Or did all the greats (Fedor, GSP, Silva, Sakuraba, etc.) climb their way up, growing into the legends they would become?
As an example of good fighters thrown to the wolves, picture Sokodjou, Nastula and Yoshida. They debuted against the best in the sport and had some great showings, but were never able to grow their skills to get to the very top.
GSP's debut in UFC was against Karo
Anderson's was against Leben
Valentina Shevchenko's UFC debut was against Sarah Kaufman who was 17-3 at the time and much more experienced in MMA.
Valentina came in on two weeks notice, replacing de Randamie who backed out of the fight.
Fedor stepping into pride.
Semmy Schilt the best heavyweight kickboxer in the world as a welcome fight, then Heith Hereing, then Big Nog. Best of luck
Sakuraba's first fight was Kimo.
Soul Gravy - Sakuraba's first fight was Kimo.
Frank Shamrock's first fight was Bas Rutten
Chuck Liddell's 2nd fight was Pele,Vale tudo in Brazil
Randy Couture is probably the best example. He wasn't expected to get past his first fight in the UFC verses a professional WWE style wrestler. He was then handed to Victor Belfort (Gracie) who was virtually unstoppable at that point in his career. In what I consider to still be one of the top three UFC fights to date, Couture the dark horse slowly picked the Phenom apart and threw a huge wrench into the UFC plans... something he continued to do throughout his long tenure in the UFC.
They thought they were doing that to nate against Conor
When I went to UFC 31 I was telling everyone around me what a beast Joey Gilbert was going to be,unfortunately he faced UFC first time named BJ Penn... Penn dismantled him and Joey was tough as hell. I thought Penn was being fed to Gilbert, I couldnt have been more wrong
Brock
Brock Lesnar....
BJ Penn made his MMA debut in the UFC vs Joey Gilbert. In just his first 12 months and 6 days in the UFC he fought Joey Gilbert, Din Thomas, Uno, Pulver (for the title in a 5 round fight), and Paul Creighton.
Hendo made his MMA debut in a vale tudo tournament in Brazil where he fought twice in one night. Less than a year later he fought Goes and Newton in the same night to win another tournament, this time in the UFC. After that he went and competed in the Rings KOK tourny beating five fighters including Yvel, Big Nog, and Babalu. The KOK tourny was over before Hendo was even a pro for three full years.
Brock Lesnar fought an Olympian in his 1st fight and a UFC world champ in his 2nd fight. And he trained in his barn without real camps. He didn't know how to take a punch (due to his lack of real training) but probably one of the biggest badasses in MMA history once you think about it.
Pretty much everyone from the 90s jumped right into the deep end.
Pawel Nastula made his MMA debut vs Big Nog in PRIDE. He fought Big Nog, Aleks, and Barnett in PRIDE during his first 1 1/2 as a pro. Nastula was a great judoka but not a great MMA fighter. I'm sure he did not have the camp, just watch his fights vs those three great vets and you can see his potential.
Nastula is like Randleman... if those guys came up today at an ATT/AKA/Jacksons and got developed....man.
Speaking of Randleman, made his debut in UVT tournaments in Brazil, fought six men in his first six months as a pro. Three in one night and three in another night. Beat Bobish to win his first tournament and beat Braga and another guy in his second before losing to Barreto in the finals. Before his first full year as a pro was over he would fight in a third vale tudo tournament beating one man before getting KOed by Erikson in the finals. Three vale tudo tournaments in his nine months as a pro and fighting top HWs Barreto and Erikson in the process. That is what you call being thrown to the wolves.
They attempted to throw Joe Lauzon to the wolves for the triumphant return of Jens Pulver....
Jason -They attempted to throw Joe Lauzon to the wolves for the triumphant return of Jens Pulver....
Good one!
No one has faced a tougher match in their boxing debut than Conor.
Mickey Gall had to run though the gauntlet of Mike Jackson and CM Punk.
The Lion King -No one has faced a tougher match in their boxing debut than Conor.
Yeah but we are talking MMA, even without getting thrown to the wolves he got subbed a couple times before entering the UFC.
Imagine how easy a strong judoka like Nastula would throw him around with ease and have him tapping quick.