People here seem to think that Fedor wins because of some magical Russian sauce, that he's so good because of talent.
Bullshit.
He's the best because he works the hardest. He has no distractions; he challenges himself more in training then any other fighter in the world. He has great coaches and a great team that constantly pushes him to be the best. His training camps are brutal and he has more hardships in training then he could ever have in the ring.
He wins on his hard work and his mind. He is the mentally strongest fighter in the world, and this shows both in the ring and out of it. He has no ego, knows himself and his opponents; till this changes, he will not lose.
droc, I disagree. I read about the Kislovodsk training camp that Fedor goes to before the fights. I know Lindland is an Olympian and trains very hard, but I doubt he ever went through anything like that.
NHBDaddy, so Crocop, Minatauro, and Hunt are shit right?
toddseney, no one is arguing that top level MMA fighters are all talented, genetically gifted freaks. My point is that Fedor works harder and smarter then anyone and this is why he's the best in the world. He wont lose this weekend. He wont lose if he comes to the UFC. Till he retires or there's someone that outworks him, he will be #1.
"My point is that Fedor works harder and smarter then anyone and this is why he's the best in the world"
I sort of agree with you... being successful at the highest level has less to do with working hard than with working smart. Fedor is successful because he is gifted, works smart and works hard.
Lindland is a good fighter at his own weight class but he is fighting a top HW.
Also, to put it nicely, Lindland is less than impressive when it comes to stand up and submissions.
Fedor is stronger in each of these categories. Even when it comes to wresting because of the weight difference I wouldn't even give an edge to Lindland.
Fedor fought top-3 heavyweights three times (Mino twice, not counting the no-contest, plus Mirko once), that is more than anyone else. And he won every time. And as for Hunt, Fedor finished him, which is certainly more than Cro Cop can claim.
It's in the blood too. Tough mentally, physically with a hard work ethic. People from that area and neighboring areas are tough as nails. My dad is actually an older/obsolete model of Fedor coming out of eastern Europe. He's fallen off a roof, burned his legs severely and suffered many bangs and bruises throughout his life that would put the average human/non-cyborg in the hospital. He's escaped everytime with minimal pain and a quick recovery, much like what Fedor's CPU(learning computer) does for him. Like the time Fujita hurt him and his CPU turned the kill switch on.
Lmao at people not thinking he works hard. I remember years ago Karelin was being interviewed and the reporter insinuated that he is so good because of natural talent and genetics. Karelin looked at him and said that none of his opponents have ever worked as hard as he does.
I speak Russian and I read about Fedor's pre-fight training camp in Kislovodsk. it is hell on earth at high altitude. Nothing fancy, nothing magical. Just smart hard training several times a day for many weeks working on specifics to the fight and opponent that he will face. I'm not disputing that he's natutally gifted, but he wins by his mind and work ethic.
"Lindland is less than impressive when it comes to stand up and submissions."
His standup thus far has indeed been unimpressive. I was impressed when he submitted Lutter. However, I don't know if Lindland has faced someone with Fedor's raw power behind every technique he does. I guess we'll see...
"Karelin looked at him and said that none of his opponents have ever worked as hard as he does."
Karelin was a genetic freak who also happened to work hard and with some very good wrestlers. Did Rulon win because he trained harder?
It's not simply a contest to see who can train 24 hours a day the longest. Fedor brings good strategy to his fights. And is gifted. It's the combination of having a good plan, working hard and being gifted that makes him successful.
That's sort of the point I'm trying to make. Everyone at that level is a 'genetic freak'. You have to be to become such an amazing athlete, and some of us mortals could never reach these hights no matter how hard we work.
Fedor, IMO, takes this farther. I think he's very talented, but he also has the work ethic and intelect that takes full advantage of his talents...something that other with the talent cannot do. There are so many examples of fighters that should have been great on paper but never amount to much or burn out quickly. Fedor has been in the game for years, and he's the best he's ever war. I believe that he is always improving and tailoring his game to his oponents.
Even in his fight with Hunt, he looked almost asleep but never lost control and ended up submitting him. Noone can blame him for taking the cash to fight Lindland. I would love to see him fight Barnet or Mirco again, obviously, but the fact that he may not do that doesnt take away from his legacy. I think once he retires and starts coaching his own team, we will see a whole new breed of fighters out of Russia with the same approach to training and fighting.
I think he's so good because of his transitions. He is never out of position. He can move from striking to grappling and back again smoother then anyone I have ever seen.