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- 07/06/2012, 03:18PM ET
UFC HoF Tournament I
Bloggers Needed said 07/06, 03:18 PM
Note: This could be used in a blog. Deal with it.
Now that we have 8 Fighters in the Hall, let's start matching them up. To be fair, I'll do this by Debut.
What UFC HoF had the biggest IMPACT on the sport? This is NOT who would win in a fight or even better fighter.
(If you think this is obvoius, leave it, and I'll kill it tommorrow)
Match 1.
Royce Gracie (UFC1) vs Matt Hughes (UFC22)
I'm taking Matt here, Royce has a place in the Hall, but let's be honest. Look at those early UFCs. There are a DOZEN Gracies that could have won 1&2. Heck Helio might have beat everyone at UFC 1. If Royce was 215 pounds, is Rickson the guy holding the HoF plaque?
I'm not banging on Royce, UFC 3&4 showed that Gracie Ju-Ju wasn't enough moving forward. Royce was a great fighter, instead of the Dozen who could have won UFC 1, maybe 3 could have beat Kimo.
Matt Hughes was a wrestler, who was a guy that moved wrestling past where Coleman had it, he finished with submissions more than just pounding.
Plus a Major UFC shift.
JimJ77 Can't make it up said 07/06, 08:55 PM
I really don't consider this close. Royce Gracie introduced the world to BJJ. At the time, no one knew what BJJ was. Now, every MMA fighter trains BJJ, and BJJ gyms have opened up across the world. He revolutionized the sport of MMA.
The Gracie name is synonymous with Brazlian Ju Jitsu.
Matt Hughes is one of the greatest fighters in UFC history. His wrestling was dominant in the 170 Lbs division, but there were other guys who were terrific wrestlers in the early UFC years. You bring up Mark Coleman, the Godfather of ground and pound. Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz were two other guys who overwhelmed thei opponents with wrestling. Randy with his Greco Roman and Tito with his powerful double leg takedowns.
Those guys didn't work their sub game in with their wrestling you say? Well, hell there is not better wrestler/grappler than Josh Barnett. Barnett's catch wrestling is second to nobody in MMA.
We can debate which wrestler opened MMA's eyes the submission game, but there is no debate about who opened the worlds eyes to BJJ.
That man is Royce Gracie, a legend and pioneer of mixed martial arts.
Bloggers Needed said 07/07, 05:51 PM
The early days of the UFC- pretty much any great Ju-Ju guy was going to win, and Royce was easily great.
But saying his impact was the greatest is like saying Chris Ford had a major impact on the NBA, since he was the first player to drop a 3 pointer.
Why? Every NBA player practices that as much as MMA guys practice Ju-Ju.
Does that mean anything as far as IMPACT.
Someone had to be first. That's Royce's legacy, but let's be real, would ANY fighter that's on the UFC148 card even see a scorecard if they fought all 7 guys in a row?
Would you say the guy that won UFC3 had impact due to the fact he was the first non-gracie to in a UFC? No, cause that's about all he did. Severn lost in UFC4, but went on to have a MUCH bigger impact.
I'm seperating FIRST from a lasting impact.
Bottom line ANY Gracie could have won UFC1, and its a known fact the ONLY reason Royce got the nod is he was the smallest, scrawynist one around.
Name a Militich fighter that could have done what Hughes did.
Speaking of that, my second point- NEXT
JimJ77 Can't make it up said 07/08, 10:02 PM
Ok Dave, I don't really get your point here. Its kind of a strange view on the subject. So Christopher Columbus should not get any credit for discovering America because someone else would have eventually discovered it? Or Edward Jenner gets no credit for discovering a vaccination for smallpox because someone eventually would've discovered a vaccine.
Regardless of someone else eventually exposing the world of MMA to BJJ, Royce was the man to do it. Because of this fact, he is the man who changed the MMA landscape and deserves the credit for it.
How about this? I say Hughes impact on MMA isn't that great because eventually another fighter would've introduced wrestling with sub game. Oh wait, Josh Barnett did, my bad.
Listen, Royce Gracie was the one to show the entire world the beautiful art of Brazlilian Ju Jitsu. This is fact. He revolutionized the sport because of this introduction. Another fact. The UFC and MMA as a whole changed the day he subbed 3 fighters at UFC 1. Here comes that word again... FACT.
