There are other factors that play into this besides just fighting style. MMA is set up to help strikers in several ways. Number one, time limits. A groundfighter has to shoot early and often instead of waiting for it to come naturally, and that is EXHAUSTING. Number two, getting stood up. A grappler, ideally, wants to stay on the ground, he doesn't WANT the fight to be exciting. He wants to keep you down, wear you out, and submit you when you're ready to go. The way the fights are set up now, you have to be in the process of landing a submission from the second you hit the mat until the end of the round or you get stood up. Again, that's exhausting. Grappling is a merciless, grinding, bit by bit type of fighting and understandably MMA organizations want excitement and flash.

I dont like the new format - way too many rules for what was originally one of the "purest" sports...

It's only to increase the longevity of the sport and the fighters careers. If everything was the way it was, it'd be outlawed first of all; and second you be seeing new fighters roll in and out like a revolving door no matter how good they are. Not good for the sport.
And if it's not bloody enough for you just look at Edwin Dewees in the Ultimate fighter. I'm sure that'll be enough.

it is all about the rules
when the ufc first started by the gracies there were no breaks, no stand up
once someone got you on the ground they could sit and wait advancing very slowly until you made a mistake

which made submissions really effective.

the new rules are best for strikers, because it is a lot easier to learn take down defence than it is to learn submission, and take downs.

if you can tie someone up so they are not advancing then you get stood up again.


personally that unanswered strike rule is to arbitrary, it should be a time limit
to many fights are stopped by the referee when they could continue.

Pride fighters are better than UFC fighters. All hardcore fans know this. Fedor would destroy Tim Sylvia standing up and really really destroy him on the ground. Fedor could beat any person on Earth alive or in the past.

Fedor > Crocop > Tim Sylvia
Wanderlei > Rampage > Chuck Liddel (lacks ground skills)
Dan Henderson > Anderson Silva (3-2 in pride, undefeated in UFC)
GSP - don't think there is a 170lb weight class in pride
Gomi (a beast) > Sean Sherk

Pride has larger attendance and fighters get paid more.

Josh Barnett could probably beat Tim Sylvia as well so Tim would probably rank 4th or 5th in the world.

:thumbsup

I agree with you on that, mate. It seems like strikers are recently dominating the game.

I think Nog probably take Sylvia too and even Mark Hunt since they'd both stand up and Hunt is such a beast there. Like someone said above, MOST UFC fighters at the top are B-Class for Pride.

I clearly see your point there, mate. :thumbsup

It not so much unanswered strikes as the intelligent defense argument. If your getting hit but still putting up a fight then usually it continues, if your eyes are rolling back and your arms are falling to the mat,then game over. Theres no need to continue with the brain damage, (see Shamrock/Tito II and III) :2 cents: