Freakshow/Circus Matches?

[trolla84]

Watching a lot of old UFC fights, and some freakshow matches from Pride etc... where there was a disparity in weight/size and or style. I found the concept of a skilled smaller opponent taking on a larger, untrained/less trained fighter quite entertaining. I understand that that was mma & more of a thing of the past, but I was thinking why dont we do this every now and then in muay thai? I think it would be quite fun to watch, just as something different. I think the concept could be useful in attracting more fans to our sport, showing that a smaller trained man can beat a bigger brawler with muay thai skill and technique.

Is this idea feasible? Is it even legal? ie would the govt combat sports comissions allow the fight to happen? I think it could be an interesting idea & would love to see it happen. What are others thoughts on the matter?

[punjabi puncher]

throwing in a fighter whos gonna lose isnt "fun" to watch

[ChrisQ]

That's a terrible idea.
Ideas like that only reinforce the negative image of combat sports portrayed by the media.

Safety should always come before entertainment.

A war between 2 well matched fighters is always more entertaining than a quick knockout in round 1.

[witt]

Hong man choi?

[1crain1]

i like this idea, kinda, if you worked it a bit. like in the olympics have a normal guy from the crowd thrown in on an extra lane to see just how fast the sprinters are actually going. would stop some people calling out people for losing when they see an ordinary civilian get smashed.

but who would be willing to step out of the crowd to jump in with badr et al?

[trolla84]

Ok, I obviously havent explained myself properly. I'm sure you all enjoyed watching a 78 kg Kaoklai ko 100+kg Mighty Mo in K1, or his fights against Ignashov, Choi etc...

Kaoklai vs Mighyy Mo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy9xOyNDCoM

Short ko version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX2F__aDj_w

Fights are matched all the time where there is a tradeoff between weight and skill, eg on the last battle collossal show Robocop Tananchai (64kg thai fighter) fought Jason Scerri (68-72kg fighter). This turned out to be an evenly matched and skillful fight.

And local fighters have stepped up on short notice to fight larger opponents as well. Scrimmy did it the other week. Clint Howson and Rockstar Rudnicki have done it in the past as well.

Fights like this happened all the time in early mma, even UFC 8 was called "David vs Goliath" - an elimination tournament with under 200pound fighters (the "davids") matched against fighters weighing over 200 pounds (the goliaths). In the end one of the lighter fighters won the whole thing (Don Frye).

Its not that bad an idea if done properly, and adds another angle of interest to the card.

[trolla84]

I see Mr 1Crain1 gets it!

I was thinking of say a decent skilled lightheavy 79ish kg, against a more novice heavy (95ish kg) or random fit big boy footy player. In this scenario, the lighter fighter, although not as physically strong, still would have enough power to ko the big man, and so it is not so much of a mis-match.

Individual fighter style would also come into account here. Wouldnt use a lighter fighter who specialises in clinch fighting, as he would get ragdolled by the bigger man. But one who has good evasive abilities and striking could work his angles and make it like a bull fight.

I am not however, advocating matching a light fighter against a heavier fighter with and identical record, as that would be setting the the lighter fighter up to loose.

[Dour]

Personally, I'd pay to see it. As an example..

72kg. 10-15 fights
vs
80+kg. 8-3

One has a weight & size advantage, the other an experience and maybe skill advantage. They counteract each other nicely presenting an interesting contest which is all a crowd love to see.
No safety is lost, both fighters agree to it, so why shouldnt it work?

I'm very inexperienced in these matters so perhaps these fights become predictable in some way or maybe there are regulations or policies against such mis-matches in size? If neither case is true, then why not have more of this every now and then?

[trolla84]

Thanks for the input Dour.

Would like some input from promoters, trainers and fighters on the issue. What do they think of the idea? And more importantly, will they put one of these matches on their shows? Preferrably in Perth so I can watch it :)

As a side note, close and evenly matched fights are what muay thai is all about, what I am mentioning in this thread is just as a novelty, something to pick up a bit of extra interest and to do something a little different for a change.

[trolla84]

Another mma example, more recent though, 6'1, 230 pound randy couture soundly beating 6'8 250 pound tim sylvia. Yes they are both heavyweights, but one has a 7inch height advantage and outweighs the other by 20 pounds! In muay thai there are weight classes every 6 pounds!

[LXXIX]

saw i pride fight and there was a 400 pound weight difference..it was a 600 pound african american sumo v a 200 pound jappanesse guy,the 200 pound guy won,was a boring fight he ran around for 10 minutes and the big guy got tired ,tried to shoot in and the little guy sprawls gets his back(well as good as he could ) and started just punching away,

[robot]

I do not think comissions would allow freak matches in the US, here or others.
All these commissions were hesitant to allow mma and so thusa the weight cxlasses were first enforced.

[Hironaka]

Yoshida vs Parysian