Yes, of course Fedor is incredible and can handle most anyone within the rules of mma. I never would compare a boxer to a mma guy because they are simply two completely different disciplines.
There ar emany boxers that generate million dollar fight purses....Not too many athletes (in all sports) will ever generate 20-30 million dollar pay day the way holyfield, delahoya and some other boxers have.
I don't EVER think any guy in mma will even get ten million for a fight...ever.
Spike tv's ultimate fighter hasn't even been beaten TNA wrestling in Spikes ratings...
Boxing is a mainstay in this world...It will go through peaks and valleys like anything else, but no "fight" game will ever generate as much single fight purse for a fighter that boxing does.
I personally see the casual fans of mma (the ones that made it popular, the ones that are buying ppv) getting bored with mma....They are already (while mma in america is in it's infancy) chanting BORING at all big events. The casual fans, the ones that buy ppv, are going to slow the progression of mma as a mainstream sport.
I sincerly hope that mma organizations don't back down to these "casual, ppv buying fans" by changing the rules to limit ground work and control, the truest foundation to the history of mma.
I am a big mma fan....respect the athletes competing 100%.
However, I am a bigger boxing fan...My brother boxes and I know the work involved to develop this amazing skill.
In boxing you can not begi to train and a couple years later be a well known name in mma....in mma you can. Talk to amatuer boxers, with their noses on the other side of their face and they will tell you they habve been fighting, training since the BLUE glove tournaments at age 13 and younger....It truely is an underappreciated art and skill.
You mentioned that you boxed so I imagine you already know this.
In the early days of NHB, it was possible for someone with two years experience to do quite well. Today's game takes a whole lot more. Like boxing, BJJ, the art I love and continue to train takes time, discipline and lots of sparring to get good. BJJ in and of itself is no longer all that is necessary. The ability to navigate striking range means you must train kickboxing, the ability to successfully defend the clinch means you must train Greco and Muay Thai. To defend the takedown, you must learn the arsenal of a freestyle wrestler, so you must train wrestling and judo. That being said, the top tier MMA guys have to put just as much time in their craft like a top flight boxer. I love watching Pretty Boy Mayweather. He is INCREDIBLY skilled and a heck of an athlete. Dennis Kang, GSP, Shogun Rua, Fedor are all examples of modern day fighters who are INCREDIBLY skilled and are a master of one discipline, and good at all. Not to mention they train harder than any other athlete because you must be good at all ranges of fighting.
With PPV revenue sharing that Zuffa offers, fighters are already getting seven figures a fight. It is only a matter of time for that to increase. I agree with you that the new TUF NOOBS don't understand the game, but they are paying their money, they can express their opinion. Half the reason I come here is because there is a new generation of fan who is genuinely interested in learning the game. I love watching a good sub grappling match, it is very tactical and I find it exciting. I have been on the receiving end of a Sato kneebar, Sakurai kimura, Aoki triangle, Relson, Royce, Royler everything. I love that aspect of fighting. When I was boxing, I found that the younger more athletic guys would beat the snot out of an older aging man. I was constantly wanting to tie up and clinch, or shoot a double/single. But I was there to learn the craft, so I did just boxing. Suffice to say, I learned that there is a lot more to the sweet science than what we may think. Platitudes aside, an MMA fighter has a more complete game, and would be equipped to handle more than just a stand up fight. Again, my perspective is ground fighting, and submission, but I respect all ranges and all disciplines.
