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The Genius of Randy Couture
by Chris Diamond
He's 41 years old... He's in tremendous shape... He's an outstanding wrestler and an MMA veteran with a mystique of invincibility since he dropped weight and started fighting at LHW. Forget the fact that he is a world-class wrestler. Forget the fact that he is in incredible shape for any age (much less a 41 year-old man). Forget that his "Natural" weight is probably around 220 pounds... or that he is strong, methodical and explosive... all the tools are there. But the key to his continued success is his development and execution of a superb game plan each and every time he fights. Simply put, the guy is an MMA fighting genius without peer amongst active fighters, at any weight class.
 Now I asked you to forget all the physical attributes he possesses, but you can't really... He's stronger than most the people he fights and can muscle them around. His strength and explosiveness make his take-downs on even the toughest customers seem effortless. He's in great shape, so Randy isn't going to gas out, and every person he will fight knows all of this. What kind of mental advantage does this give him? These facts alone are enough to verbally illustrate a formidable fighter, but, and as Vitor Belfort shows any time he fights someone of note, without a superior fight plan, you will not achieve true greatness in MMA. His combination of skills, attributes, preparation and strategy make him seemingly unbeatable.
Did anyone really think Randy would come out on top in a striking duel with Chuck Liddell? Chuck is known for thwarting the key aspects of Randy's fight game and Chuck's superiority in striking isn't really debatable. In the end as we all know, Captain America adapted, executed and came out victorious in convincing fashion.
Many people thought that Randy would beat Tito if he could contain him, and knowing Randy is the superior wrestler, there was little doubt he would. But you had to take into the account the "Anything can happen in MMA" factor, and give Tito credit for being a strong cardio machine of a younger man who made his name in MMA by dismantling the hot-shot Lion's Den... by doing what no one thought he could do. Tito may STILL be potential personified with plenty of tools of his own, but Randy ended up literally spanking Tito's butt.
I refuse to address the fluke loss to Vitor Belfort. That's what it was... a fluke, and any idea to the contrary has since been disproved in a decisive rematch.
I 'm left scratching my head, asking "How does he do it?" How does he consistently put superior game plans together and execute them to victory? I don't know, and if I did, I'd open up my own MMA gym and cultivate champions. His sheer dominance over the toughest competition at LHW is unbelievable. "Dominance" is almost too light a word choice. Randy has fought the best and made them all look like amateurs. I personally feel that Randy only lacks a win over Wanderlei Silva to cement his status as the best LHW in the world, but (and despite the teasing at UFC 49) seriously doubt that Zuffa and PRIDE FC will put that dream fight together. That being said, we're left to wonder, "How the hell do you beat Randy Couture?" With recent displays of genius over top 5 LHW fighters, its unlikely anyone will solve that riddle anytime soon.
* Article by Chris Diamond.
* Back to This Issue's Frontpage
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