First pic - always love seeing German Suplexes in unexpected games 😄
Second pic - that's Severn performing it, I think. Is it Shamrock taking it? Ultimate Ultimate?
Yup, Dan Severn’s UFC debut in UFC4, Revenge of the Warriors, with a great example of why weight classes are so important, as an unfortunate Anthony Macias goes for a rough ride. Macias wasn’t quite as big as one of Ken Shamrock’s quads at that point! 🤣 Macias was a Muay Thai guy, I think he was dropping vertical elbows onto the back of Severn’s head and neck just prior to being suplexed in half, if memory serves me correctly. The elbows looked hard, but about as effectual as someone trying to stop a tank by throwing tennis balls at it.
Severn got “soobie-meeshed” by Royce Gracie in the final that night (remember TOURNAMENTS in fighting?!), imagine fighting two other dudes, then seeing that giant lug Severn standing in the cage across from you after seeing the suplex clinic earlier? 😂
Yup, Dan Severn’s UFC debut in UFC4, Revenge of the Warriors, with a great example of why weight classes are so important, as an unfortunate Anthony Macias goes for a rough ride. Macias wasn’t quite as big as one of Ken Shamrock’s quads at that point! 🤣
I don't remember 4 so well but I do remember Severn debuting and Gracie winning with vengeance due to frustration of having to bow out of UFC 3 with an injury in his win over Kimo. I also remember marking the F*CK out when alternate (and eventual winner) Steve Jennum's style was announced as ninjutsu! 🐱👤 The early UFC tournaments already had that Street Fighter/Bloodsport vibe so having the winner be a ninja was pretty cool 😄
Macias was a Muay Thai guy, I think he was dropping vertical elbows onto the back of Severn’s head and neck just prior to being suplexed in half, if memory serves me correctly. The elbows looked hard, but about as effectual as someone trying to stop a tank by throwing tennis balls at it.
Would have loved to have seen prime Severn vs. Fedor. I think of Fedor's resiliency (especially against wrestlers and DEATH SUPLEXES) and imagine how he would have done against Severn plexes.
Severn got “soobie-meeshed” by Royce Gracie in the final that night (remember TOURNAMENTS in fighting?!), imagine fighting two other dudes, then seeing that giant lug Severn standing in the cage across from you after seeing the suplex clinic earlier? 😂
Gracie was a master of controlling his emotions back then but I can't imagine he was too happy facing Severn after that match! I miss those early UFC days. The variety in styles, and weight classes, just had that anything can happen feel. I liked seeing the different traditional styles mesh too.
Severn against Fedor might have been good if Severn would have had balanced training that was available to Fedor. Severn often had “boring” matches, the guy was an amazing wrestler, but lacked killer instinct and the training to finish. He was like a cat or a bear that could deftly take down and neutralize its prey, but would not know what to do with it when what he should be doing is eviscerating it! His “fight” with Shamrock in UFC superfight championship was a snooze fest, but who knows, if he’d have had some balanced training, he’d have stayed effective and relevant against guys like Frye and Coleman.
That said, the guy was a machine, and those suplexes were amazing!
Yeah, the disparity in balance of fighting technique in the early days of fighting did make things interesting, it lead to more spectacular subs and KOs as fighters tried to bone up on techniques and strategies of other styles. Not to take anything away from pro fighters these days, but the UFC has kind of resulted in a UFC “style” in a way, they all have to know the same stuff to stay competitive. Only problem is there’s no surprising anyone with much these days, so it comes down mostly to being the superior athlete or maybe having special gifts like guys like Jon Jones and Anderson Silva (long limbs and crazy height, incredible reflexes for their weight classes, etc). I wouldn’t trade current stuff for a return to Emanuel Yarborough or matches between Keith Hakney and Joe Son (look THAT one up…), but that element of HOLY SHIT, what a submission is sorely missed and much more rare than back then.
"Fun has been kidnapped! Are you ninja enough to save the gaming industry!?" OG
Severn against Fedor might have been good if Severn would have had balanced training that was available to Fedor. Severn often had “boring” matches, the guy was an amazing wrestler, but lacked killer instinct and the training to finish. He was like a cat or a bear that could deftly take down and neutralize its prey, but would not know what to do with it when what he should be doing is eviscerating it! His “fight” with Shamrock in UFC superfight championship was a snooze fest, but who knows, if he’d have had some balanced training, he’d have stayed effective and relevant against guys like Frye and Coleman.
That said, the guy was a machine, and those suplexes were amazing!
I think back to Severn/Taktarov and ugh, neither guy seemed to have any idea how to end a fight after bringing the action to the ground. Fedor was a true finisher, even when he was being suplexed to hell. So I think Fedor would have crushed the Severn that we saw. But Severn had the physical tools and BEAR mentality to have controlled Fedor but he would have needed to learn more about ending fights.
Would have loved to see Severn's spinning lariat vs. Fedor's though LOL
Yeah, the disparity in balance of fighting technique in the early days of fighting did make things interesting, it lead to more spectacular subs and KOs as fighters tried to bone up on techniques and strategies of other styles. Not to take anything away from pro fighters these days, but the UFC has kind of resulted in a UFC “style” in a way, they all have to know the same stuff to stay competitive. Only problem is there’s no surprising anyone with much these days, so it comes down mostly to being the superior athlete or maybe having special gifts like guys like Jon Jones and Anderson Silva (long limbs and crazy height, incredible reflexes for their weight classes, etc). I wouldn’t trade current stuff for a return to Emanuel Yarborough or matches between Keith Hakney and Joe Son (look THAT one up…), but that element of HOLY SHIT, what a submission is sorely missed and much more rare than back then.
Few things will ever evoke the "HOLY SHIT" reaction in me than the early UFC's. It felt like a trip into the world of martial arts I always knew existed but never got to peak into PLUS a peak into a world I never even knew about: BJJ. Plus, Pat Smith rocking a Ken gi 😄
And endless hilarity from the Gracie Train to the epic UFC music to that one UFC where the commentators tried really hard to educate the audience on "Pit fighters" vs. "trap fighters" throughout the broadcast only to completely abandon those terms a few months later 😂
But I also know it was just a matter of time before they had to evolve or die. It's a sport and if it was to be seen as a true sport, the fighters had to evolve and start cross-training. I just kind of wish some of the fighters today kept some of the unique "styles" vibe of the early martial artists and showmanship of Pride with them. Even if we don't get so many surprises anymore in fights, it would be nice to have that "martial artists representing disciplines" rather than just fight schools.
Also - that time Fedor practically did an MSH vs. SF uppercut launcher on Arlovski was amazing 😄
