A lot of mixed feeling about M-1/KSW/RUS fighters coming to America

There's been a few reports in the MMA & Polish press that Mamed Khalidov is now saying is wants to come to America to the UFC. I have a whole lot of mixed feelings about someone with his superior kickboxing & submission grappling skillset coming coming to America. Mostly the feelings are on the not so good side.

Seeing more and more technically superior former-Soviet Union & eastern European kickboxer/submission grapplers being lured from the homelands makes me sad mostly. I guess it's good initially monetarily for them, but I think these excellent combined-ground and stand up specialists will be stifled, at least somewhat, by the Amercian MMA style, the Unified Rules, and the cage.

As soon as they come here they are getting bugs put in there ears by other fighters and trainers about how they need to develop new skills to clinch and hold people on them on the cage. Or, they immediately start training the new skill of endlessly laying on your opponent in a stalemate while throwing a million busy rabbit punches and effectively doing nothing.

Then comes all the teams gyms and trainers that will teach them 'game plan'. Not 'fight plan' but game plan. Is MMA fighting playing a game???

Then those trainers and coaches will say... "I know your a multi-time World Combat Sambo submission expert but you shouldn't attempt those anymore in America in the cage. It's too risky to try and finish your opponent by submission. I don't care if you a world champion at it!"


For the fighters??? I can't knock then for wanting to go where they feel they can make the most for what is usually a very short career. 11 of one, 1/12 of a dozen for the other.

ksw needs some M-1 balls, bottom line.

I agree Dag. These fighters belong in the ring and the european promotions need them to build the rosters. I rather see Mamed and White Wolf using their full arsenal in KSW and M-1 than seeing them losing decisions to wrestlers in UFC.

I think once a fighter honours his contract he should be able to go where he wants. I'd like to see Khalidov fight the top UFC guys. I'd also like to see him fight the top Bellator guys.

I dont think anybody, M-1, UFC, Bellator, or KSW should be aloud to prevent a fighter from expanding his career however he would like to.

But as for the OT, I do agree. But then again there are fighters like Khalidov, Fedor, Sergei, Overeem, Wanderlei that train in america and don't game plan.

There are american camps that are usually excting. I'd like to see Khalidov go to Wand Fight Team.

Whino wrote: I dont think anybody, M-1, UFC, Bellator, or KSW should be aloud to prevent a fighter from expanding his career however he would like to.

That's what we've been fighting for since the beginning. Fortunately many orgs co promote and don't try to boycott attempts of making fights outside too.

Whino wrote:I think once a fighter honours his contract he should be able to go where he wants. I'd like to see Khalidov fight the top UFC guys. I'd also like to see him fight the top Bellator guys.

I dont think anybody, M-1, UFC, Bellator, or KSW should be aloud to prevent a fighter from expanding his career however he would like to.

But as for the OT, I do agree. But then again there are fighters like Khalidov, Fedor, Sergei, Overeem, Wanderlei that train in america and don't game plan.

There are american camps that are usually excting. I'd like to see Khalidov go to Wand Fight Team.

Of course they should be able to choose where to figth but it would be great if they could make a good living in europe so they don´t have to sign with the UFC. The UFC had their share of top fighters and its time for other promotions to grow. I prefer the ring and I really hope M-1 and KSW can keep their top guys and dominate the euro-mma scene.

I can agree with that Johan. I dont think making a living is the main issue either, its that Mamed Khalidov is too good for rodney wallace and guys like Leities, Cote, Watson and all the other top non-zuffa MW's dont want to fight him because he is too good and can keep them from getting to the UFC. I want KSW and M-1 to merg because M-1 has the better fighters but KSW has epic PRIDEesque production that gives me goose bumps. Turn Poland into the next japan. Maybe get ONE FC on board.


Babalu vs Blachowich
Michael Materla vs Mario Miranda
Aleks Emelianenko vs Valentijn Overeem
Daniel Weichel vs ole Laursem
Matt Horwich vs Magomed Sultanakhmedov
Maciej Jewtuszko vs eddie Ng
Aslambek Saidov vs Rashid Magomedov
Rolles Gracie vs Magomed Malikov.

Tell me you wouldnt pay $50 for that card?

Whino wrote:

Babalu vs Blachowich
Michael Materla vs Mario Miranda
Aleks Emelianenko vs Valentijn Overeem
Daniel Weichel vs ole Laursem
Matt Horwich vs Magomed Sultanakhmedov
Maciej Jewtuszko vs eddie Ng
Aslambek Saidov vs Rashid Magomedov
Rolles Gracie vs Magomed Malikov.

Tell me you wouldnt pay $50 for that card?

Nice.

Whino wrote:I can agree with that Johan. I dont think making a living is the main issue either, its that Mamed Khalidov is too good for rodney wallace and guys like Leities, Cote, Watson and all the other top non-zuffa MW's dont want to fight him because he is too good and can keep them from getting to the UFC. I want KSW and M-1 to merg because M-1 has the better fighters but KSW has epic PRIDEesque production that gives me goose bumps. Turn Poland into the next japan. Maybe get ONE FC on board.


Babalu vs Blachowich
Michael Materla vs Mario Miranda
Aleks Emelianenko vs Valentijn Overeem
Daniel Weichel vs ole Laursem
Matt Horwich vs Magomed Sultanakhmedov
Maciej Jewtuszko vs eddie Ng
Aslambek Saidov vs Rashid Magomedov
Rolles Gracie vs Magomed Malikov.

Tell me you wouldnt pay $50 for that card?

I´m sure M-1 and KSW will co-promote soon enough. The combination of the KSW production and M-1 talents would be epic.

You know what else I'd like to see? I'd like to see KSW sign more brazillian, asian and western european fighters. PRIDE was all about international competition. Build up big name fighters from other parts of the world. KSW could easily be the most successful worldwide promotion in my opinion. Very good production and they have a really good eye for talent. But I would like to see them add more dutch and brazillian fighters in addition to some americans and asians.

^

Agreed. I believe with time they will. I think they're playing safe now and trying to build their own stars, but i'm sure they'll bring people from the outside later. That's the only right move to do if they want to expand.

Whino wrote:I can agree with that Johan. I dont think making a living is the main issue either, its that Mamed Khalidov is too good for rodney wallace and guys like Leities, Cote, Watson and all the other top non-zuffa MW's dont want to fight him because he is too good and can keep them from getting to the UFC. I want KSW and M-1 to merg because M-1 has the better fighters but KSW has epic PRIDEesque production that gives me goose bumps. Turn Poland into the next japan. Maybe get ONE FC on board.


Babalu vs Blachowich
Michael Materla vs Mario Miranda
Aleks Emelianenko vs Valentijn Overeem
Daniel Weichel vs ole Laursem
Matt Horwich vs Magomed Sultanakhmedov
Maciej Jewtuszko vs eddie Ng
Aslambek Saidov vs Rashid Magomedov
Rolles Gracie vs Magomed Malikov.

Tell me you wouldnt pay $50 for that card?

That would be sweet. ONE FC, KSW, and M-1 could put together a great event.