Ex-Vol Footballer

[Bigorangefaninga]

He’s trained with AMA (I think this is in Jersey) and Randy Coulture’s gym in Vegas.
Both have top notch fighters that have some time there. He also has a brown belt in BJJ. To say his BJJ isn’t good is laughable. Is he a top notch BJJ guy, no. But neither is most MMA fighters. Jon Jones is a purple belt. Would beat Jones in a pure BJJ competition.
Just my thoughts though.
I honestly wish he would have worked with Duane Ludwig and get some time in with Bang Muay Thai. However, he is really past his prime now.

Belts can be highly overrated in BJJ, I have seen guys that have no business as black belts in BJJ because they get it from some guy that should have also never gotten his to begin with. But whatever! His wrestling and BJJ not being up to snuff is why he got taken down and pretty much laid and preyed by fighters like Bader and Glover, same with Mousasi. Jones also kicked his butt the same way and took him down 3 times to none during their fight. He usually has great standup because he is so unorthodox with his striking, but his wrestling and even BJJ has held him back during his career, if he had went to a top notch gym when he first started in strikeforce I think very well he would have been a champ in the UFC, especially since Jones cannot keep his head on straight. Alas he instead became a gatekeeper to guys like Glover and Reyes. I do agree now he is really past his prime, but his standup is better than Glover's, if he just had better wrestling and BJJ to stay off the ground with someone like Glover he would be able to beat them, especially since Glover is older.

 

[Franklin_Vol09]

Belts can be highly overrated in BJJ, I have seen guys that have no business as black belts in BJJ because they get it from some guy that should have also never gotten his to begin with. But whatever! His wrestling and BJJ not being up to snuff is why he got taken down and pretty much laid and preyed by fighters like Bader and Glover, same with Mousasi. Jones also kicked his butt the same way and took him down 3 times to none during their fight. He usually has great standup because he is so unorthodox with his striking, but his wrestling and even BJJ has held him back during his career, if he had went to a top notch gym when he first started in strikeforce I think very well he would have been a champ in the UFC, especially since Jones cannot keep his head on straight. Alas he instead became a gatekeeper to guys like Glover and Reyes. I do agree now he is really past his prime, but his standup is better than Glover's, if he just had better wrestling and BJJ to stay off the ground with someone like Glover he would be able to beat them, especially since Glover is older.

See. I think his BJJ was definitely good enough. His take down defense is average though. Bader is a former All American wrestler and BJJ black belt. You want take down defense against him and then kill him on striking. It’s what Glover did and he is a wrestler and BJJ black belt.
I might be wrong, but I think Glover did some initial mma training at the Pit. Great stand up training with take down defense. Love talking MMA.

 

[Bigorangefaninga]

See. I think his BJJ was definitely good enough. His take down defense is average though. Bader is a former All American wrestler and BJJ black belt. You want take down defense against him and then kill him on striking. It’s what Glover did and he is a wrestler and BJJ black belt.
I might be wrong, but I think Glover did some initial mma training at the Pit. Great stand up training with take down defense. Love talking MMA.

Bader would be one of them that should not be given a black belt. Guy is worse than GSP with lay and pray. He has almost had as many losses to submissions as submitting people. He is a good wrestler and he takes people down and lays on top of them. When you are talking actual black belts that actually i guess use it, you are talking about guys like Oliveira, Maia, Gracie, Mir. Those guys show their BJJ in the MMA world. Even Glover shows those chops often, however he also has pretty good standup. OSP could have been that good or even better if his wrestling was up to snuff.

 

[Vol_sanity]

See. I think his BJJ was definitely good enough. His take down defense is average though. Bader is a former All American wrestler and BJJ black belt. You want take down defense against him and then kill him on striking. It’s what Glover did and he is a wrestler and BJJ black belt.
I might be wrong, but I think Glover did some initial mma training at the Pit. Great stand up training with take down defense. Love talking MMA.

