against the best strikers in mma...ex crocop...law...tim...first of all jst try to be honest and look at AS resume...he lost 4 times to nobody's...bad game? not on the best p4p..end of story
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Tyson Harris 7 months ago
Crocop are you kidding me, you talk to me like you make any sense at all. Crocop was washed out of UFC for fun, the guy is a bum its been proven, same with Tim, Law is the only one worth talking about and hes really not worth talking for a long period of time. When you study a lil more stuff come talk to me, as far as I am concerned you would know a good striking game if it smacked you out cold like a lil girl.
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