Vanderlei would’ve gone hells bells winging shots and Igor would’ve caught him nasty. Igor’s punches were loopy but there was a method to the madness. It is a technique called casting. It loops over someone’s guard or sweeps away their gloves to eventually catch you. I doubt a single knee would be thrown and it would not go passed one round.
4 Likes
Igor was the man. I feel like early PRIDE Igor destroys early PRIDE Wanderlei but later PRIDE Wanderlei beats later PRIDE Igor.
They tried booking them at the Final PRIDE show when the org and both of them were passed their Prime and even though it was a little too late it still would’ve been cool to see
2 Likes
Igor was amazing for his time. At 5’8" 205 lbs he was dwarfed by many of his opponents, but he was like a fire hydrant; his low center of gravity, strength & power enabled him to go on quite a few solid winning streaks. Especially, in his pre-Pride days.
I remember being convinced that he was going to win the Pride Grand Prix. I thought he’d wear Coleman down & finish him, but then, Coleman’s fucking knees entered the picture. And ever since that time, I’ve hated Coleman because he was juiced to the gills for that tournament.
5 Likes
Russian Hooks FTW!
2 Likes
Ive seen footage of doing light pad work in the dressing room.
He wasn’t exactly chasing his second wind, but still warming up.
A fresh Coleman, who beat the piss out of Shoji for 15 minutes, then Fujita threw in the towel immediately, to get his US$25,000.
Vanderlei was the alternate and should have fought Coleman in the semi final.
3 Likes
It would’ve been high risk but I would’ve loved to see a well timed knee from Vanderlei stun Coleman then blitzed back to Ohio ftw.
I think Vanderlei could have gone the full 15 minutes, but spent most of it with Coleman stacked in his guard.
Even having to deal with Vanderlei squirming all over the place and peppering him with punches from the bottom would have drained Coleman’s gas tank for the final.
1 Like
Wouldn’t say he fucked him up, but it was a basic BJJ clinic - throw one punch, shoot for a double, it gets defended so switch to a single, land in guard, pass to half guard, throw some strikes to open him up, and then slap on an arm triangle as he passes guard fully. Beat him in like three minutes.
Probably the best strategy Sperry could have followed.
1 Like
Not getting hit and submitting someone of Igor’s level in the first round is fucking him up
1 Like
Igor entered that fight with a giant cut and bandaid on his face that no commission would’ve allowed and it opened up immediately. It was also after Igor’s weight started to go way up when he got upset by Telligman so he was on the clear downfall in the fights after the 2000 GP.
All that context aside Sperry beat him clean with dominant and impressive JJ.
2 Likes
Someone post the gif of him hitting the dude who’s trying to collapse but Igor keeps him up with punches
1 Like
Prime fedor easily. Too well rounded and bigger.
I rember back when the UFC was the top dog in town during the mid-90s, but you always heard about this Russian kickboxer guy that was winning 16 man tournaments and knocking out wrestlers left and right.
2 Likes
Maybe they were protecting Wand?!?!?!
They fed him to Mirko and Hunt
1 Like
Igor beating Kerr was a holy shit moment in the sport.
6 Likes
Igor went into the fight with a big cut on his head.
Vanderlei commented that he locked like he’d lost already in the dressing room.
1 Like
The Sperry and Teligman fights were part Vov’s prime
2 Likes
That big Brazilian dude