Mike Tyson

Sid_Justice

Was a boxer but I'm looking for opinions on who in MMA currently resembles him most.

In my opinion, and this is all just opinion, Tyson was the strongest, most explosive and biggest hitting heavy weight of all time. He had the best speed and conditioning of any heavy weight. His chief skill however was intimidating people with his physicality and with his attitude. A lot of top boxers lost the nerve to fight in the minutes before the first round when Tyson's staredown, presence would just break their will.

My Candidates:

Brock Lesnar - Similar freakish physicality, Lesnar is closer to 300 lbs and Tyson 200 but both we can say were the biggest and fastest in their day. Tyson was completely fearless about getting punched while Lesnar has shown he's probably only been hit hard for 2 mins in his entire life (the Carwin fight) and doesn't like it.

Fedor - Again, physically freakish with regard to speed and explosiveness. Beats people before they get in the ring with him, however on the other hand, he's the anti-Tyson because he doesn't try and eye ball people or intimidate them. It's the lack of the snarling and stuff that unnerves other top fighters.

Melvin Manhoef - Punching ability and style etc. etc.

Vitor Belfort - speed and power, questionable temperament.

any opinions?

cowzerp

Fedor without a doubt, as an up and comer it was Vitor who resembled Tyson..

Brock could not be compared to him, if he is then i just have to giggle.

Good qusetion by the way..interesting for debate

Oh_Noes

Manhoef has that aggression and eccentricity but certainly not the skill level.

I would say Anderson Silva in that he has the talent as well as the eccentricity, he's probably the best fighter in MMA and he does crazy things in and out of the ring. He doesn't appear to be intimidating but if you try to put your mindset into that of his opponent after what he did to Griffin, Maia, Leites- he is very intimidating. Completely unpredictable and a powerhouse of natural talent.

rovert

Pre jail Fedor
Post jail Ken Shamrock/Chuck Liddell

Sid_Justice wrote: »

Brock Lesnar - Similar freakish physicality, Lesnar is closer to 300 lbs and Tyson 200 but both we can say were the biggest and fastest in their day. Tyson was completely fearless about getting punched while Lesnar has shown he's probably only been hit hard for 2 mins in his entire life (the Carwin fight) and doesn't like it.

Oh no this talking point again. Did Tyson's opponents like getting punched by Tyson? :pac:

EnjoyChoke

Anderson Silva is the "Anti Tyson"

I'd go for GSP for pure aggressive dominance in fights. (Worlds apart in terms of personality obviously)

rovert

EnjoyChoke wrote: »

I'd go for GSP for pure aggressive dominance in fights. (Worlds apart in terms of personality obviously)

Thats an understatement.

Oh_Noes

EnjoyChoke wrote: »

Anderson Silva is the "Anti Tyson"

Care to elaborate?

hisholinessnb

Paul Daley

Jayo_M

Sid_Justice wrote: »

Brock Lesnar - Similar freakish physicality, Lesnar is closer to 300 lbs and Tyson 200 but both we can say were the biggest and fastest in their day.

Tyson, although obviously powerful and superquick, was anything but the biggest in his day, he was almost always the smaller fighter. And Lesnar being the fastest heavyweight? Very quick and agile for his size, but not the fastest in the division. You have to give that to the smaller guys in the division.

My pick would be Belfort - thankfully he was able to get his career back on track after all his problems. In saying that, while I think he's the closest, I really don't think there is anyone quite like Iron Mike in MMA. I don't think many top MMA guys could live with a prime Tyson (obviously coupled with some grappling skills ).

rovert

Jayo_M wrote: »

I don't think many top MMA guys could live with a prime Tyson (obviously coupled with some grappling skills ).

It is a shame that we will never hear Rogan call him explosive and athletic.

YouSavedMyLife

Junior Dos Santos. I have a man crush on him. Mark my words he will be UFC heavyweight champ. I wont say next HW champ cause i think Cain has a real good chance to take the belt from Lesner. Agressive and fantastic boxing technique, fastest hands in the HW div in UFC atm? And his taunt as his name is called out by Buffer is fantastic

EnjoyChoke

rovert wrote: »

Thats an understatement.

How?

EnjoyChoke

Oh_Noes wrote: »

Care to elaborate?

Tyson epitomised "taking the fight" to your opponent. See GSP, Fedor, maybe Brock.
The opposite would be a cautious counter fighter, eg. Anderson Silva or Machida.

Jayo_M

EnjoyChoke wrote: »

How?

I think he was referring to your point about their personalities.

EnjoyChoke

Jayo_M wrote: »

I think he was referring to your point about their personalities.

I know.

rovert

EnjoyChoke wrote: »

I know.

So you still want me to explain???

EnjoyChoke

rovert wrote: »

So you still want me to explain???

Yes.

Oh_Noes

EnjoyChoke wrote: »

Tyson epitomised "taking the fight" to your opponent. See GSP, Fedor, maybe Brock.
The opposite would be a cautious counter fighter, eg. Anderson Silva or Machida.

That's my whole point that Silva isn't a cautious counter fighter. Did you see Griffin/Silva? His fight versus Maia wasn't counter-fighting, he was just taunting him in a maniacal way and attacking at his leisure.

JoeyJJ

John Jones could well be, he is aggressive, and powerful, and could well be a heavyweight in the future with his frame he isn't going to make LHW forever.

rovert

EnjoyChoke wrote: »

Yes.

You serious, erm lets one is a poster boy, goody two shoes athlete (at least publicly) and other is a convicted rapist with deep, deep emotional and psychological issues.

