Do you think that if Sakuraba seriously dedicating himself to becoming a grappling instructor, he would be any good?
Do you think that he could effectively teach his rather unorthodox style to those interested in learning?
He could definately teach smaller guys how to square off in MMA against guys 20lbs.+ heavier than them.
So far he has been the only really successful fighter to come out of his Dojo (Takada Dojo), so there isn't much proof...
however, Takada had no amateur wrestling background (just pro-wrestling), Matsui had a judo background, not a amateur wrestling background, and the other fighters didn't stick with the program for that long.
So, in theory, if someone from a good amateur wrestling background (liek Sakuraba, who was a freestyle wrestler before he was a pro-wrestler) trained with Sakuraba, the style could indeed work IMO.
Saku's style is catch (more or less), so having a wrestling background would seem to be key (ie. control from the hips more than with position per se, use of giving your back vs. fighting from your back, ability to scramble, takedown ability, etc.).
Aside from the X factors that Sak brings into the game, you could argue that his foundation is simple wrestling + submissions.
I'd love to see Saku coach Sudo. Match made in heaven right there.
Sudo did a lot of wrestling in high school, but after that he studied BJJ (among other things), so his style is quite a bit different...
Sakuraba is a throwback...I don't think that catch would work on average as much (reason why it died out and judo spread), but if it does, it is deadly...
You need someone with a good wrestling base who controls his opponents on the ground like wrestlers do (hip pressure), and who views positions like wrestlers do.
Sakuraba is like Carlos Newton or Rickson Gracie.... they are all enigmas. They are all special at what they do. And unfortunately they cant really pass their special traits onto other people. We have seen Sak corner people, and those that he does dont fair too well.
While Rickson hasn't passed on what he does (Newton is too young as of right now), the style that he teaches has been effectively passed on (look at what Renzo has done). So we know that even though Rickson may be special (along with Penn, etc.), that what they teach is applicable to a large percentage of the population.
We still don't know if what Sakuraba teaches is applicable to a range of people or not (obviously the odds of them being at Saku level is very low, but I mean just "great" level (in other words the average Gracie is great!, but Rickson or Penn or Royler or JJM are even better)).
Sothy said Sudo studied BJJ, not Sakuraba
Sure the style they teach might be applicable to wide number of people, but that doesnt mean this particular person can consistently create champions. Just because someone is a good fighter doesnt make them a good teacher and vice versa. Sperry is probably a better teacher than he is a fighter although he does have considerable experience in fighting.
The combination of being both a top fighter and a top coach is actually quite rare. Passing on knowledge is an art of its own. The only one I can think of who comes close is Pat Miletich, although most of his top fighters had some kind of background in something. (ex. Jen in boxing and Hughes in wrestling)
I've used a few moves i saw from his instructional tape with success, and i prefer his takedowns as well.
don't know...but he drops by sometimes after he left as well...I'm not saying that Sudo got his skills from a couple of years of BJJ or whatever it was, I'm just saying that it would have infleunced his style to the point where Sudo and Sakuraba have different grappling styles (they are both Japanese though which causes people to lump them together)
"sakuraba's success was based on things you cant teach imo"
Roy Jones wouldnt be my first choice as a boxing coach
"(they are both Japanese though which causes people to lump them together)"
Since I'm the one who brought up Saku and Sudo training together let me just say fuck off with that dumb shit. The two guys get lumped together b/c of their unorthodox styles and showmanship.
He'd probably be good at picking up on what somebody's good at and focusing on it.
if u spoke his language hed b a good instructor
Sudo is a brown belt in bjj. When you actually see Sudo grapple on the ground - like in contenders or ADCC, you see he is pretty much textbook bjj. When standing, ya he likes to pull some unorthodox flying stuff.
Actually Saku did study Bjj (not sure if he actually trained it, or was just training with Bjj guys) but on the japanese version of PRIDE 3 he and Takada are in the US training for fights.
Saku can be seen training with a number of different fighters, submitting most of them with armlocks.
I wouldn't say Saku's style is catch.
It's really his own thing. His training is all over the map. Catch-as-Catch-Can is certainly part of the mix; they say he even worked a little with Billy Robinson. He had a good amatuer wrestling background. When he was doing pro wrestling, he sparred all the time using the realistic holds.
He's said to have trained a little with BJJists. Mostly just mat space at the Beverly Hills Jiu-Jitsu Club though.
All that info is off the net, take it for what it's worth.
TH
IMO Caol Uno has a similar style to Sakuraba except with better striking. Both guys have trained with each other and seem to get on well with each other. Uno could be a good example.