Royce Gracie had a much greater impact on the sport of MMA than Matt Huges did. BJJ is a large part of MMA today and it all started with Royce Gracie. Fact.
Bloggers Needed said 07/09, 09:21 AM
Sure we give Columbus credit for discovering America. We know he was the first ones, we have all the records from the Indians that were there to greet him.
So what you are saying is we just need to drop the tourney, and state that since Royce was First, his impact on the sport is just better than everyone else. Severn, Tito and the rest need not apply?
Ken Shamrock was there too. So he counts more than everyone else?
Who is third? Art Jimmerson?
My Point is that it is true that Royce won UFC 1. How many of his students are champions? How many PURE Ju-Ju guys are in the UFC? Every fighter uses a right cross, but I don't think Freddie Roach belongs in the MMA Hall of Fame.
Take Away Helio
Take Away Rickson
And what are we left with outside of his HISTORICAL IMPACT?
Not much.
Or do we just end the whole thing now- and give the Bronze Medal to a guy with one glove?
JimJ77 Can't make it up said 07/09, 12:15 PM
I never said any of those guys had an impact on MMA. Of course some of them did. But the TD is who had the biggest impact and Royce Gracie simply had a bigger impact than Matt Hughes.
And his impact wasn't just him introducing BJJ to the world. It also created fans and made people interested in the sport.
Take for instance Georges St. Pierre. When asked what made him want to step into mixed martial arts competition he responded, "When I first saw Royce Gracie, I got inspired by him and I wanted to be champion like him."
Without Royce Gracie maybe there never was a GSP, one of the very best fighters of all time
Royce Gracie's impact it still felt today, there is no denying that. From his introduction of Brazilian Ju Jitsu to his creating fan interest right out of the gate with UFC 1, he forever changed the sport.
Matt Hughes was a great fighter but he never had that impact. Royce Gracie did.
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Comments (24) Add A Comment
considering gracie is the first headliner of the sport and the first known name, I'm pretty sure he means the most to the ufc. there wouldve been no hughes if not for gracie.
kalbrecht17
Hallock , MN
Total Comments (188)
Got like 5 people. Was hoping for at least 8
Bloggers Needed
Total Comments (2505)
Fine by me.
Jim knows his stuff, so that's better than some taking it.
Bloggers Needed
Total Comments (2505)
I'll join the football tourney if you're still looking for people. Would have joined this one but didn't find it until now.
Zombie Gorilla
Colorado Springs , CO
Total Comments (232)
Importance for the sport: Royce > Matt
Without Royce's improbable wins (size, athleticism) the sport might not even exist today.
Hyped78
Lisbon, Portugal, EU
Total Comments (2147)
I gotta go with JimJ on this. Hughes has been great for the sport but can't see any argument standing up to Gracie's impact.
Lightly Salted Nuts
Total Comments (4086)
Royce is the single most influential fighter in the history of MMA. His family created what would evolve into the sport of MMA.
Hyped78
Lisbon, Portugal, EU
Total Comments (2147)
Thats my POINT
His FAMILY has the most IMPACT.
Bloggers Needed
Total Comments (2505)
I don't recall his family fighting Shamrock.....I recall Royce fighting Shamrock....in fact, I don't really recall any significant Gracie fights that were NOT Royce....yeah the other family members fought but Royce was the one in the spotlight on the big stage winning the big tourneys...
This is kinda confusing....how can anyone pick Hughes over Gracie after specifically stating it is NOT about who would win in a fight? Hughes was just "another dominant WW"...he didn't bring anything new to the table, he just did the old stuff better than all of the other WWs...until GSP came along...he was WAY better than Royce but Royce changed MMA, Hughes didn't....
---Loki---
Total Comments (9436)
After seeing the other TDs in this chain, I have to wonder if left is intentionally picking the wrong guy....How can a person be wrong on EVERY SINGLE ONE if it isn't intentional? Simple probablility would dictate that you'd do better by flipping a coin...
---Loki---
Total Comments (9436)
Geez, I think I could go out on a limb here and say there's no need for a final argument from JimJ; his second argument pretty much settled any potential debate and walked into round 3 delirious. Should have had the ref stop this after the 2nd round.
Lightly Salted Nuts
Total Comments (4086)
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