Was Nate Marquardt an elite WW-MW?

[pankrat]

Top 3-5 is my definition of top ranked. Had a up and down career after the Maia win. Good wins to keep him ranked, but not enough consistency to stay in the top 3-5 range.

yea lacked some consistency. often relied on getting the KO he wasn't that dominant in the standup fight

still, from 2003 and 2013, he only lost convincingly to Spider and prime Sonnen on the juice. In the Leites and Okami fight he had a case to be the superior fighter in both

 

[pankrat]

I feel that his last prime performance was against Woodley in Strikeforce.

maybe but I feel like he would have problems dealing with more composed strikers than him who can stop his takedown even in his heyday; he had great outburst but often relied on getting the KO or shooting otherwise was prone to lose a decision in a standup fight, as vs Saffiedine or even Okami.
Brutal KO by Ellenberger by the way; that's in my opinion what ended his prime for good

 

[NicholasJBasile]

maybe but I feel like he would have problems dealing with more composed strikers than him who can stop his taledown; he had great outburst but often relied on getting the KO or shooting otherwise was prone to lose a decision in a standup fight, as he did with Saffiedine or even Okami.
Brutal KO by Ellenberger by the way; that's in my opinion what ended his prime for good

Yeah agreed -- I really felt he was at his best when he was grappling and striking more evenly. At some point in his career, he seemingly stopped using his ground game that much and stood on the outside getting beat pretty handily (as you describe).

 

[pankrat]

Yeah agreed -- I really felt he was at his best when he was grappling and striking more evenly. At some point in his career, he seemingly stopped using his ground game that much and stood on the outside getting beat pretty handily (as you describe).

yeah although not sure how much of that was on him or if it was his competition being more well-rounded. also the juice

 

[Bend NvR Break]

If you have to ask then you don't deserve an answer.

 

[ILoveSakuraba]

Gotta Love Old School Fighters. He had some awesome super great combos and since he was actually fighting earlier than most of the guys he fought, that deserves even more merit. Elite in my book.

 

[pankrat]

If you have to ask then you don't deserve an answer.

He is elite in my book but some people disagree, also in this thread.
Not consitent enough, lost most relevan fights, and got popped several times

 

[Bend NvR Break]

He is elite in my book but some people disagree, also in this thread.
Not consitent enough, lost most relevan fights, and got popped several times

Dude was elite. The issue is back when Nate was a major threat to the MW title everyone in the UFC was elite. Not like today. Today the depth of talent is much, much more so you can find guys on the roster that can't actually hang with the other guys.

Also the sport was built on PEDs. It doesn't bother me.

 

[pankrat]

Dude was elite. The issue is back when Nate was a major threat to the MW title everyone in the UFC was elite. Not like today. Today the depth of talent is much, much more so you can find guys on the roster that can't actually hang with the other guys.

Also the sport was built on PEDs. It doesn't bother me.

Depth is much more today for sure but I dont agree with saying a decade ago everyone in UFC was elite.
Marquard'd probably do quick work of lower ranked UFC guys back then. Actually, if he was in his prime, he'd still beat most people in UFC roster today imo.

 

[90 50]

Matrix KO’s Israel against the fence like he did Woodley imo.

 

[pankrat]

Matrix KO’s Israel against the fence like he did Woodley imo.

jajaj anything can happen but I dont see it to be hones. I think Israel'd outstrike him from long range. I just don't Marquard'd be effective against the very best today.

I can see him getting the KO on some top10 ranked still today though, at both MW and WW

 

[AladdinSane]

I would call Yushin Okami elite before Nate. Same with Chael Sonnen. Maia, over the course of time proved his eliteness but obviously had more success at 170. Nate was a good, crafty vet, much like Kampmann or Condit.

 

[Gi Choke]

No.

Roids. There is nothing elite about them.

 

[pankrat]

No.

Roids. There is nothing elite about them.

get real

 

[pankrat]

I would call Yushin Okami elite before Nate. Same with Chael Sonnen. Maia, over the course of time proved his eliteness but obviously had more success at 170. Nate was a good, crafty vet, much like Kampmann or Condit.

Way different style than Kampman or Condit though.

 

[Gi Choke]

get real

The guy popped. That's very real.

 

[drbolony]

Only on the sauce. Like Trtor

 

[Phisher]

When Marquardt was on form he was an absolute beast, had the ability to finish anyone.

No one ever beat Woodley down like this.

LOL That fight was right after Nate got kicked out of the UFC for doing TRT without TUE, or as it's more commonly known: cheating.

He was roided to the fucking gills.

Dude was a multiple time offender, and would've lost years of his career if USADA had been around in the 2000s.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

His knockout of Woodley is posted on the daily... plus even has a shooped version with Trump... Elite enough for Sherdog Shoops is Elite...

To be fair, that's less for the skill involved and more for the poster's underlying racism. But Sherdog could use more posts of his street fighter combo, i think on gouveia

 

[pankrat]

To be fair, that's less for the skill involved and more for the poster's underlying racism. But Sherdog could use more posts of his street fighter combo, i think on gouveia

He has one of the best KO HL in MMA. Video is posted in the OP.
The street fighter combos you mention, flying knee KOs, clean one shot KOs...