The Freeman

The only fighter that springs to mind would be early vitor belfort when he first entered the ufc before he took a dip in his career.
Another would be manhoef that has huge power but is over reliant on it in mma(look at the size of that guys arms compared to his body)

tyson was a freak of nature though and it is gonna be a while in mma before we see someone that can use that agression,power and stuff a takedown against an experienced wrestler when they are that up close and personal.

(apologies i still do not know how to integrate a youtube linkage, any direction towards how to integrate this would be most appreciated also)

EnjoyChoke

rovert wrote: »

You serious, erm lets one is a poster boy, goody two shoes athlete (at least publicly) and other is a convicted rapist with deep, deep emotional and psychological issues.

"Worlds apart in terms of personality obviously"

The Freeman

JoeyJJ wrote: »

John Jones could well be, he is aggressive, and powerful, and could well be a heavyweight in the future with his frame he isn't going to make LHW forever.

ya did ya see him on mma live's panel last week? he was much bigger in a suit than bonner and rashad, the lad is still growing and walking around at close to 235.

have a look sure lads...

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5383095

rovert

EnjoyChoke wrote: »

"Worlds apart in terms of personality obviously"

Which I said was an "understatement." I dont know whether you understand the word understatement and thats your issue. Otherwise Im at a loss on your recent posts.

EnjoyChoke

Oh_Noes wrote: »

That's my whole point that Silva isn't a cautious counter fighter. Did you see Griffin/Silva? His fight versus Maia wasn't counter-fighting, he was just taunting him in a maniacal way and attacking at his leisure.

You must be watching different fights to the rest of us!
The KO against Griffin was the result of a counter punch after Griffin barreled after him.
Silva was an absolute disgrace against Maia, refusing to take the inititive and looking to counter the entire time. Fought way too cautiously for someone of his skill. Mike Tyson he was not! The only thing that made the fight (barely) watchable was Maia's guts and determination.

Yes he's a great fighter but I don't want to see him fight anymore. How many people said that about Tyson in his prime?

EnjoyChoke

rovert wrote: »

Which I said was an "understatement." I dont know whether you understand the word understatement and thats your issue. Otherwise Im at a loss on your recent posts.

"worlds apart" wasn't an understatement. Anyway, forget about it.

rovert

EnjoyChoke wrote: »

"worlds apart" wasn't an understatement. Anyway, forget about it.

Never heard of hyperbole? Anyway personality has little to do with thread so lets drop it.

Sid_Justice

I think it will take another generation for a Tyson to come around again in MMA if he ever does. FOr someone to have his skill never across MMA he'd have to be groomed from a young age and have that big amateur experience prior to going pro.

On the other hand, it's pretty difficult to get really good at mma, all the different ranges and still have significant emotional problems. Like it's hard to imagine someone with Tyson's temperament getting a BJJ black belt (although he was a perfectionist and able to drill things 1000s of times). I just see a Tyson bashing some guys head in for arm baring him in training.

Karmafaerie

Robbie Lawlor was the Tyson of MMA from 2001 to the start of 2004.

stevemc01

Pride Era Wanderlei Silva is as close to Tyson as you'll get with the intimidation of opponents, KO power, staredown etc. Except Wanderlei isnt a rapist.

EnjoyChoke

Sid_Justice wrote: »

I think it will take another generation for a Tyson to come around again in MMA if he ever does. FOr someone to have his skill never across MMA he'd have to be groomed from a young age and have that big amateur experience prior to going pro.

On the other hand, it's pretty difficult to get really good at mma, all the different ranges and still have significant emotional problems. Like it's hard to imagine someone with Tyson's temperament getting a BJJ black belt (although he was a perfectionist and able to drill things 1000s of times). I just see a Tyson bashing some guys head in for arm baring him in training.

We haven't yet seen a "Tyson" in MMA yet but I think GSP and Fedor are damm close.
Tyson would have been a savage BJJ blackbelt (just can't quite picture him having a subtle halfguard game )

JoeyJJ

The Freeman wrote: »

ya did ya see him on mma live's panel last week? he was much bigger in a suit than bonner and rashad, the lad is still growing and walking around at close to 235.

have a look sure lads...

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5383095

I sure did, I think they even mentioned tyson can't remember.

deepriver

I dont think anyone in MMA history can be compared to Tyson... he was literally a rabid animal in the ring... I am sure if you took away the rules, Tyson would have killed his opponent... I cant think of anyone in MMA right back to UFC 1, 2, 3 etc that matched his freakish natute with willful intent to mangle and destroy.. he was a beast... all the recent MMA fighters are a examples of control and constraint, I think you would have to find some headbanger in the lower MMA leagues to match Tysons madness... but then they would no way compare in terms of skill and crazy power

bing3

Robbie Lawler and Phil Baroni spring to mind.

Niall0

deepriver wrote: »

I dont think anyone in MMA history can be compared to Tyson... he was literally a rabid animal in the ring... I am sure if you took away the rules, Tyson would have killed his opponent... I cant think of anyone in MMA right back to UFC 1, 2, 3 etc that matched his freakish natute with willful intent to mangle and destroy.. he was a beast... all the recent MMA fighters are a examples of control and constraint, I think you would have to find some headbanger in the lower MMA leagues to match Tysons madness... but then they would no way compare in terms of skill and crazy power

How about Tank Abbott he was nuts!

ScareGilly

Pride Wanderlai Silva, Paul Daley, Junior Dos Santos (Obviously not personalitywise), Possibly Dan Hardy, Maybe BJ in terms of craziness aswell, I could see him coming out with the line "I'm going to eat GSP's children!" :rolleyes: