How beatable is Brock?
Published by Charles Jay on November 30th, 2008 in Operation Cleanup

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Commentary on MMA history….as it’s happening

BROCK – HOW BEATABLE (OR UNBEATABLE) IS HE?

I have to tell you – for the longest time I took Brock Lesnar’s venture into MMA only semi-seriously. And I thought the guys from the UFC were just basically teaching him a lesson when they had him losing to Frank Mir in his debut for the organization. But the Heath Herring fight showed me something.

Still, I figured Randy Couture might take the guy to school.

That lasted until I saw the two of them in the Octagon together, and was able to full take in the vast difference in size. Then it was a matter of wondering just how quickly Couture would be making his exit, and by what route. Thankfully, he got out under his own power.

Lesnar has always possessed on of the key ingredients that is helpful in terms of being successful as an MMA fighter, in that he is a skilled wrestler; in fact, a great amateur competitor, one of the best the college game had at the time.

He certainly used some of that against Couture, but what was really impressive is that he didn’t necessarily win the fight by overpowering Couture from a grappling standpoint. Instead, what he did was begin the 45-year-old’s downfall with a big right hand that did some damage to the lower head/neck area. From there,.it was a simple ground-and-pound as Couture was dazed.

The commentators had mentioned that Couture would have an edge in a battle of striking. But Lesnar served notice that when 260-270 pound hits you – anywhere – with a well-thrown, well-timed punch, there is some damage that can and will be done.

It would certainly be somewhat hyperbolic to refer to Brock Lesnar as someone who is “unbeatable.” And it’s probably premature to cal him the best in the business. On any given night there is going to be a more experienced competitor who could conceivably put a savvy move on him at a vulnerable moment and at that time, within about a second or two, you could see a submission. But that’s just the nature of mixed martial arts.

But when you have a fighter who can move as well as he can for his size; who has obviously learned some of his lessons very, very well (including the lesson of humility), and who is now demonstrating that there are a few different ways he can win a fight (just ask Randy Couture if he expected that right hand coming), it’s going to take a lot more than simply a guy with more experience to subdue him.

It’s going to take a tremendous amount of ability, particularly in stand-up mode, and quite a bit of strength, to get the job done, and the list of potential conquerors is getting shorter and shorter, in my opinion.