What is it that makes wrestlers so dominating in our sport? Is it the sport of wrestling that is more suited for the upperhand, or is it the fact the wrestlers, by nature, are more aggressive, physical, imposing, etc.
Jiu jitsu guys are more passive with their game. Boxers seem to be more calculating with counter attacks at times. Wrestlers seem to be unrelentless with pressure.
In mma, what takes place isn't wrestling, it's takedowns. From that point, the game changes. It's no longer wrestling.
In my opinion, what makes wrestlers so good is the pressure of their attacks. The relentless forward engaging, which seems to be a step ahead of boxers, jiu jitsu guys, etc at times. I think they employ the same tenacity when they learn to strike, and that is what makes them so dominant.
So, in my opinion, it's the tenacity of the wrestlers more than the sport of wrestling that makes the difference.
Any opinions?
As a college wrestler making the transition to MMA, I have a couple thoughts:
First, the wrestling mastery, more than any other style, allows the fighter to best control where the fight goes. Wrestlers can dictate better than others whether the fight takes place on the feet, on the ground, or in the clinch. This is a tremendous advantage.
Second, because of its rawness, the duration of the season, and the overall intensity, wrestlers need no learning curve on how to properly train. Wrestlers bring an intensity that has been developing since they were in elementary school. Thus, the sport has created tougher athletes.
Third, wrestlers seem to have the easier time learning standup and submissions than standup artists and submissions artists have learning the other two.
I don't think you can separate the sport of wrestling from wrestlers. The sport creates wrestlers. Everything good about wrestlers - tenacity, mental and physical toughness - is because of the sport.
Pride Rules -nokuout -most wrestlers get raped in mma
Any opinions?
only a few make it out of local shows
even at the top of the sport wrestlers get smashed
Cain,Fitch,Brock,Carwin,Tito,Handy,Hendo...
just to name a few.
I think most fighters of every style probably don't get out of local shows.
wiggum - As a college wrestler making the transition to MMA, I have a couple thoughts:
First, the wrestling mastery, more than any other style, allows the fighter to best control where the fight goes. Wrestlers can dictate better than others whether the fight takes place on the feet, on the ground, or in the clinch. This is a tremendous advantage.
Second, because of its rawness, the duration of the season, and the overall intensity, wrestlers need no learning curve on how to properly train. Wrestlers bring an intensity that has been developing since they were in elementary school. Thus, the sport has created tougher athletes.
Third, wrestlers seem to have the easier time learning standup and submissions than standup artists and submissions artists have learning the other two.
I don't think you can separate the sport of wrestling from wrestlers. The sport creates wrestlers. Everything good about wrestlers - tenacity, mental and physical toughness - is because of the sport.
agreed, good post.
OnlyTheStrongSurvive -Pride Rules -nokuout -most wrestlers get raped in mma
Any opinions?
only a few make it out of local shows
even at the top of the sport wrestlers get smashed
Cain,Fitch,Brock,Carwin,Tito,Handy,Hendo...
just to name a few.
I think most fighters of every style probably don't get out of local shows.
Good point, but you're only feeding a troll. He just named seven fighters - all of whom are former champions or number one contenders - as examples of wrestlers getting smashed.
Pride Rules -nokuout -most wrestlers get raped in mma
Any opinions?
only a few make it out of local shows
even at the top of the sport wrestlers get smashed
Cain,Fitch,Brock,Carwin,Tito,Handy,Hendo...
just to name a few.
5 out the 7 people you mentioned are or have been Champs.
what was your point?
It just depends on the individuals imo. I personally don't think there is necessarily a dominant mma style
wiggum, great points.
I agree, the sport creates wrestlers (tenacity, mental/physical toughness, etc). My thoughts are that once the transition is made to mma, it's more what the sport of wrestling has made of those fighters, than the use of the sport wrestling. If that makes sense.
You see division 1 wrestlers unable to finish takedowns in mma against guys with no 'formal' wrestling background when strikes are involved. Especially at the local level.
I think what has made the top tier mma guys who are high level wrestlers so good, is that tenacity crossed over to their striking, transitions, jiu jitsu attacks, etc.
It's the scoring. It's like if a boxer fought a kick boxer and one kick (effective or no) was scored equal to 25 punches. 
nokuout - wiggum, great points.
I agree, the sport creates wrestlers (tenacity, mental/physical toughness, etc). My thoughts are that once the transition is made to mma, it's more what the sport of wrestling has made of those fighters, than the use of the sport wrestling. If that makes sense.
You see division 1 wrestlers unable to finish takedowns in mma against guys with no 'formal' wrestling background when strikes are involved. Especially at the local level.
I think what has made the top tier mma guys who are high level wrestlers so good, is that tenacity crossed over to their striking, transitions, jiu jitsu attacks, etc.
Definitely. I've trained with some guys whom I couldn't beat with just wrestling, even though my sport wrestling was far superior. Their striking mitigated my advantage. But I was still able to secure the upper hand because I was able to out work them.
I'll never forget training with a competition BJJ team (at a gym I didn't regular) and being told, "we're going three five minute rounds, so pace yourselves." In college, I'd here, "we're ONLY going three 5 minute rounds, so YOU BETTER NOT PACE YOURSELF!"
That mentality translates well to MMA.
Do you remember James Carville's quote: "It's the economy, stupid."
Well, it's the RULES stupid.
While I take nothing away from the amazing athleticism, dedication and technique of wrestlers the Unified Rules, Judges and Refs are a fucking mess that allow for a fighter to ENDLESSLY work for takedowns pressed up against the fence, get the takedown, LnP and basically burn 3.5 mins of a round and WIN the round even if he got his face smashed in and did nothing but escaped submission attempt after submission attempt. Just look at fights like Castillo/Njokuani or the travesty that was Torres/Mighty Mouse.
The rules are so fucked up that wrestling trumps EVERYTHING.
Everyone in the sport knows it and exploits it. This is why you have a guy like Story end up in people's top ten WW lists after he Wall n Stalled against Alves, then he get's "beat" (i.e. out-wrestled) by Charlie Brenneman who is SO not a top ten fighter in any way shape or form right now. And we saw exactly that when they put him in with a legit top ten guy in Anthony Johnson who beat the piss out of him.