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Somthing I think about that I figured would make for an interesting topic.
Somthing I think about that I figured would make for an interesting topic. |
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seanfu
In Full Mount
Career record: 90-55
Season: 31-19 (#5037)
Location: Fort Wayne IN
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You hear a lot about the first generation fighters and the new generation coming. These kids that start out doing everything and being exposed to the sport.
Here's the thing. What are the generations of fighters? What are the eras? Since the sport has grown so ungodly fast since 93 (I mean in terms of styles and talent) multiple generations have occoured in only 20 to 25 years.
We obviously know about the Royce and Rickson, and Shamrock and wrestlers such as Severn, guys who are first generation.
We also know about GSP, Penn, Fedor, Faber, guys who are current generation, or perhaps just a little ahead of the curb.
So how do we classify everything in between?
My thoughts.
Royce, Rickson, Takada, Goodridge, all first generation.
Ortiz, Chucky, Wandy, Coleman, Hendo, ((Anderson)), Sherk, all second gen
Lyoto(questionable), Fedor, Arlovski, Fitch, Alves, Kos, Cung, Kang all third gen
GSP, Penn(could argue), Faber, (can't think of too many)
Also to add, I don't think the eras matter totally when it comes to generations because some fighters (Chucky) are two dimentional and never evolve but are still damn good. I see guys like Forrest, Rampage, Anderson, Hughes, all as guys who are damn refined and squeeky clean, but unevolved.
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Post #1 8/20/08 2:01:04AM
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Laying down the beats
Career record: 192-150
Season: 37-33 (#1810)
Location: Canada
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I would look at it this way.
Guys that trained in non-MMA styles, and competed with their styles in MMA - first generation
examples - Royce, Ken Shamrock, Severn
Guys that trained in non-MMA, but dabbled in other aspects of the MMA game - second generation
Examples - Dave Beneteau, Remco Pardoel, anybody that made up a style of fighting after the UFC was created and most of the non-first generation guys from pre-UFC 10ish
Guys that had a non-MMA background, but transitioned to MMA to fight MMA - third generation
Examples - GSP , Chuck, Hughes (most of the veterans in today's game)
Guys that started learning MMA from the start - fourth generation
Example - Brad Imes
Out of this I find the hardest to classify are the first generation MMA fighters. One reason is because some of their mother styles are technically MMA (pancration, vale tudo, sambo, etc). Another thing that makes them tough to classify is that many of them have been in the game so long (like Severn) that it is almost inevitable that he hasn't transitioned to an MMA style to a some degree. However, I am basing my classification off of his earlier years.
Last edited 8/20/08 10:03AM by Rush
Edit note/reason: n/a
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MMA Playground Ninja Moderator - Be cool and follow forum conduct or you'll be banned and all you will see is a puff of smoke. Members banned - 31, IPs banned - 19
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Post #2 8/20/08 9:29:12AM
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MMA Sensei
Career record: 221-124
Season: 45-23 (#281)
Location: In the cheap seats.
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Posted by Rush
I would look at it this way.
Guys that trained in non-MMA styles, and competed with their styles in MMA - first generation
Guys that trained in non-MMA, but dabbled in other aspects of the MMA game - second generation
Guys that had a non-MMA background, but transitioned to MMA to fight MMA - third generation
Guys that started learning MMA from the start - fourth generation
I pretty much agree with this.
Posted by seanfu
Royce, Rickson, Takada, Goodridge, all first generation.
Ortiz, Chucky, Wandy, Coleman, Hendo, ((Anderson)), Sherk, all second gen
Lyoto(questionable), Fedor, Arlovski, Fitch, Alves, Kos, Cung, Kang all third gen
GSP, Penn(could argue), Faber, (can't think of too many)
I mostly agree, although I think Faber and Penn are 3rd-gen. I'm not sure about GSP, but I think he's probably 3rd-gen also. I think Anderson Silva is definitely 3rd-gen as well.
Probably most guys in the major promotions right now are 3rd-gen. The only 4th-gen guy I can think of off the top of my head is Chris Horodecki, a 19-yr-old who, according to Wikipedia, started training in MMA in 2000 after attending a seminar hosted by Shawn Tompkins.
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Who dares, wins.
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Post #3 8/20/08 10:00:22AM
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The Cowboys Mod
Career record: 142-101
Season: 41-29 (#1705)
Location: Maryland
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I' d say we're 2nd or 3rd generation. The first generation would be the guys that competed in UFC in the beginning-Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn, Tank Abbott, etc. The second generation would be the guys still active but past their prime or nearing the end of their careers or are now passing the torch-Hughes, Franklin, LIddell, Couture, Pulver, and so on. The third generation are the "now" guys and the up-and-comers-Penn, GSP, Anderson Silva, Forrest, Faber, Torres, Cung Le, maybe Fedor, among others. In about 3-4 years we should see the fourth generation take over, which will be a lot of TUF guys, WEC prospects, and the latest UFC HW class (guys like Cain Velasquez).
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MMA Playground's Stankie Mod-Keep It Clean Or Else I'll Send Stankie After You! (And Cowboys Mod Until May '09 because the Redskins got "hippysmacked" and I lost my first av bet as a result)
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My new blog
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Post #4 8/20/08 10:06:50AM
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mrsmiley
MMA Sensei
Career record: 151-105
Season: 31-28 (#4236)
Location:
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I would start the line back somewhere around the time of Pancrase in Japan,and at the start of GJJ in Japan.Really I would start tracing MMA in Japan back to the time of Carl Gotch.
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Post #5 8/20/08 3:29:27PM
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I'm a LEAD FARMER MOTHA F*CKER
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Career record: 135-93
Season: 39-31 (#2217)
Location: Denver, Colorado Birthplace of the UFC
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I say Fedor is gen X cause no one still is at his level
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Broncos will go 11-5
4-0 av bets
He's been known to cure narcalepsy by just walking into a room. His orgin donation card list his beard. He is a lover not a fighter but he's also a fighter so don't get any idea's
he is SpiderSilva
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Post #6 8/20/08 5:07:31PM
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mrsmiley
MMA Sensei
Career record: 151-105
Season: 31-28 (#4236)
Location:
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I ment to say Brazil!
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Post #7 8/20/08 7:42:04PM
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Mayo
Standup Guy
Career record: 181-139
Season: 30-31 (#3634)
Location: Chi-Town
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The last time I was on Sherdog (back in 2006... seriously), there was an amazing thread that somebody posted which elaborated very thoroughly and accurately on the generations of fighters throughout UFC's history.
I wonder if anybody remembers that thread and could post a link? I remember it starting off by saying that "in the beginning Royce showed that pure skill was what was important..... then Mark Coleman came along and demostrated that pure strength was what was important..... etc."
It kind of defined the generations in that way.
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Post #8 8/20/08 8:44:58PM
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