This is the MOST important quality in this sport, which Brock showed us last night. All of the hype in the world won't change that. You can be a world class wrestler who can bench press a car, but if you can't win the stand up, game over. That is the most difficult part of the sport, allocating enough time to train in numerous disciplines. Being a hulking brute will only get you so far. If you are lacking bad in an area, expect it to be capitalized on quickly once future opponents figure you out. All of the elite fighters are very well rounded and simply stand head and shoulders above the rest.
I would like to say that Brock's standup looked better than it has in the past. He was throwing punches, knees, he even landed on cain a few times. Standup can be trained. The problem is that Brock's training camp consist of guys he is bigger than, with him wrestling all the time. He needs to get a professional boxing trainer. Someone like roach who is willing to train MMA fighters. (im not saying roach just someone like him) and start wrestling smaller guys. Big guys dont pose the threat smaller guys do. He needs to be able to hang in there with guys that can wrestle and be hit. And someone needs to put brock on his back and start hitting him HARD for about 12 straight rounds. He needs to learn how defend properly. IMO its time for a new training camp. But all i hear from lesner is loyalty this and loyalty that. I fear he will choose loyalty over whats best for his career.
U Need to B "Well Rounded" in the Sense that NO Element is Foreign to U....A "Jack of All Trades" Approach is Cool, But REED would Prefer Complete MASTERY of @ Least 1 Trade, w/CONSTANT Exposure to the Others... Lesnar's NEVER Gonna have Good MMA Standup, Necessarily, but he Can Afford to EXPOSE Himself to Boxing, Muay Thai, Thai Boxing, Dirty Boxing, etc., to FAMILIARIZE Himself w/It...Right Now, he's a Fish OUT of Water in those Areas & it's Been a PAINFUL Realization for him...A Better Grasp of those Other Arts will Make Lesnar a Better Fighter, even if he NEVER Becomes a Fully "Well Rounded" Fighter... REED:dancingBaby:
Actually the top of the food chain fighters do have Mastery level of more than one discipline. Some even have it in 3.
I don't disagree with the theme of this thread. I do however believe that if not "mastery", you need to have one very strong and dominant part of your arsenal. I've read about wrestlers training with pro boxers to help their standup game, and strikers getting schooling in jiu-jitsu. The few times i've seen that in action, the fighters were weaker overall because of their new "skills". Even for an athletic type who's a fast learner it takes years to approach a high level of skill in virtually any combat sport. It's as if they believe they're somehow very good at a certain art because of one training camp. It should only be used as a form of backup, so you're not completely out of your element when somebody brings forth opposing techniques.
