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Does size matter?
At UFC 1 and UFC 2, Royce Gracie, dispatched all opponents with ease, despite being the smallest person in the event. Techniques that can overcome size are a central point of martial arts, but there are limits.
The classic PRIDE FC fight between Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira and Bob Sapp, showed that raw strength can compensate for a massive difference in skill.
But Big Nog was ultimately victorious. So where are the limits?
The minds behind Russia’s hugely popular combat sports Youtube channel True Gym decided to put the question to a test. In the blue corner is Ivan, a colossal, 322 pounds (146kg) and 6′ 3″ (191cm) tall powerlifter. And in the red corner is a skilled grappler named Alexey, who weighs in at 128 pounds (58kg) and is 5′ 3″ (161cm) tall.
The Rules
This was a friendly grappling match, followed by going live in three position-specific situations:
•Body lock
•Mount escape
•Tackle
What Happened
In the situation specific scenarios, the effect of size was extremely evident:
•Body lock – Size mattered a lot;
•Mount escape – Little guy did great, while big guy invented a new technique that could work great if ever you’re attacked by a child; and,
•Tackle – Unstoppable mass meets a moveable object, and stoppable mass meets an immovable object.
In the goes from a specific circumstance, while standing, size mattered overwhelmingly. But on the ground, it was far closer, with the powerlifter escaping faster, but showing more fatigue.
However, when the match was live, the little grappler vs. the giant powerlifter was essentially even. At the 1:03 mark, the grappler hits a beautiful Arm Throw/Drop Seoi Nage, although he is unable to hold the powerlifter down following the takedown. If the rule set gives points for initiation, the little guy won. If for riding time, then it goes to the giant. So call it even.
The lesson – and it is important – is that skill can allow you to hold your own even vs. someone not twice as big, but 2.5 times as big. Making the test all the more impressive, the massive size difference was all functional muscle.
