by Maximiliano Torres

Created on: January 29, 2009

Mix Martial Arts have come a long way from how it started in America. Tank Abbott is a legend in the sport but that does not mean that he was a good fighter. He was never a good fighter. All that he is is a bar fighter, mostly accustom to take great punishment and punch blindly and without a strategy. Tank has absolutely no ground game and i think that he is the same as he was in the first UFC championships. All that has change is his age. Even tho Kimbo is a street fighter with only good boxing skills and blunt power he was still able to defeat Tank. That alone should tell you something. There is no way that Tank was cheated. HE WAS KNOCKED OUT. Tank's prime has long gone and Kimbo is learning. I'm sure that in a few years with the right training Kimbo will be a contender in whatever fighting league he is at. He is a big strong man. As for Tank he should retire. He was never really good. All that has helped him throughout all these years is his size and the fact that he can take a punch. When I see him fight it reminds me of a heavyweight wrestling in a high school match. His sprawls are horrible and his takedowns are non existent. I guess you can't ask much from a man that has that much of a belly when it comes to wrestling/ ground game. If you trully study Tank's technique or should i say lack of, you will notice that he doesnt even shrug his shoulder in a basic movement of protection of the jaw. he keeps his hands lower than they should be making his punches slower than he needs them to be. His takedown attempts consist of double underhooks and an inside trip which are not very successful while your opponents hips are back and he is taller than you. That is pretty basic but i guess he forgot that. I honestly think that Tank retire and find something else to do. Im sure he will have no problem getting a job as a local bar bouncer or security. This is a very tought sport and he might get hurt if he tries to continue fighting. The opponents only get better, faster, and stronger. There is a new breed of fighters being made. Urijah Faber aka California kid is the perfect example of the new breed. Explosive, strong, fast and mean.There is special schools that are training this kinds of fighters. Cross training is becoming more and more popular. Some gyms are training their fighter as early as the age of 9. It is not enough anymore to have a strong punch and to be big. Technique comes before all now. Someday Tank will realize this but till that day he is going to have a hard time and he is going to be in a world of pain.

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