So because Rickson fought before the sport was as big as it is now means we should doubt him? If that's the case than I guess wilt's 100 point game should be doubted as well because it was never recorded.
So because he retired in his prime we should think less of him. Guess Jim Brown and Barry Sanders can't be considered all time greats then.
Nicknitro - what is your belt rank and who do you train with because if you think Laimon would beat Rickson you are clearly retarded.
'It would be like a high school basketball player doing great in high school and then retiring without playing college or pros and having people say how great he was and how he is on par with Jordan and Bird based on his performances in high school.'
It is nothing like that. When he competed in bjj, he competed in every tournament available at the time, and won every single match in his weight and open class. He didn't fight in the tournaments with only 'high school' level fighters, he fought and soundly defeated nearly, if not all, by submission.
The fans at the tournaments used to count down from ten for the submission.
He once asked that all his fights be in a row, one after the other, against the top guys, so he could finish early and go surfing! And guess what, he submitted all of them in a row!
Like I said, he fought in the best tournaments available at the time, against the best guys at the time, and defeated everyone.
It just happens that a few years later someone starts a tournament with those same guys who Rickson was bitch slapping, and call it the 'Mundials', and all of a sudden, those guys are 'world champions'.
So if they had of called the other tournaments 'mudials', he would be a multiple weight and open champion. It just happens that no one had the idea to call it that when he was competing.
Same as MMA. Royce gets credit (totally deserved) for beating all the guys in one night in the first two UFC's, and is a legend. Rickson goes over and starts the Vale tudo in Japan, fighting much bigger guys than him the same as Royce, defeating multiple oponents easily in one night, all of who at least knew what was coming and some had ground fighting skills (not as good as Rickson, but that is the point of the thread!), as opposed to Royce's opponents who had no idea what hit them, and except for Shamrock, none of them had any ground skills at all. And no one ever mentions that anyone was able to enter, they just didn't want to fight Rickson. Whether they say now they did or not doesn't matter. Where were they at the time. Easy, sitting at home watching it, thinking, 'I'm glad he's not mounted on me'.
Then goes in as a marquee headliner to get Pride started, which if it wasn't for him, would more than likely not taken off, and become the biggest mma show in the world. But again it was in Japan, so ignorant us fans don't care, beacause it wasn't the ufc.
Imagine if Royce started the Vale Tudo in Japan, and Rickson had of fought in the first ufc's, like he was going to? He would have beaten even easier opponents and would be considered an mma legend, but because it was in Japan, no one in the US cares, especially the new 'TUF' fans.
But yeah, he didn't do much, only fought 'high school' guys. LOL
I also just saw another thread below on how japanese fans got into mma, and it says that 39% were from pro wrestling, and people still wonder why Rickson fought Takada. Easy, most of Pride's fan base at the time wanted to see it.
Rickson fought Takada because Takada sent Anjoh over to the USA to get beat up in front of reporters.
Takada=smart
Rickson=smart
Pride=winner
Rickson in bjj= a guy who is probably the best bjj guy ever, but was smart enough not to have to fight a lot (ie. he makes more than Saulo without trying)
Rickson in mma= a guy who was the best at one point (early JVT era), and used this to become a legend and make even more money, realizing that it doesn't really matter if he can beat Fedor
average UGer=bitter that Rickson spends all day rolling, surfing, and hanging with his family
Sothy has armbarred the fuck out of the correct!LOL
Saulo is a BJJ god.
Saulo will tell anyone that listens that he trained with Rickson and got totally tooled.
Good enough for me.
dan gable
Chris/Todd is also correct. The truth is in the middle regarding Rickson's abilities.
Actually I do think more of him for that. He retired at the top of his game and didn't hang on to long like so many others have and tarnish his reputation. As for Brown or Sanders I think not only are they all time greats like Rickson but if they competed today they could dominate just like Rickson if he competed today. It may not be as easy but they would still dominate.
jenna jamieson. top of the class, making the most money and hollywood famous.
Christy Canyon = GOAT female wise.
lol, Brown can't dominate today
I'm not saying that I believe the Rickson myth or not (like I said, truth is in the middle), I'm just explaining that the size of the myth surpasses that of everyone, other than maybe Kimura (as he was the best throwing and on the ground, not just on the ground)
Canyon would own Hartley and in more than one way.lol As for Brown playing today, Brown in his prime playing today would still be one of the best in the game.
sugar ray leonard
sothy, know as well as i do if you are talking about comp records, yamashita throwing record in world level competition is beyond comparison.
if you are talking about pure skill, without the same record, there is always mifune.
bruce lee?
TTT
for this thread i want to read it later, but no time now!
Me at love making, I am the best.