James “Lights Out” Toney vs Randy “The Natural” Couture
The 1st time I saw a person discipline of fighting styles pitted against an additional discipline was practically twenty years ago. It was like seeing the movie BloodSport except this was the real issue – real fights, real blood, all to choose which fighting style was far better. I didn’t even know what Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was at that time – almost certainly thought it had been some ninja schtick – even though the mention of wrestling automatically produces a mental image of Hulk Hogan flying and doing a leg drop.
Now this type of factor is common; Mma in general and also the UFC in particular have released the standard public to cross-discipline fights, and – for better or worse – that selfsame community has had the opportunity to form their own opinions as to which design is “better”. And it is a lttle bit of a misnomer, seriously; you cannot seriously say which is a “better” martial fine art, simply the much better fighter. However the comparisons persist, in large component due to the fact we don’t see very much crossover to blended fighting styles through the quite ideal of any specific sport. With Sonnen’s unpredicted manhandling of Anderson Silva in UFC 117, it is not tricky to determine why. Mma demands cross-training, and being a purist in 1 fine art is typically detrimental since you leave yourself open to as well quite a few things – like the takedown.
Pure strikers – because the glut of failed K-1 fighters making the transition on the UFC has shown – are typically disadvantaged by the truth that it is a great deal simpler to land a takedown than protect towards it. Plus the very same is true with boxing. Practitioners with the “Sweet Science” – in specific James Toney – have usually gone on record as saying that the boxing in Mma pales in comparison to boxing in..
. properly… boxing. And Mixed martial arts proponents have generally contended that it can be that way simply because of everything else you need to look at while from the cage. Boxing is really a portion of Mma, but it really is only just one particular part. And for as lengthy as each sports have co-existed, the notion of an elite boxer facing off against an elite Mma fighter was nothing additional than a highly anticipated pipe dream. Effectively, till UFC 118, when IBA heavyweight champ James Toney creates his Mixed martial arts debut against UFC Hall-of-Famer Randy Couture.
The Boxer:
James “Lights Out” Toney will be the current IBA and NABO heavyweight champion who also held titles in 5 unique weight divisions.
Professional boxing record
| Wins | Losses | Draws |
| 72 | 6 | 3 |
| (T)KO Wins | T(KO) Losses | Submission Wins | Submission Losses | Decision Wins | Decision Losses |
| 44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 6 |
No Contests: 2
Pros:
- Toney has fought a virtual who’s who in the boxing globe which tends to make him a quite experienced and risky striker. He has legit one-punch knockout energy in each hands. He is an elite boxer in the boxing world; that’s some thing no Mma fighter can say, or has faced just before.
- Despite being hit inside the face for decades that is enough to crack a wall in all directions, he has never been knocked out. Certainly the guy possesses adamantium chin. All those hits to the head have impacted his speech patterns, but not his ability to remain up regardless of taking a beating.
- His camp claims that Toney may be a quick study in BJJ as well, and can apply the guillotine and rear-naked chokes – fundamental BJJ submission moves. Even so, he has supreme confidence in his capacity to knock Couture out standing up, which may be the case in the vast majority of his gains.
- He’ll also be utilizing smaller gloves; if he can knock men and women out with all those pillow-sized gloves they use in boxing, I shudder at the imagined of individuals hammer fists connecting with Couture’s chin.
Cons:
- James is going to be fighting on his feet and not on his Lights Out boxing shoes. The traction variation are going to be a issue that would certainly affect his striking momentum.
- James will probably be battling in the cage instead of inside ring. Mirko Crocop imagined that the two cage and ring makes no variation to him then Napao Gonzaga enlightened him through head kick. James is within the path to enlightenment.
- He’ll be applying a 4ounce gloves to defend punches. Okay I admit that James Toney having a four ounce gloves is like arming a rogue nation with nuclear warheads. If he uses it to protect punches then those people punches will pass through like butter.
- James disses leg kicks due to the fact it really is for girls. Dismissing any aspect of the fight is a sure-fire solution to shed.
- James thinks he can still produce knockout power while on his back. He must have a jack from the box fists.
- James consider all he requirements is his boxing expertise set and absolutely nothing else to cement a gain. Either he’s 100% clairvoyant or telepath to determine each imagined and motion prior to it occurs or his 100% delusional due to chronic head trauma.
- James is pretty darn brief each in height and achieve compared to Captain America and this is not boxing. He might wind up receiving mopped on the canvass by pure unadulterated Greco Roman wrestling.
- James thinks he can carry on Brock Lesnar following he retires Captain America from active duty. The identical Lesnar who, in UFC 116, took anything Shane Carwin had to give prior to taking Carwin down and submitting arguably the most harmful heavyweight inside UFC due to the fact of his knockout power.
The Wrestler:
Randy “The Natural” Couture is often a Division I and Olympic alternate wrestler who also held the UFC heavyweight title thrice and the UFC light heavyweight title twice.
MMA record
| Wins | Losses | Draws |
| 18 | 10 | 0 |
| (T)KO Wins | T(KO) Losses | Submission Wins | Submission Losses | Decision Wins | Decision Losses |
| 7 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
Pros:
Randy is a wise tactician. He nullified Gabriel “Napao” Gonzaga’s sizing and energy, the guy who decapitated Crocops head. Despite getting the older person against younger and bigger opponents, Couture has often found a method to gain.
Randy is quite excellent around the clinch and his wrestling skill is one from the very best inside business.
Randy’s dirty boxing is legendary. He had some success with it in opposition to the present UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar before he ate a ham fist.
Randy’s wrestling can give him great placement within the terrain. I do not consider James knows how to obtain on guard, a great deal less protect against a pass. Once Randy takes him towards the ground, full mount is as effortless as sitting on a couch.
Randy’s one or double leg takedown will be unstoppable unless James understands the best way to sprawl. Sprawl is not discovered from the boxer’s dictionary, which indicates James wouldn’t bother learning it. If that is the case, touchdown for Couture.
Cons:
Couture could possibly (unlikely, but may possibly) stand toe to toe with Toney. Couture shocked the globe when he stood up and fought in Chuck Liddell’s playground and out struck the feared striker in his heyday. Toney is usually a distinct striker though, and his combos may well be as well a lot for “Captain America”. If Couture doesn’t go for any takedown at the early part with the round he could possibly end up like Tim Sylvia receiving knocked out by Ray Mercer in only 9 seconds.
If glove dimension can pose a threat to James striking defense, the reverse is even a lot more applicable. James is appropriate on this matter that he could possibly get arrested for committing a homicide.
Verdict:
Whatever can occur in Mma, correct, but there’s a reason Couture could be the -700 favored to earn this matchup. Couture may perhaps be older, but Toney is coming into this with zero Mixed martial arts experience, and relying on striking alone is usually a difficult lesson that several other people, like Stefan Leko, Masaaki Satake, Mirko CroCop and a lot of other people. A minimum of James “Lights Out” Toney is no Kentucky Floyd Chicken. If Couture is wise – and he’s – he requires this a person to the soil at the initial chance, and makes Toney consume his wo
