How Would Karelin have fared in early 2000's MMA?

Epicman1324

Epicman1324

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If Aleksandr Karelin decided to continue with MMA (he fought once in 1999 against Akira Maeda) following his loss to Rulon Gardner at the 2000 Olympics, how would he have done? He'd easily be the most accomplished and highest level wrestler to enter the sport ever, especially at that time. He would've only been 33 at the time, younger than Couture. Also, 6'3, 287lbs of Soviet steel seems like it would be a smesh machine, yeah? 887-2 record in wrestling, with both losses by a single point.
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May have been USADA'd.

Phenomenal wrestler. May have done well in the HW division.
 
Epicman1324 said:
If Aleksandr Karelin decided to continue with MMA (he fought once in 1999 against Akira Maeda) following his loss to Rulon Gardner at the 2000 Olympics, how would he have done? He'd easily be the most accomplished and highest level wrestler to enter the sport ever, especially at that time. He would've only been 33 at the time, younger than Couture. Also, 6'3, 287lbs of Soviet steel seems like it would be a smesh machine, yeah? 887-2 record in wrestling, with both losses by a single point.
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He would have had to fight in Pride, he literally glows in the dark
 
Maeda fight was a total work.

Peak Karelin was late 80s. By 2000 he was clearly a bit checked out and the loss to Rulon demonstrated that. Karelin in 2000s Pride would be kind of eh.

Karelin in some kind of late 80s UFC/Pride would be something else.
 
TJ177 said:
Maeda fight was a total work.

Peak Karelin was late 80s. By 2000 he was clearly a bit checked out and the loss to Rulon demonstrated that. Karelin in 2000s Pride would be kind of eh.

Karelin in some kind of late 80s UFC/Pride would be something else.
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Your lack of knowledge about Karelin shows clearly.
I always find it hilarious and amusing when igronant people open their mouths and act so know-it-all<Deported1>
 
I’d bet he’d be champ right now if you load him up with all that Jesus juice Vitor is on. Most likely he’d end up throwing his opponent and the ref out of the octagon by their necks and just go Russian Bear on the UFC staff and judges. It would be like a scene out of the Three Stooges.
 
DaWrassler007 said:
Your lack of knowledge about Karelin shows clearly.
I always find it hilarious and amusing when igronant people open their mouths and act so know-it-all<Deported1>
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Lol what are you even talking about?

Karelin was at his physical peak in his younger years. Even by 96 he was slowing down.

Sorry bud you can flag yourself.
 
Y2Khaos said:
How does he respond to being punched in the face?
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It's a moot point. It's late 90's, early 00's. People were winging punches then, let alone putting combos together. Just imagine the highlight package of suplexes he would have put together in MMA (the guy was throwing world caliber 300 lbs. wrestlers around, imagine what he would do to MMA fighters).
 
Probably UFC champ. Arlovski or Timmeh might have been able able to catch him, though. Pride would be harder to tell, given the deeper and more diverse talent pool.
 
TJ177 said:
Maeda fight was a total work.

Peak Karelin was late 80s. By 2000 he was clearly a bit checked out and the loss to Rulon demonstrated that. Karelin in 2000s Pride would be kind of eh.

Karelin in some kind of late 80s UFC/Pride would be something else.
Click to expand...
Fight was a work but he didn’t look like a superhero in there either. He’d have to learn to strike to be elite.
 
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