Since Karelin grew up boxing, why in hell would they ever be on the ground? THat monster would hurt Royce IMO, I am not saying Royce couldnt catch him, but its up to Karelin to hit the ground, and if he doesnt want to be there, the fight will be standing.
WhiteWhale - i have seen karelin vs maeda and honestly he would have gotten subbed by gracie
yes he would have thrown him around like a rag doll but at some point karelin taps
i wish this wasnt true, im not a bjj guy and am a wrestler but seriously karelin would have eventually been caught thats what always happens
I saw the work and Karelin handled him like he was a child; he placed Maeda on the ground. He moved him like he was a carton of eggs. If you've seen the violence of when he really wrestles, you'd know that Karelin could fuck someone up beyond help. He would plant Gracie on his head.
I don't think Karelin would get caught in a submission by Royce or even Rickson. There shouldn't even be any debate about this, how can he tap?!
15 lbs at birth!?
Where are all the Brock 'cockchestattoo' Lesnar nutriders?
I like Royce and Rickson but I think that Karelin would have absolutely shattered them with slams especially when getting triangled. His strength and explosiveness are incredible. I can see a sub working on him after he's gassed but with his power and world champion caliber wrestling it's really hard to imagine him not monstering out of all non-leg subs early on.
beerbelly -Pig Bun - LOL @ Gardner's "win"! How many points did he actually score? ZERO??!!
He was fat enough that it was hard for Karelin to get a good grip and sweaty enough for Karelin to lose grip, and a point.
He won within the rules of the sport, what's the problem? Did you see Karelin throw Rulan around like he had everyone else? No, so I am guessing to get to the Olympic finals takes a little more talent than just being "fat".
Rulon is a hell of an athlete. I doubt he would have a chance against Karelin in his prime, and even so just won on a technicality. But he was good enough to still be in the game when that technicality occurred. People dissing Rulon have no idea what they're talking about ... keyboard fighters who've never had to wrestle anyone close to Karelin's ability.
You guys picking Royce over Karelin are crazy. Kimo and Severn put serious beatings on Royce, and yes they each got caught eventually. Royce was in bad shape afterward though. Karelin is bigger, stronger, faster, and a FAAAAR better athlete than Kimo or Severn. Not to mention the best fucking wrestler in the galaxy. He tossed around SHW Olympians like potatoes, imagine the destruction he would do to a 175lb Royce trying to pull guard??? It would look 10x worse than Sapp vs Nog or Severn vs Macias. Rickson would not fair much better, maybe a lucky RNC.
how biased you have to be to even bring Gardner's "win" into this discussion as an argument against Karelin? Karelin dominated for years, he "lost" his final fight in a very strange way, so what - he demolished people hundreds of times before that by putting them on heads with ease. Diminishing the career of one of the greatest athletes of our times because of that loss? What impresses you then? How many years a fighter has to be unbeaten to be acknowledged by fans of other combat sports?
Decades have to pass for submission sports to generate an athlete of this caliber from competition pool. And sorry - if Kimo could hang with Royce for so long, this fat Japanese could hang with Rickson, Karelin would surely do well, lol.