Trainer Greg Jackson: "Fighting safe is an illusion" but fighting smart isn't |
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FastKnockout
Heavyweight Champ
Career record: 525-315
Season: 16-8 (#1027)
Location: Mississippi
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Greg Jackson's philosophy on finishing fights is not too far from a well-worn cliche in mixed-martial-arts circles: Impose your will.
Still, he's been criticized for grooming fighters who favor scorecards over submissions and points over punches.
He'd like to set the record straight with those who question him. When it comes to how things play out inside the octagon, he asks only that his fighters be smart when they compete.
"I get in there and I ask guys to finish every fight," Jackson told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "Because here's the problem with fighting safe: Fighting safe is an illusion."
A statement such as that might bring groans from those who've seen decisions from several of Jackson's high-profile clients. UFC president Dana White recently went on the offensive and said it's "safety first" when it comes to the trainer's octagon strategy. That prompted Jackson to respond on Tuesday with a stat sheet that listed the bonuses his fighters have earned in 2010.
Jackson urges fans to look at his stats for evidence of his philosophy.
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Post #1 12/1/10 5:39:53PM
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Bloodhound
Standup Guy
Career record: 861-492
Season: 21-3 (#151)
Location: Las Vegas by way of Brooklyn, NY
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I don't go by stats I go by what I see
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Post #2 12/1/10 8:30:18PM
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vomitshovel
MMA Regular
Career record: 129-81
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: South Africa
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So SEE the stats.
If you see a report saying 80% of the glass of water is bleach, will you still drink it cause "You don't see no water!?"
Or will you look at the information and trust that it's given by someone who knows much more than you? ;)
Greg is right.
He raises WINNERS, not finishers.
When did MMA stop being about competitiveness and start being about who gets put to sleep?
Greg Jackson has raised up some of the best in the world.
The old boxing saying that applies to any striking "Let the technique flow and the knockout will come," applies very much here.
Would you rather see another Sodallah VS Baroni (complete Muay Thai clinic) - or - another Couture VS Toney (Boring "fight" where its finished quickly)?
A fight being finished doesn't make it exciting.
A fighter bringing sexy striking and good all round skills makes a fight exciting.
MMA fans need to get their head out their asses and remember WHY we love this sport.
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Post #3 12/2/10 1:34:06AM
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DuncanFan819
MMA Regular
Career record: 592-349
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location:
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Posted by vomitshovel
So SEE the stats.
If you see a report saying 80% of the glass of water is bleach, will you still drink it cause "You don't see no water!?"
Or will you look at the information and trust that it's given by someone who knows much more than you? ;)
Greg is right.
He raises WINNERS, not finishers.
When did MMA stop being about competitiveness and start being about who gets put to sleep?
Greg Jackson has raised up some of the best in the world.
The old boxing saying that applies to any striking "Let the technique flow and the knockout will come," applies very much here.
Would you rather see another Sodallah VS Baroni (complete Muay Thai clinic) - or - another Couture VS Toney (Boring "fight" where its finished quickly)?
A fight being finished doesn't make it exciting.
A fighter bringing sexy striking and good all round skills makes a fight exciting.
MMA fans need to get their head out their asses and remember WHY we love this sport.
I love people who adopt this kind of thinking in order to look like they're a true MMA connoisseur. Jackson's a great coach and very effective, but he definitely holds his fighters back in terms of aggresiveness and yes, sometimes the fights are more boring as a result. Example: Going into their fight, the MMA community was excited for the Melvin Guillard-Jeremy Stephens fight. Everyone was on the edge of their seat waiting for a stand-up war. Stephens wanted it. Deep down, Guillard probably wanted it as well as witnessed by all of his previous bouts. What ended up happening? Guillard came out with a NARROW split decision victory in what ultimately was a fairly disappointing fight to MMA fans.
Like I said, Jackson is a great coach but let's not make it like MMA fans should be satisfied with fights that end up being less exciting than they naturally should be.
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Post #4 12/2/10 3:29:26AM
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roadking95th
In Cael We Trust!
Career record: 1026-559
Season: 19-5 (#188)
Location: PA
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I've been warning of this for years. The more popular and lucrative MMA gets, the less fighters are going to take chances. If they lose, they stand to lose 10's of thousands of dollars and possibly their job. It is no longer fight to fight and put on a show.
