Several guys have done MMA rounds with Rickson and given the same reports.
MMA “changes everything” for certain styles. Rickson isn’t a gi heavy guard sub sniper, he’s an overhook → sweep → pass → gift wrap → RNC player. All of that works better with strikes, not worse.
Rickson isn’t a 2023 blue belt who’s never been hit. His made up record is bullshit but that guy is not unfamiliar with getting hit.
Both Royce and Renzo were more accomplished in MMA than Rickson.
I’m a fan of Rickson, and appreciate him as kind of a throwback to a different time.
You don’t have to necessarily “prove yourself” in MMA to be a well respected grappling master and eldar statesman.
Look at Ricardo Liborio.
But they myth that Rickson would just magically submit anyone the minute it goes to the ground, is unfounded.
Rickson spent almost 15 minutes in the ring with Takada, and came away with 2 submissions.
Matt Hughes is better at everything than Takada.
And even though he fought at 170, Hughes would also be stronger than Rickson.
Rickson was great, in his element.
But his hands down - chin up approach would have gotten him hurt as MMA evolved.
I’m not saying he wouldn’t catch some guys.
He would.
But there just isn’t enough there to pick him over Hughes.
If Hughes is on bottom he gets wrecked. I don’t think Hughes ground and pounds Rickson out, and there is no way Hughes submits Rickson either. I just think Rickson is a superior ground fighter.
Rickson gets beaten into a living death. It’s like the legend Of the local guy with this car that’s so fast, and you find out it’s just a bullshit 350 sbc with stock heads from the 70’s and a .480 lift no duration tappet cam that couldn’t outrun a new Hyundai.
It’s a BJJ strategy that got adopted by MMA. Early NHB / MMA people ASSUMED they needed the same positional hierarchy as taught in BJJ, but learned it wasn’t always necessary and other approaches worked too.
BTW, I just watched the first 30 UFCs the last three weeks, so this stuff is fresh in my mind.
Westlers, back then, would sometimes settle in the half-guard and pound or --most commonly, by far-- stay in the full guard, post up and pound from inside the guard.
I wrestled and then did bjj for a long time before I went to mma. I learned real quick that by posturing up and ground and pounding that I could finish most people. I always joked that I spent that much time to learn that the most effective way to open the guard was an elbow to the lowest rib.
I don’t know, the positional hierarchy of BJJ is based upon striking effectiveness. I think it’s a chicken and egg thing.
Half guard top is very underrated if you have hip to hip connection and the hips pinned flat. I think it’s far superior to side control.
It’s interesting though that half guard bottom offense wasn’t really a thing until the 90s, and people didn’t realize you need a frame like a half butterfly or knee shield to keep from getting pinned until later
The positional hierarchy that evolved in Brazil evolved in a WEAK wrestling environment. They were often fighting all sorts of stand up arts.
They just didn’t have strong wrestling in Brazil. It was more Judo and arts derived from Judo (BJJ) and arts that mixed Judo & wrestling (Luta Livre). Just not the same as the American wrestling tradition.
If they had more and better wrestlers in Brazil, I think the positional hierarchy of BJJ would have, necessarily, evolved better.
Renzo was better all around than Rickson except on the ground, and I don’t think the difference was much when it came to MMA.
Renzo had better strikes and set up takedowns better. He didn’t stand with his chin up and hand down like an 1800s boxer. Rickson was bigger and stronger so he could drag guys down a little better
