Fighters that revolutionized the game

[Hunter]

1)Mark Coleman-Really one of the inventors of ground and pound
2)Chuck Liddell-Maybe not revolutionized but deffiantly changed the sprawl and brawl style
3)Sakuraba-demistified the Gracie name changed the ground game
4)Fedor-redifined ground and pound
5)Silvia-Really showed how dangerous the Muay thia clinch can be
6)Royce-showed the world the effectiviness of the ground game(BJJ)
Perhaps add Mo. Smith for the first real stand fighter? none of these are in order of importance either.

These are just a few I thought of. In english we have to write a paper on people/a person who revelutionized something and I chose mma any other names and how the changed the game would be really appreciated thank.

[catabolic kid]

Maurice Smith...maybe Bas Rutten.

[USfighterFC]

I'd have to say Ken Shamrock was one of the first fighters ever to be well rounded at the time, demonstrating that ground skills are an important factor in fights as well as stand up.

[catabolic kid]

I'd have to say Ken Shamrock was one of the first fighters ever to be well rounded at the time, demonstrating that ground skills are an important factor in fights as well as stand up.

Good point.

Wouldnt Bas Rutten be considered the first striker to be successful in MMA?

[catabolic kid]

mnfighter....i sent you a pm

[USfighterFC]

Good point.

Wouldnt Bas Rutten be considered the first striker to be successful in MMA?

Mo smith was around before Rutten in the UFC and to me he showed that a good striker with good skills can beat a great wrestler. i.e. coleman

Bas only had 2 fights in the UFC. Pancrase and Rings to me isnt full MMA.

[catabolic kid]

Strikers are at a big disadvantage in pancrase.

[USfighterFC]

Strikers are at a big disadvantage in pancrase.

Things def arent in their favor and back before 1998 a good amount of Pancrase matches were fixed. Rutten and FRANK shamrock werent really involved. Ken is a whole other story.

[catabolic kid]

Things def arent in their favor and back before 1998 a good amount of Pancrase matches were fixed. Rutten and FRANK shamrock werent really involved. Ken is a whole other story.

Yeah I heard about that.

I said Bas, because he did very well as a striker under rules (pancrase) that were terrible for strikers...imagine what he would have done without shin guards and with close fists! Also, he beat maurice smith twice....Plus, bas is a better striker.

Yes, Maurice won the decision...but it just bothers me that he nor rizzo would not finish coleman even when he was so tired he could barely stand let alone shoot a decent double...why were they holding back?

[USfighterFC]

Yeah I heard about that.

I said Bas, because he did very well as a striker under rules (pancrase) that were terrible for strikers...imagine what he would have done without shin guards and with close fists! Also, he beat maurice smith twice....Plus, bas is a better striker.

Yes, Maurice won the decision...but it just bothers me that he nor rizzo would not finish coleman even when he was so tired he could barely stand let alone shoot a decent double...why were they holding back?

Shooting for a single or double leg while tired is complete torture. It takes so much out of you completion or not. I dont know why Rizzo or mo smith couldnt finish Coleman really......I guess it's just one of those days where coleman did well avoiding getting knocked out. Fighting coleman also gets you extremely tired since grappling can really make you gas quick and diminshes your knockout power or just power or snap in punches in general. Rizzo was able to knock the ever loving shit out of Arlovski in the 3rd round simply because the whole fight was stand up. There was no ground fighting and no clinches if i remember correctly. Wrestling with Coleman is a struggle every single second of every round.

[catabolic kid]

Shooting for a single or double leg while tired is complete torture. It takes so much out of you completion or not. I dont know why Rizzo or mo smith couldnt finish Coleman really......I guess it's just one of those days where coleman did well avoiding getting knocked out. Fighting coleman also gets you extremely tired since grappling can really make you gas quick and diminshes your knockout power or just power or snap in punches in general. Rizzo was able to knock the ever loving shit out of Arlovski in the 3rd round simply because the whole fight was stand up. There was no ground fighting and no clinches if i remember correctly. Wrestling with Coleman is a struggle every single second of every round.

Yeah, that is what I am saying. Towards the end of both fights, Coleman was so gassed that Rizzo and Smith had really nothing to worry about (especially Smith). I mean, he was so tired, he could not have possibly taken them down.

[Tedbear981]

Good point.

Wouldnt Bas Rutten be considered the first striker to be successful in MMA?

not the first as already said above but prob one of the best strikers in the early ufc days,
Bas has his place in the hall of fame no question, just look at all the fighters he's beaten, its a who's who of early MMA

[BigRandy]

id add randy couture to that list. imo he brought conditioning and skills to another level

[catabolic kid]

id add randy couture to that list. imo he brought conditioning and skills to another level

Yes, Randy has to be in their somewhere. I think that he was one of the most intelligent fighters...he has all of the intangibles it takes to succeed in MMA.

[Hunter]

Yes, Randy has to be in their somewhere. I think that he was one of the most intelligent fighters...he has all of the intangibles it takes to succeed in MMA.

Perfect first wrestler to crosstrain. No dissin Coleman at all but he was the first wrestler to really crosstrains thanks so much guys

[Tedbear981]

We all forgot Mark Kerr

[catabolic kid]

We all forgot Mark Kerr

He made an impact.

First wrestler with real submission offense and especially defense (2 x abu dhabi champion)

Also, his documentary is noteworthy.

[Timm1704]

I'd have to say Ken Shamrock was one of the first fighters ever to be well rounded at the time, demonstrating that ground skills are an important factor in fights as well as stand up.

that is exactly the point i was going to make. he was the firts household name that was a mixture, in essence, a shootfighter, mixture of striking and wrestling

[USfighterFC]

Mark Kerr is in the category of what could've been. He was no submission wizard he just had such over powering strength. I agree with MN fighter about Couture. He came in to the UFC a greco roman wrestler and really cross trained well and set up a precedent. I dont think Coleman really cross trained at all.

[sp9]

Pat Miletich.

[craneboy]

dan severn, he wouldn't last long today but he did make people have to learn to deal with wrestlers

[USfighterFC]

Honestly tho Royce Gracie really changed what MMA is in AMERICA.

[Hunter]

dan severn, he wouldn't last long today but he did make people have to learn to deal with wrestlers

Dan proved that wrestlers can do well in MMA but I would not say he revolutionized anything. But I can see where your coming from