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Post #5 12/2/10 1:58:16PM
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FlashyG
MMA Sensei
Career record: 913-492
Season: 17-7 (#505)
Location: Toronto
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The stats don't lie, if you don't like them your statement should be something like this
Posted by Bloodhound
I don't go by stats I go by what I want to see
Posted by DuncanFan819
I love people who adopt this kind of thinking in order to look like they're a true MMA connoisseur. Jackson's a great coach and very effective, but he definitely holds his fighters back in terms of aggresiveness and yes, sometimes the fights are more boring as a result. Example: Going into their fight, the MMA community was excited for the Melvin Guillard-Jeremy Stephens fight. Everyone was on the edge of their seat waiting for a stand-up war. Stephens wanted it. Deep down, Guillard probably wanted it as well as witnessed by all of his previous bouts. What ended up happening? Guillard came out with a NARROW split decision victory in what ultimately was a fairly disappointing fight to MMA fans.
Like I said, Jackson is a great coach but let's not make it like MMA fans should be satisfied with fights that end up being less exciting than they naturally should be.
Stephens had as much to do with that being a boring fight as Guillard did, and that was only one fight. Look at Leonard Garcia and tell me Jackson is holding back his aggression, that guy just swings wildly from bell to bell.
As far as your last statement goes, I think you have to look at it from a fighters perspective instead of a fans. They don't fight to entertain us, they fight to win. If they can win and be entertaining thats a bonus but the first priority should be to win the fight.
Could you imagine a football team that goes for it on 4th down everytime regardless of the score or field position? A hockey team that plays with 5 forwards and no defence? Or a Basketball team that only shoots 3's?
Thats essentially what it seems you're asking fighters to do, disregard the outcome of the fight to make the fight more entertaining.
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Post #6 12/2/10 2:36:50PM
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We're in Lodi, bitch!
Career record: 950-500
Season: 22-2 (#55)
Location: Fort Waste, IN
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Posted by FlashyG
Could you imagine a football team that goes for it on 4th down everytime regardless of the score or field position? A hockey team that plays with 5 forwards and no defence? Or a Basketball team that only shoots 3's?
Thats essentially what it seems you're asking fighters to do, disregard the outcome of the fight to make the fight more entertaining.
By the way...do you play sports video games with one of my buddies? I swear you just described the way he plays every game. It's enough to drive me nuts when I play the SOB.
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Post #7 12/2/10 2:41:48PM
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DuncanFan819
MMA Regular
Career record: 592-349
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location:
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Posted by FlashyG
Posted by DuncanFan819
I love people who adopt this kind of thinking in order to look like they're a true MMA connoisseur. Jackson's a great coach and very effective, but he definitely holds his fighters back in terms of aggresiveness and yes, sometimes the fights are more boring as a result. Example: Going into their fight, the MMA community was excited for the Melvin Guillard-Jeremy Stephens fight. Everyone was on the edge of their seat waiting for a stand-up war. Stephens wanted it. Deep down, Guillard probably wanted it as well as witnessed by all of his previous bouts. What ended up happening? Guillard came out with a NARROW split decision victory in what ultimately was a fairly disappointing fight to MMA fans.
Like I said, Jackson is a great coach but let's not make it like MMA fans should be satisfied with fights that end up being less exciting than they naturally should be.
Stephens had as much to do with that being a boring fight as Guillard did, and that was only one fight. Look at Leonard Garcia and tell me Jackson is holding back his aggression, that guy just swings wildly from bell to bell.
As far as your last statement goes, I think you have to look at it from a fighters perspective instead of a fans. They don't fight to entertain us, they fight to win. If they can win and be entertaining thats a bonus but the first priority should be to win the fight.
Could you imagine a football team that goes for it on 4th down everytime regardless of the score or field position? A hockey team that plays with 5 forwards and no defence? Or a Basketball team that only shoots 3's?
Thats essentially what it seems you're asking fighters to do, disregard the outcome of the fight to make the fight more entertaining.
You make great points. Like I said, it's effective. But when fans are used to seeing person x fight in an exciting way (win or lose) and then they change up their strategy (understandably so if they're nervous about losing/getting cut) and become more hesitant and what not, as a fan, I'm not going to be thrilled. I understand that it's the fighter's career and I absolutely sympathize with that fighter for having to change up his style, but it doesn't mean that I have to enjoy it.
At least with someone like Jon Fitch (incredible fighter, incredibly boring, IMO) you know what you're getting into. When a fighter completely changes from an exciting style to a more technical, careful approach is when it gets frustrating from a fan's POV.
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Post #8 12/2/10 8:58:29PM
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