The guy was a world champion kick boxer…he made his debut in Extreme Fighting against Conan Silveira and did the unthinkable, he survived the big guys BJJ and ended up knocking him out with a head kick…then he later landed a nice right hand KOing Kazunari…I was impressed, he had elite striking and we training with Kohsaka and Fran Shamrock for his grappling…finally Mma had a guy with world class kickboxing…
He came to Ufc and fought Coleman…I remember predicting he would beat Coleman and he did…after this fight I believe his training either stagnated or opponents found out how to neutralize his skillset…many fighters over the next few years would just take him down over and over…very boring fights and the world class striking was nowhere to be seen from Mauruce…
What happened? Was his heart not into it anymore?did age creep up on him? Did he stop training with Kohsaka and Frank? What was strange was it seemed like Mayrude never trained wrestling a day in his life as his sprawl or anti-wrestling sucked…
I was at the fight in Alabama when Maurice Smith knocked out Coleman.
before the fight nobody thought Maurice Smith had even a 1% chance of winning that fight because Coleman was a beast.
But I knew Maurice Smith and his experience in kickboxing … which back then a lot of people didn’t understand or know much about… much like MMA either. It was a real learning curve and process after that even took place and Maurice Smith really was one of the pioneers of MMA because before that it was just pure BJJ or wrestling…or so people thought.
I hold Maurice Smith in high regard as the Pioneer and Champion he is. I was lucky enough to watch him fight Marco Ruas in the Main Event at UFC 21. I even got to chat with him before hand and he couldn’t have been cooler or more laid back. What he did against Coleman was huge at the time and it helped me understand what to do against the bigger, stronger Wrestler. Mo, Frank, Kosaka and Crazy Bob made up a helluva team.
I was there when he beat Coleman, too. I was 16. It was my first MMA event, and I was losing my mind during that fight. I was a huge fan after seeing him in Extreme Fighting and no one gave him a chance against Coleman. Honestly, I think it's still my favorite moment in my long history of being an MMA fan. I can't believe it's been over twenty years since then.
colubrid1 - I was at the fight in Alabama when Maurice Smith knocked out Coleman.
before the fight nobody thought Maurice Smith had even a 1% chance of winning that fight because Coleman was a beast.
But I knew Maurice Smith and his experience in kickboxing … which back then a lot of people didn’t understand or know much about… much like MMA either. It was a real learning curve and process after that even took place and Maurice Smith really was one of the pioneers of MMA because before that it was just pure BJJ or wrestling…or so people thought.
We have come a long way since then.
I love hearing from the silver beards on these older fights. I know they don’t visit "reddit". Pile of stanky shit. With no kirik,jason etc with this place? I am a bit worried.
I was there when he beat Coleman, too. I was 16. It was my first MMA event, and I was losing my mind during that fight. I was a huge fan after seeing him in Extreme Fighting and no one gave him a chance against Coleman. Honestly, I think it's still my favorite moment in my long history of being an MMA fan. I can't believe it's been over twenty years since then.
Me 3.
Pretty funny at least 3 people at the event have already popped up on this thread.
Amazing fight, amazing evening.
Was that the night that Mo thanked Helio Gracie for making us all better fighters ?
Then told Royce he was not ready when Royce first challenged him but he is now ready ?
Everyone thought Coleman was going to crush him.
No joke I told a friend I thought Mo was going to win, he made a bet with some of the guys hanging around Hammer House crew. A bunch of young guys selling Colelman t shirts etc.
I remember walking into the dressing room/area that night they had ice bags all over Coleman’s legs after all of those leg kicks from MO.
Mo trolled everyone on that fight with Coleman. Said in interviews that he wouldn’t get taken down and didn’t need to learn the ground game and that Coleman punched like a bitch. After the fight he said in his interview that he trained a ton of ground game for the match, and that Coleman’s punches hurt like s bitch!
I think he would have lost to Severn had Severn not hurt his hand in Pride and wasn’t allowed to fight. Wound up losing to Couture.
Had incredible conditioning which is how he won MMA fights by letting his opponents tire themselves out. Was very good at not taking direct shots and could take a punch well. His striking was spot on and when his opponents were tired they didn’t stand a chance.
In all truthfulness there’s nothing negative I can say about him, great guy who trained hard, was very respectful. Worked with Frank Shamrock to improve his ground game.
I remember when he fought Stan Longinidis was a huge event. They got it on as in Maurice Smith's words, Alexio has been ducking me for years.
Nothing but respect for Smith. He was willing to test himself whenever and where ever. Took on some monsters K1. I really miss that era of K1. IMO the best era of kickboxing.
Just the best guys getting in there and getting in on. No one ducked anyone.
Anyone remember a few months before their fight, when the announcer asked a drunk Coleman how h was going to do against Maurice, Mark said “I’m going to take him to the ground and pound the shit out of him!” Lol
I remember when Maurice came to the Ufc, 2 fights I really wanted to see him in were against Belfort and then Marco Ruas…Maurice admitted that Belforts hand speed could give him problems and he acted as if Ruas would be the easier fight for him…I know they fought at a later Ufc but both were injured and out of their prime
colubrid1 - I was at the fight in Alabama when Maurice Smith knocked out Coleman.
before the fight nobody thought Maurice Smith had even a 1% chance of winning that fight because Coleman was a beast.
But I knew Maurice Smith and his experience in kickboxing … which back then a lot of people didn’t understand or know much about… much like MMA either. It was a real learning curve and process after that even took place and Maurice Smith really was one of the pioneers of MMA because before that it was just pure BJJ or wrestling…or so people thought.
We have come a long way since then.
Not to be picky but he won a decision and not by KO