Size vs Skill

[DarthPenguin]

Yeah to reiterate what bushido_man said regarding bjj, size and skill in other arts can make a difference, especially when rules are applied.

From personal experience : one reason i joined bjj in the first place was i got absolutely destroyed by someone about 5'6 and probably60/70lbs lighter than me, with no seeming effort on his part. However, once i had been there a few months, there was another guy who was always a horrendous training partner (tried to hurt people etc) and he did the same with me. Similar size differential - i decided to play his own game and literally grabbed his legs for a guard pass and threw his body off the wall, then settled into side control. Point being that when i decided i could go completely outwith the rules then size helped (also he was less horrendous with me in future!)

Generally i do think that for bjj skill makes the major difference but it is also within the ruleset eg slams. Look at what Rampage famously did to a world class bjj black belt in Arona in Pride years ago. Someone miles better than me and a lot smaller will likely swiftly triangle me and send me to sleep, but if not done right there is a chance i can powerbomb them etc. (though the skilled guy wouold probably finish me easily with something else!)

[bushido_man96]

If you want to look to an example in the sporting ring, look at Brock Lesnar. His size was a huge advantage after he started learning even just some basic BJJ skills.

[Drew]

Here's the deal: if you are trained in BJJ, for example, it is well know you will beat someone who isn't, regardless of any other factors, 99.99 percent of the time.

I don't agree with your percentages there. I don't think BJJ is a panacea like that. I do think it gives you a huge advantage in a fight, but I don't see it as a guarantee of victory.

The same is true of every other sport.

Fighting and sport are not the same thing.

As for fighting, Jack Dempsey once said that 'Game-ness' is what determines the outcome of a fight. Gameness is your dedication to victory at any cost to your health. If you are of a singular purpose, to badly hurt, maim, or kill the enemy, you will win regardless of their size.

With these things in mind, you could have zero training and attack, right out of the gate, with utter nonsense and still win by spazzing every moment, causing injuries to even the eyeballs of the people watching. That's what happened in a recent fight between Nickal Vs. Woodburn. War is heck. Remember that.

This statement seems to be countering your opening statement of the confidence rating of BJJ. If the bigger, stronger person decides to go crazy in the fight in the same way, then the smaller guy loses the advantage it seems.

In physics there's a joke: the 'spherical cow in a vacuum.'

Everything else aside, BJJ is one thing you need to account for. On the other hand, it's well known within the BJJ community that spazzing white belts are the most dangerous thing known to black belts. Paint that spaz in a different light and you might have a deadly problem.

If the stronger, bigger person decides to spaz on the smaller guy, that's no different than if a white belt decided to spaz on a black belt (which doesn't happen that often, there's a lot of social pressure on them most of the time) and the black belt spazzed back. I've watched it happen and it is hard to recover from, no matter who it happens to.

[bushido_man96]

How often do spazzing white belts tap out BJJ black belts??

[aurik]

How often do spazzing white belts tap out BJJ black belts??

I don't think that it's so much that the spazzing white belts are going to make a black belt tap. However, white belts have little to no control and are just trying to get out there and prove themselves. My CI always says that when sparring you're far more likely to get injured when sparring a white belt than a black belt for that very reason.

[KarateKen]

How often do spazzing white belts tap out BJJ black belts??

I don't think that it's so much that the spazzing white belts are going to make a black belt tap. However, white belts have little to no control and are just trying to get out there and prove themselves. My CI always says that when sparring you're far more likely to get injured when sparring a white belt than a black belt for that very reason.

I've often been more comfortable sparring black belts than low ranks. They have much more control and don't need to prove how tough they are. Some white belts are about a half step above the drunk in the bar who throws wild haymakers.

[sensei8]

How often do spazzing white belts tap out BJJ black belts??

I don't think that it's so much that the spazzing white belts are going to make a black belt tap. However, white belts have little to no control and are just trying to get out there and prove themselves. My CI always says that when sparring you're far more likely to get injured when sparring a white belt than a black belt for that very reason.

I've often been more comfortable sparring black belts than low ranks. They have much more control and don't need to prove how tough they are. Some white belts are about a half step above the drunk in the bar who throws wild haymakers.

White belts only do what they know!! In time, the white belt begins to harness their control. I love to see a white belt get a technique in on a black belt due by their inexperience, and their lack of experience can be difficult to a black belt from time to time.

[KarateKen]

So we talked about Tyson but this week UFC fighter Colby Covington was calling out LeBron James and challenged him to a fight because of his refusal to stand for the national anthem. Political opinions aside, would the 5'11" 170-pound Covington be taking on more than he can handle? Colby is a former UFC interim champion who is fighting for the title belt this weekend, he also was a college wrestling champion and has a BB in BJJ with I think about 16 years of training. Clearly James would have a big advantage in size, weight, and strength, but with a lifetime of training would an elite competitor who is much smaller come out on top? I would think so.

To me it is a little like when Jaylen Ramsey said he is such a great athlete that with six months of practice he could play in the NHL even though he has never played hockey or even skated before. Well, no he couldn't. How can someone with six months of practice compete against top level professionals who have been training their entire lives?

[LonestarCJ]

...

Edited March 17 by LonestarCJ

[sensei8]

While size and skill must be considered, if I may be so bold to add, if size is the individuals main concern, then perhaps that's because said necessary skills required isn't within said practitioner.

I've always been taught and what I teach is that the practitioner addresses said opponent that stands before them to the best of one's abilities without any reservations whatsoever because if one's already concerned of either the skill and/or the size, then the altercation perhaps is already lost before it ever begins.