I hear ya about being disappointed with professional sports. Roy was huge in the 90’s and early 2000’s, one of the best pound for pound ever, his highlight reels are worth watching. He held world championships in four weight classes, middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight. He had an unorthodox style that relied heavily on speed and misdirection, he was fun to watch. check out the video I linked a couple posts back if you like.
Mostly it was that fighters stopped being single discipline, and started putting the Mixed in Mixed Martial Arts. In the early and mid 90s it was far more like the video game Street Fighter. But once real money showed up, there started to be professional gyms that trained multi-discipline style.
And yeah, staying out of the clinch, or at least learning to defend it - I don’t think Gracie thought it could be defended against, but nowadays you watch guys struggle thru it.
Sent from 80ms in the future
There is also the fact that the first UFCs stacked the deck where big fighters fought big fighters and Gracie was usually given his pick of the group. Worked out well for a long time but eventually Gracie had to take on some of the really big, really talented guys and they really made him earn any win. So UFC was almost a commercial for Gracie BJJ.
And like you said, it forced everyone to be more adaptable. But really UFC was the first MMA event, things like the K1 and Tai Sabaki predated both and were famous for having guys who were shoot fighters combined with Thai and things of that nature. If you really go all the way back, Bruce Lee was describing exactly MMA with his Jeet Kune Do concepts and hybrid arts like Kajukenbo, American Kenpo and too many others to name were all doing pretty much the same idea.
Roy Jones is still my favorite boxer of all time…and that’s saying a lot. His speed and power for his weight was unmatched. All opponents who said that they would go after him in the ring immediately changed their mind after they got hit once. He broke an opponents ribs with a body shot.
His highlight reels are stellar.
Man I hope Mike and RJJ bang like the first two prelims. Two good fights so far!
Yes, nice TKO by liver shot! So far, pre fights are excellent.
For ME,this was the BEST Tyson fight !!! LOL I was cheering like a mad man ! https://talksport.com/sport/boxing/664680/mike-tyson-record-buster-douglas-boxing-shock-fight-roy-jones-jr/ And then there is this,LOL https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/boxing/2020/11/27/mike-tyson-roy-jones-jr-fight-psychedelic-drugs/6442985002/ Lets just say I won’t be paying to watch any of this,reruns/youtube/redit,etc will more than fill the bill. Watch and laugh inside at all the peeps than do the Pay Per View for a circus act,no thanks.
I’ll be watching, but I won’t be paying ppv pricing.
I’d pay for a Tyson Vs. Jake Paul.
From your lips to god’s ears!
Tyson came to fight, Jones did not.
Roy’s game plan seems to just survive.
Yup. Jones doing his best two wrap Tyson up and avoid getting hit. Jones is tired end of first round. Tyson’s fitness is impressive. Rd3 Jones looking better.
Last rd, 8, Tyson wins easily. PROPS to Tyson who was in shape, came to fight, and was a fun fight to watch, but would have been way better had Roy came with the same.
Man Jones took a beating. I hate to be him tomorrow morning.
Here you go enjoy !
Yeah until he looks at his bank account, then he’ll be :dance3:
:dance3::dance3:
The 2 minute rounds made the fight worse. If you think about it, they tailored this fight for Tyson. Very small ring with 2 minute rounds.