I think he always worried about the takedown when fighting a good wrestler. It made him tentative and predictable. When he wasnt afraid of that, he was elite on the feet. He had Glover hurt early, but couldnt get way from Glover. I would always throw things when a wrestler / BJJ would get their hands on OSP, I knew it was over, most of the time

 

[Bigorangefaninga]

I think he always worried about the takedown when fighting a good wrestler. It made him tentative and predictable. When he wasnt afraid of that, he was elite on the feet. He had Glover hurt early, but couldnt get way from Glover. I would always throw things when a wrestler / BJJ would get their hands on OSP, I knew it was over, most of the time

its exactly what it was, at the least he should have joined couture out in CO and stayed there because his kicks and hands were elite because of his athleticism and his length. If he could walk in there against a guy and not have to worry as much about being taken down he would have won even more than he did and prob would have been a champ. Wrestling is one if not the best base there is in MMA, its why I enjoy MMA so much, I love wrestling. With his athleticism he would have picked up wrestling pretty dang quickly, I just wished he would have went somewhere that would have gotten the best out of him.

 

[Bigorangefaninga]

was a dup

 

[Franklin_Vol09]

Bader would be one of them that should not be given a black belt. Guy is worse than GSP with lay and pray. He has almost had as many losses to submissions as submitting people. He is a good wrestler and he takes people down and lays on top of them. When you are talking actual black belts that actually i guess use it, you are talking about guys like Oliveira, Maia, Gracie, Mir. Those guys show their BJJ in the MMA world. Even Glover shows those chops often, however he also has pretty good standup. OSP could have been that good or even better if his wrestling was up to snuff.

I agree with you. OSP doesn’t have good wrestling or takedown defense. Love Frank Mir and if he didn’t have his motorcycle accident, would have been considered an all time great. He doesn’t have the killer instinct though.
Bader was always a ground and pound guy. He is definitely proficient in BJJ to defend against chokes and locks. However, when the $hit hits the fan, like most fighters, they scramble to what they know and are comfortable.
BJ Penn is world class BJJ but has most of his wins by KO. BJ was a waste of talent though.
The Diaz brothers are excellent BJJ but they prefer to stand up and strike.
It’s funny, I had a convo with Eddie Bravo about combat BJJ several years ago and he has some really insightful thoughts about it.

 

[Smokymtnbullet]

When training in Knoxville he used to go to Neyland and run steps about once a week.

 

[Bigorangefaninga]

I agree with you. OSP doesn’t have good wrestling or takedown defense. Love Frank Mir and if he didn’t have his motorcycle accident, would have been considered an all time great. He doesn’t have the killer instinct though.
Bader was always a ground and pound guy. He is definitely proficient in BJJ to defend against chokes and locks. However, when the $hit hits the fan, like most fighters, they scramble to what they know and are comfortable.
BJ Penn is world class BJJ but has most of his wins by KO. BJ was a waste of talent though.
The Diaz brothers are excellent BJJ but they prefer to stand up and strike.
It’s funny, I had a convo with Eddie Bravo about combat BJJ several years ago and he has some really insightful thoughts about it.

Yeah it’s really fun talking to some of those guys like Bravo. I mean Henderson was the same way, world class wrestler but by the end would just sit there waiting to use the big right and if that didn’t work he would get knocked out. Some people are just to hardheaded for their own good. Diaz brothers and BJ are in the same breathe. Never made much sense to me except to stupid and prideful. Funny how much I agree with you. Mir without the wreck is one of the best out there, BJ was the biggest waste of talent out there.

 

[Franklin_Vol09]

Yeah it’s really fun talking to some of those guys like Bravo. I mean Henderson was the same way, world class wrestler but by the end would just sit there waiting to use the big right and if that didn’t work he would get knocked out. Some people are just to hardheaded for their own good. Diaz brothers and BJ are in the same breathe. Never made much sense to me except to stupid and prideful. Funny how much I agree with you. Mir without the wreck is one of the best out there, BJ was the biggest waste of talent out there.

Many years ago, I got to roll with Joe Rogan at Eddie’s 10th planet. He is really strong for a little guy. All that TRT has made him a beast.
I see Chandler at his gym in Nashville from time to time too. I do very little training now since I’m an old fart but it’s fun to roll or hit a bag from time to time. I’m not gonna deal with anything that hits back though. Lol. Those times are over. I’ll visit the MMA thread more. Love talking this stuff.