If you’ve watched any number of UFC broadcasts, you’ve undoubtedly heard Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg both agree that wrestling is the best base discipline to have in MMA.
Given the way bouts are scored under the unified rules, it’s hard to argue with them
Using the 10-point must system, the winning fighter of the round is awarded 10 points and his opponent receives nine or less.
As we’ve seen through some questionable decisions, judges look at takedowns as the grappling equivalent to a knockdown.
If a fighter is taken down during a round, it’s widely considered that he/she lost that round. Even if a fighter springs to their feet immediately, the judges still tend to count the takedown more than a submission attempt from the bottom or a fighter working their way back up to their feet.
Other than the way judges score fights, the main advantage to having a wrestling base occurs before the fighter ever steps foot inside a cage.
Wrestlers are notorious for their hard work ethic. Go to any local high school wrestling practice and you will likely be tired just from watching them.
Also, the majority of wrestling rooms are heated like a sauna to prevent muscles from getting cold which makes the fighter used to fighting in uncomfortable environments that he/she may come across.
The hard work ethic that gets drilled into a fighter’s head from wrestling practice transfers over almost as well as their skill set. A wrestler is a coach’s dream as the fighter will likely be at every practice possible and give 110 percent.
A final advantage that benefits the wrestler once the cage door closes, is the ability to decide where the fight takes place.
Most wrestlers are inclined to take their opponent down because that’s what they’re used to and often times they are matched up against a fighter who’s weakness is wrestling.
But if a wrestler wants the fight standing, they’re in control of where the bout takes place.
Should the wrestler want to take his opponent down, odds are they’re going to do it. If they want to stand up and find success trading shots, they are inclined to do so as well as many wrestlers have better takedown offense than defense.
If you haven’t had the displeasure of attempting to take a wrestler down, try to imagine swinging a hammer at a nail, only to see the nail not move at all.
It’s not only frustrating, it’s very tiresome as well.
That is perhaps the best feature for fighters who have wrestling as their base. They are often times in great physical condition and their grinding style can demoralize their enemy just as well as a good punch combination.
The wrestler doesn’t get tired, instead they wear down their opponent and use superior grappling techniques, vicious ground and pound or grind out a decision.
Until the scoring method is changed to reward more for fighters who do stuff off their back, wrestlers will continue to dominate the landscape at the top of the rankings. Even if a wrestler fights “safe” they are still the fighter most likely to escape with a victory.
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