Original UFC rules with today's talent -- who wins?

[JNLister]

So here's the scenario. The Fertittas put the UFC up for sale but the $4bn deal is cancelled when Bob Meyorwitz points out a little-known clause in the small print that lets him buy it back for the original $2 million. He rehires Art Davie and Campbell McClaren and they decide to run outside commission control in Japan under the UFC 2 rules (which were actually 'purer' than UFC 1.) That means:

 

* 16 man one-night tournament without weight limits.

* No rounds, no time limit.

* No holds barred. Eye gouges and biting earns a $500 fine.

* No stand ups.

* Ref can't stop the fight while a fighter is conscious. Only way to win is submission, corner throwing in the towel, or a fighter being unconscious.

 

Davie and co decide the 16 competitors should be the champions and #1 ranked contenders going into last Saturday's show (to avoid spoilers.) And Jon Jones is fine to fight in Japan. The random brackets are:

 

Jose Aldo vs Luke Rockhold

Robbie Lawler vs Conor McGregor

Fabricio Werdum vs Jon Jones

TJ Dillashaw vs Stipe Miocic

Dominic Cruz vs Daniel Cormier

Michael Bisping vs Demetrious Johnson

Joseph Benavidez vs Eddie Alvarez

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Stephen Thompson

 

(Aldo/Rockhold winner fights Lawler/McGregor winner, etc)

 

So, what happens next? Give us your predictions as to how the tournament plays out, but also how things actually go. Who goes for the quick finish because there's no point holding on to the end of the round or scoring points? Who comes in heavier than usual because there's no weight cuts? Who takes advantage of no standups to lay and pray until their opponent is knackered? Who takes the opportunity to use dirty tactics? Does the weight difference always tell? Do the heavier guys have the cardio for multiple fights?

[wandshogun09]

I'm trying to picture Dillashaw vs Miocic and it looks hilarious in my head. Like a dad and his son play fighting in the livingroom.

 

Initial logic says the big man would always win a fight like that but I could see a scenario where Dillashaw just runs around kicking Stipe's legs until the time runs out, and Miocic can't catch the little shit. Resulting in Dillashaw winning a decision in the most frustrating way possible. Especially under those rules where there's no rounds. Stipe probably would catch him at some point but I could see the little guys using their movement and cardio to just run the big men ragged.

 

Edit - wait a minute, I forgot you couldn't win a decision under UFC 2 rules. Yeah Stipe would get to him eventually, bite his head clean off, chew it up and then use his arms and legs as toothpicks.

 

And I think Jones wins out of that field. He's big enough to deal with the big guys and technical and long enough to catch the little guys.

[JNLister]

I reckon:

 

* Aldo thinks "Fuck it", charges Rockhold for a takedown and gets chinned then quickly KOd on the ground.

 

* McGregor comes in huge, like 175lbs. Lawler & McGregor have a slugfest, they clinch, McGregor knees him in the balls and lands on top as they both go down. Lawler covers up and blocks punches until McGregor nuts him and Lawler stops being able to respond.

 

* Jones sticks and moves, landing shots here and there. He can't hit the KO shot, but eventually Werdum gases and slips down. Jones mounts and finishes him with elbows around the clock.

 

* Dillashaw runs. And runs. And runs. Miocic tires and Dillashaw takes him down, but Miocic overpowers him with a sweep and takes mount. Dillashaw taps within seconds.

 

* Cruz goes for leg kicks while dancing about, but eventually Cormier gets him up against the cage and starts working for takedowns. Cruz blocks it by grabbing on to the cage but that leaves him open to a vicious KO punch.

 

* Johnson also goes for the run away technique and eventually thinks Bisping is prime for a takedown. Bisping partially blocks it and there's a scramble on the ground. Bisping overpowers him, lands a few shots and the towel comes in.

 

* Benavidez can't outrun Alvarez so it turns into a stand-up battle. It's a plucky performance but Alvarez eventually lands a body shot, then unleashes a barrage on the ground and Benavidez taps.

 

* Khabib comes in at his walkaround weight. He holds his own in stand-up grappling but eventually Thompson lands some kicks to the knee and Khabib is down and prey to a whooping.

 

-

 

* McGregor knows he's fucked and tries some absolutely filthy boxing including biting in the clinch. Rockhold muscles him against the cage, hits a knee to the stomach, then locks in a front guillotine.

 

* Miocic is not only knackered, but thrown by not having a height or significant reach advantage. Jones is extremely powerful for some reason and is able to hold his own standing before getting a takedown. It's elbows again for the win, further protecting his fists from excessive damage.

 

* Cormier smothers Bisping against the cage and eventually tires him out until he can be taken down to a seated position. Cormier grabs the fence behind his head, then slams in knees to the skull until he's done.

 

* Thompson tries for an early KO but Alvarez is too quick. Both guys are tired and eventually Thompson breaks him down, cracking him on both the nose and eye until he can't see properly and the towel comes in.

 

--

 

* Rockhold tries to keep it standing, but Jones is able to take him down at will. He starts a cycle of taking him down, picking a couple of good shots and then standing back and inviting him to get up. The third time this happens, Jones takes two steps back as Rockhold gets to his hands and knees, only for Jones to punt him in the head and send him to sleep.

 

* In a shocker, Cormier no longer has the strength to overpower Thompson and it turns into a fairly even stand-up battle. Cormier keeps going for takedowns with no success and on the last attempt Thompson slips out of the way and quickly gets behin Cormier, takes his back standing and locks in a rear naked choke for the win.

 

--

 

* It takes Thompson one takedown attempt to discover it just ain't happening. He decides his only chance is a battle of speed in the striking but Jones goes blow for blow with him. They land evenly but Jones' shots have more power. Eventually a left wobbles Thompson and an immediately follow-up right finishes him off.

 

Jones celebrates his win by snorting coke at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and is killed driving a stolen car in the subsequent police chase.