Better than UFC

[jimmer]

Check this out! (30 seconds in is the best)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4qHKXkX ... re=popular

[Felting]

You may like this better

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVjO5_DUMGM

[HalfSugar]

Half the hits in that rugby video are illegal. I understand that it's showing the football is a pussy sport compared to rugby but why pick a load of high tackles or professional fouls?

[jimmer]

.....................but why pick a load of high tackles or professional fouls?

Having played pro rugby, and would like to take a crack at the answer;

It comes down to two factors;
1. Most of the illegal tackles were nearly perfectly fine tackles. The difference between a high tackle (which is illegal) and tackling someone's upper body is minimal. For example imagine the typical WWF 'clothes line' move where one guy puts his arm out straight at 'neck height' and the other guy runs into it choking him. In rugby, this move is legal, as long as the tacklers arm manages to wrap around the underarm of the other player. What this means is, you can still tackle someone around 'one side' of the neck as long as your arm goes across his chest and under his arm the other side (Have i explained that good enough?)

2. Secondly, you are correct. Some of the tackles were illegal, but this does't mean they shouldn't be included. After all, it is part of the game. For example, within one of those clips, in 1991 you see Shaun McRae (Australia) punch Ronan O'Gara (British Lions) about 40 times in 20 seconds. 3 years later, Leicester was playing Saracens in the UK Premiership. Martin Johnson (who was also a British Lion 3 yrs earlier)was playing for Leicester and Shaun McRae was playing for Saracens. Low and behold, 20 minutes into the game, McRae ends up at the bottom of a ruck and Martin Johnson stamps on his stomache about 30 times shouting - "this ones for O'Gara and I'm not going to stop until you know what it's like to have a baby"..The point I'm making is; whether it's illegal or not, it's a common part of the game and in most cases a major part in gaining an edge.

Very rarely did I ever run out onto the pitch for the second half without a plan to hurt (legally or illegally) another player. I was either getting my own back or helping a fellow player get revenge. The hardest part was trying to get revenge while staying within the laws of the game. Unfortunatley sometimes this wasn't always possible.

[UrAteUp]

If you think Rugby is tougher the UFC then lets get you into UFC and get one of them into rugby. Then lets see who taps out first...

[jimmer]

If you think Rugby is tougher the UFC then lets get you into UFC and get one of them into rugby. Then lets see who taps out first...

I'm pretty confident it wouldn't be a fair contest in neither accounts.

Most rugby players wouldn't be technically good enough or agile enough to go more than one round, yet a UFC'er wouldn't be able to handle the pace of 40 minutes rugby alone 80.

However, from what I understand, aren't american footballers built for shorter periods of play? If this is the case, they may be able to give a UFC'ers a better run for their money as they are more apt for 3-5 minutes of explosive play. Having said that though, once they are on the floor the contest would be over.

Going back to rugby, I'm not even sure which position would make the best UFC'er? The forwards are big and powerfull and the backs nimble and agile.

I once got into a fight outside a nightclub with a guy who was known for his martial art skills. He managed to hit me about 40 times, yet i never hit the floor. However at the same time, I probably only landed about 2 punches as i couldnt get close enough without him darting out the way. If he landed one good punch or kick, i would of probably ended up losing, but visa-versa if i got him on the floor, my brut force would of probably secured it. On balance, in a sreet fight, I would rather stay on my feet, but that's because I would be too scared of other people joining in. If it was guaranteed to be 1-on-1 who knows.

I could debate this for hours!!!!!

[Kemics]

However, from what I understand, aren't american footballers built for shorter periods of play? If this is the case, they may be able to give a UFC'ers a better run for their money as they are more apt for 3-5 minutes of explosive play. Having said that though, once they are on the floor the contest would be over.

it would be a massacre. Strength and aggression will dominate in a pub if you want to overwhelm someone, but in a ring with someone who knows how to brawl this would play straight into their hands. Any big rugby/american footballer/gym steroid monkey is going to ruined by ufc. Mostly because most fighters are big anyway so neutralizes any advantage.

[Felting]

Actually, most MMA athletes train 4 to 6 hours every day when prepairing for a fight. "rolling" matches, where two gym mates practice ground skills against one another often last as long as an hour nonstop. I don't think MMA athletes would have any problem going for 80 minutes. Untrained athletes, no matter how skilled and fit, rarely last longer then a minute against MMA fighters, they simply have too many ways to put you to sleep.

As for size advantage, MMA is now fought in weight classes similar to boxing or collegiate wrestling. Even Heavyweights have a weight limit of 265.

[HalfSugar]

Even Heavyweights have a weight limit of 265.

I expect they will add a super heavyweight class before long so that they can separate Brock Lesnar out otherwise all the regular heavyweights are just going to get eaten by him one by one!

[Kemics]

I dont think Lesnar is that great, he's only fought 5 times in UFC (4 - 1) and his only really decent opponent was Randy Colture who is ancient, half his size and still gave him a good run for his money.

hopefully he can get schooled by someone soon, is a scary mother f*cker though

[HalfSugar]

OK first of all, his loss was to Frank Mir by a heel hook in his first ever fight in the Octagon. Up to the point of the heel hook, he'd spent the best part of a minute brutalising Mir to the point where you knew it wouldn't go much longer. He lost due to being a little naive about controlling his limbs basically.

Since that fight, he's beaten Heath Herring by decision and smashed both Frank Mir and Randy Couture with TKOs due to strikes. I don't know how you can say that Randy Couture is his only worthy opponent when you consider that Frank Mir is renowned as the best heavyweight submission fighter ever

Saying all that, Brock is beatable at the moment but with more matches, I don't think anyone will stop him.

[Felting]

Brock is very dominant as a wrestler due to his size and power, doubt he would be up for superheavyweights as long as he can make the cut to 265(he walks around at 280).

That being said there are several fighter that are more then capable of beating Brock, one could even beat him at his own game. Fedor is considered by most in the fight game to be the best fighter in the world pound for pound but his contract with M1 global precludes him from fighting in the UFC and Dana won't let fighters under contract fight elsewhere. The light heavywieight champ could step up and give brock serious problems with his speed and heavy hands. Also, lurking in the wings is Bobby Lashley, every bit as big as brock, unbeaten in MMA, and has shown a wider skill set(wins by ground-n-pound, submission and KO).

[HalfSugar]

Fedor is considered by most in the fight game to be the best fighter in the world pound for pound

I don't want to get into an argument over who knows what here but dude, Andersen Silva is universally known as the greatest pound for pound MMA fighter in the world and honestly, I don't think you would find many people who would disagree. Similarly, I think GSP has a very solid argument for being spoken of in the same breath.

The thing about Fedor is that he is just tough as nails. Anyone who can take that suplex from Kevin Randleman and survive is a beast and I'd love to see him in the UFC. His contract with M-1 is supposed to end in October this year but I read that his management team are a nightmare so we'll see what happens.

I'm really not convinced by Bobby Lashley and despite his current win streak, could he really beat Brock? I just don't see it myself.

[Kemics]

Andersen Silva is universally known as the greatest pound for pound MMA fighter in the world

QFT

I think Silva VS GSP would be quite possibly the greatest MMA fight ever. But that means Silva needs to cut back having just moved up to light heavy and GSP to bulk up.

[HalfSugar]

It'll happen I think but it might end up like GSP vs BJ where the bigger guy just outclasses the smaller guy which is always the risk