Best MMA Prospect that never was? (Age, Time Period, Etc)

Was giving this some thought earlier, and have had this conversation with friends before.

I think Aleksandr Karelin would have been absolutely fantastic were he younger and had MMA been more popular in his prime. Guy did one fight in RINGS, but it doesn't really say much in the long run, as many RINGS fights were apparently worked (not complaining, MMA wasn't very distinct from Puro yet, and the whole japanese shootfighting scene kinda owns). Guy apparently carried iceboxes and shit on his back to train, being a fucking super athlete of sorts, and is widely considered the greatest Greco-Roman guy of all time.

Given his strengths and athletic gifts, he'd probably be a lot like what people expected out of Kerr. Could have seen him manhandling most if not everyone in the NHB era, though who knows how well he'd take cross-training. Willing to bet he'd probably cross-train a lot of Sambo and BJJ.

I don't know, I love these discussions. Pipe in! Doesn't have to be about Karelin, but am interested in the thoughts of other people regarding potential "prospects" we won't see for one reason or another.

Mighty Mo if he joined earlier

Vicious overhand and striking style which work much better in MMA than in K-1 and a great takedown defense

Kurt Angle

Had that conversation too. Poor Kurt. Should have held out just a couple more years and went somewhere that would have been much better for him.

Financially wwe was the better option. He probably would have gone to the UFC if anything and as we all know UFC (especially back then) equals U fight cheap though he probably would have gotten a decent contract. He would have fit in perfectly in PRIDE though.

Are you kidding me? A reasonably young Karelin in MMA is a wet dream type of thing.

But, my feeling on the matter is that even if MMA had been big at the time, he probably would've stuck with wrestling and not done anything which would compliment his wrestling career, such as fighting. If MMA would've been big by the time he was finished wrestling though, who knows. He might have wanted to challenge himself at it.

ALEK

Hmm...I'm gonna be a little different and say Ogawa.
The dude had freakish judo, size, cardio, athleticism and charisma in buckets but just didn't seem to care about MMA...which is understandable given how much $ he was making in puro.

But my #1 has gotta be Shibata. I thought he would be the next Saku. Big built in fanbase, decorated amateur wrestler, great striking, trained in old school puro way and is easily the most badass japanese dude ever made but FEG fed him to the lions...Should i write an article on him?

IQ Wrestler wrote:Hmm...I'm gonna be a little different and say Ogawa.
The dude had freakish judo, size, cardio, athleticism and charisma in buckets but just didn't seem to care about MMA...which is understandable given how much $ he was making in puro.

But my #1 has gotta be Shibata. I thought he would be the next Saku. Big built in fanbase, decorated amateur wrestler, great striking, trained in old school puro way and is easily the most badass japanese dude ever made but FEG fed him to the lions...Should i write an article on him?

Sounds like you have a nice start for one.

marcelo garcia, alexander karelin, kurt angle

Bat-Erdene Badmaanyambuu

a few pro wrestlers, like Razor Ramon.

of course youd have to weed through the glass heart/jaws like Lashley, but i think theyd get some good dudes in there.

Aleksander Karelin, He's not only the wrestling GOAT but a physical beast. I don't believe he could be KOed and i can only imagine the power behind a punch of that guy. If i could bring someone to mma i'd definately be him.

Karelins strength was unbelievable and he would have been one of the all time greatest.

Remember when Sapp was a legit prospect?

Yep. And then Mirko broke his eye, turning him into the loveable joke we all know now.

:bobsapp:

Bob Sapp gets too much hate.
He's given us a ton of awesome moments

Yep. I meant Loveable Joke as a compliment.