Traditionally, the decathlon champion at the Olympic Games is recognized as the top athlete. Generally, with few exceptions, these men may not excel in any single discipline. They are not capable of outrunning the fastest sprinters, outleaping the best jumpers, or throwing farther than specialists in discus and shot put. What sets them apart is their remarkable performance across a vast array of events.
Decathletes, by nature, are exceptional athletes. Nonetheless, there are other sports professionals who train equally hard, excel across various disciplines, and manage to do this while being confined in a cage with an opponent attempting to knock them out or injure them. UFC champions, as the pinnacle of mixed martial arts (MMA) competition, not only deserve recognition as the finest fighters on earth but also should arguably be regarded as the best athletes globally.
The top MMA fighters possess advanced skills in striking using fists, knees, elbows, and feet. They are also outstanding freestyle
wrestlers. Many of them are familiar with judo throws and Muay Thai clinching techniques. Furthermore, they typically have a strong grasp of Brazilian jiu jitsu (or other submission grappling) skills.
This variety of technical skill is impressive on its own. However, the legends of the octagon also combine this array of skills with extraordinary physical attributes: speed, strength, flexibility, endurance, and courage. Naturally, certain individuals may excel in specific areas.
For instance, Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez are known for their remarkable strength, while Clay Guida possesses incredible endurance and Nick Diaz showcases remarkable flexibility akin to a rubber band. Even among the sport’s elite, certain individuals stand out as extraordinary physical specimens. Melvin Guillard exhibits excellent strength, speed, and conditioning. Meanwhile, Rich Franklin, famously a tough math teacher, trains rigorously in the gym. Randy Couture’s exceptional fitness enables him to compete against much larger opponents well into his mid-40s.BJ Penn can leap from a pool with water up to his waist and land on the deck in a single bound.
Georges St-Pierre, UFC welterweight champion, is perhaps the greatest athlete in MMA. He consistently competes over the grueling 25-minute championship duration, a true test of endurance. He exhibits incredible feats reflecting his coordination and power, although it’s somewhat comforting to discover that there are a few things he struggles with.
Jonathan Chaimberg, GSP’s strength and conditioning coach, directs him through a regimen that includes plyometrics, Olympic-style weightlifting, and general gym training. “Our focus is all about anaerobics,” says Chaimberg. “We engage in sprinting, uphill runs, and sled work. Our aim is to enhance his explosiveness. As he trains in boxing, Muay Thai, wrestling, and jiu jitsu, he accumulates considerable muscular endurance work, which allows us to concentrate more on power, speed, and strength in the gym.” Cross-training, to a significant extent, is essential for MMA fitness. While triathletes also engage in cross-training, their focus tends to emphasize less on strength, flexibility, or explosive power. A sprint-specialist road cyclist such as Mark Cavendish boasts tremendous endurance and explosive strength but may lack flexibility.
Rafael Nadal, an elite tennis player, showcases remarkable endurance and speed, but tends to lag behind in terms of strength.
Top boxers exhibit resilience, courage, and impressive endurance, yet they do not need to condition their entire bodies for assorted attacks from any direction. They also lack the necessity to develop the flexibility needed for a leg triangle submission or the strength to resist an omoplata.
Many AFL players are incredible athletes, yet in recent years, there has been a balancing act between endurance (with increased emphasis) and strength and muscle mass (which has seen a decrease). Although yoga sessions have become standard practice for Australian footballers, they seldom focus on gymnastic-style flexibility like cage fighters do.
Rugby league makes a strong case for being the most challenging ball sport; however, when one compares the frequency of collisions in NRL to that of the octagon, the differences are stark. Additionally, like all team sports, participants have opportunities to rest during gameplay.
Not every UFC fighter is chiseled and defined. Tim Sylvia and Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson carry noticeable body fat, yet they still demonstrate strength, courage, power, and enough endurance to win far more matches than they lose. It’s unsurprising that Dana White, UFC president, asserts, “These guys (MMA fighters) are, by far, the best-conditioned athletes in the world.”
by Buford Balony
