Hit the Mat 03.23.09: Trends in the Sport

Posted by Matt McEwen on 03.23.2009

In a sport so young, it is easy to track the evolution of styles, but sometimes it is hard to look at the current style and see what stage it is at right now. But, sometimes it isn't that hard, and sometimes it isn't that hard to guess at what might be coming next....

It is a sport of skill, a sport of toughness, a sport of dedication. But, maybe more than anything else, MMA is a sport of trends.

These trends are often a sign of the next evolution of the sport. Back at UFC 1 in 1993, when nearly everyone in North American thought the kickboxer or the brawler would beat everyone, unimposing little Royce Gracie stepped up and showed what a ground game could do for someone. Showcasing the skill of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was the original goal behind the UFC, and considering that Jiu Jitsu training is now one of the four cornerstones of the sport, it certainly did it's job.

But, time would prove that just as punching and kicking didn't have all the answers, competition would prove that BJJ was great, but not perfect. The next trend that popped up was the dominance of Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling. Competitors like Dan Severn opened the door, and then future legends like Mark Coleman and Randy Couture busted through to show something that continues to be true today - high level wrestling is probably the best base skill to enter MMA with and develop from.

So, enough with the history lesson. What is the trend that I want to talk about now? What is the trend I see as the dominant one in the sport right now?

The sprawl and brawl.

If you are not entirely sure what is meant by that cutesy little rhyming title, it is the reliance on basic wrestling skill to keep fights up and on the feet. Part of the reason for this is obvious strategy - if your opponent wants to take you down, maybe you should not let him

But part of this is also the audience. While a large group of fans enjoy the ground game as much as the stand up (and thus get horny for the likes of Damien Maia), just as many fans still expect to see two guys stand toe to toe in a just above barrroom level brawl. These fans, possibly because of beer intake, are often very loud at shows, and thus make it clear that they really enjoy the fists, and are probably the reason a guy like Pete Sell keeps getting televised. UFC 96 was a pretty clear example of this as many fights were contested nearly entirely on the feet and there were no submissions recorded at all. Who do I blame for this?

Chuck Liddell.

You see, Liddell was the first guy to really use his wrestling as a counter weapon. Certainly no where near the level of the higher lever wrestlers who entered the sport, Liddell instead utilized his skills to avoid being taken down, stay on his feet and force opponents to open up and be susceptible to his brutal counter punching. He learned his lesson early on, as his first career loss was to Jeremy Horn, and it occurred on the ground.. Wanting to avoid that again, Liddell concentrated on his strengths, and while it was a style that created some boring fights, they often ended with highlight reel KO's. Add in a wide mohawk, a good personality and allegedly hand picked opponents, and Liddell managed to become one of the UFC's and MMA's first true superstars, guaranteeing a legion of fans....and followers.

No, I'm not saying that everyone wants to be Liddell and are mimicking his Kenpo style. What I am saying is that success breeds imitation and many fighters who grew up watching Liddell - and yes, he has been around long enough to say that - have taken the cue from him and managed to use limited wrestling skill (and in some cases elite skills) to keep fights standing up. It's gotten to the point where competitors like Josh Koscheck seem to have given up on wrestling and instead have become B-level K1 fighters.

It certainly has led many fighters to success. Rampage Jackson has a wrestling base, but instead of looking to ground and pound fighters, he has instead been using superior counter punching to do damage on his feet. He rode that style to a Light Heavyweight title. The current champion of that division, Rashad Evans, has also foregone his wrestling skills at times and become a stand up striker. Unfortunately though, the results aren't always esthetically pleasing - I could do without having watched Sean Sherk and Tyson Griffin box for three rounds.

But I digress. It was a successful style that Liddell popularized, and as such the sprawl and brawl style has become another important aspect in the evolution of MMA.

But what will be the next step?

Using the success breeds imitation theory, you could look at three or four fighters that are currently at the top of their games. Anderson Silva is about as dynamic a striker as there is, and is wildly popular among martial artists. He is exciting to watch while at the same time being dominant. The only problem is that not many people possess he natural skills to do what he does. Where Liddell was able to utilize a strategy to focus on his strengths and avoid his weakness, it is not yet clear that Silva has much in the way of weaknesses, as he has won fights in every way imaginable. Also, his striking might not be a strength he uses to avoid the ground game, but rather just so dominant that he does not have to use it. So, while it would be nice to see an army of Silva's enter the sport, it is kind of unlikely to envision.

Fedor is the best heavyweight in the world, but is relatively unknown to a wide swatch of the world since he has never been in the UFC (this is sad, but this is also true. Sorry Affliciton.) He is another guy like Silva in a way though - incredibly skilled, it seems a lot of his success is based on inner toughness and pulling through beatings....not exactly a trail too many aspiring fighters can/would do.

How about Brock Lesnar? A return to dominant wrestling? He is wildly popular, but I think the line up of genetically freaky humans looking to enter the sport is limited.

And that brings me to Georges St. Pierre. One of the most well rounded fighters in the sport, the French Canadian is wildly popular and successful. This is a good combination to be emulated, and so is his skill set. A strong wrestler, St. Pierre can take just about anyone down, but he is also a good striker with a strong clinch game, not to mention good submissions if he needs them. It's not only St. Pierre that is having success by utilizing a strong all around game though. Fighters like Forrest Griffin, BJ Penn, Lyoto Machida (you didn't think I'd go a whole article without mentioning him did you?) and Kenny Florian have all shown varied skill sets that not only excite fans but win them fights as well.

But, there is one trend that could very well be even more important that any skill possessed by the fighters themselves. As the sport has evolved, the strategies available to fighters have as well. The two most successful camps in the sport right now - those of Greg Jackson and Randy Couture - rely as much on smart game planning as they do on the skills of the fighters themselves to gain success. More than anything else, they've shown that you can not go into a fight relying on just your own skills and a "I'm tougher than him" attitude and expect to do well against the elite of the sport. More smaller fight teams and trainers have already taken notice, and game planning is one part of the sport that is definitely changing with the times.