At this point...really...what would this fight mean?
It would be an amazing match, but it should have taken place 5 years ago, after Saku beat Royler, Royce, Renzo and Ryan. Saku is worn out and everybody knows it (including Rickson).
Since then 2000, Rickson has fought Funaki.
Saku has fought 19 times. This includes opponents such as Royce, Renzo, Igor, Wanderlei Silva (3 times), Nino Schembri (2 times) Rampage, Crocop, Randleman, Lil Nog, Arona, Ken Shamrock, and Minowa.
I do not see the fight happening. It would be great if it did. Would it be just pure grappling? Full MMA rules?
"- if it actually did happen, Sak (yes, even the beaten down version) would win quite easily"
I agree with everything said, except this ^
It would mean a very long night for Rickson.
It would have been the largest audience ever for a MMA fight. Although Rickson had everything to lose he could have (in theory) solidified his name as the greatest of ALL time AND defended the Gracie name. Instead it is an after-thought on this forum as the fight that never was.
I think the greater question is why he didn't take the fight? Did he not think he could win? Pride didn't pay enough? Didn't feel like it? We'll never know.
"I think the greater question is why he didn't take the fight? Did he not think he could win? Pride didn't pay enough? Didn't feel like it? We'll never know. "
Just a random guess checking the timeline - maybe the fact his son died ?? Stab in the dark, I know, but hey .....
'Rickson will always be the "what if" fighter... more so than anyone else. He should have been the Gracie that fought at the first UFC. Were he in Royce's spot, he would at least have credibility as an MMA fighter amongst the picky and critical fans here.'
This is the problem with the fans on here. Anyone would think he did the same thing as Royce, only in Japan, with Vale Tudo '94, '95, Pride 1 and Pride 4, and colloseum.
But the fans on here still think the competition in UFC 1 and 2 were better than Vale Tudo '94 and '95. Please. Who was a better grappler and bigger threat? Jason Delucia, Art Jimerson, or Yamamoto or Takada or Funaki in Japan?
The only person Rickson didn't fight was Sak, but thats right, his son was killed. Then when he felt ready to fight again Sak had already been losing, and you get the same bullshit that surrounds their rumoured fight now. Sak is washed up and already been beaten. He decided to fight Funaki who was a lot younger, and was the founder of Pancrase and a legend himself.
Everyone of these fans said Funaki would destroy Rickson, then when Rickson choked him into unconsiousness, all of a sudden it was 'Funaki wasn't that good anyway'. Fucken Haters!