Is the most influential aspect of standups?

[Newbie]

Do any of you feel that the way a ground fighter is forced to be unrealistically active in order to avoid being artificially stood up is more devestating to his chances of winning than the artificial restart itself? If the guy on the bottom knows he has X amount of time to stall and wait for an artificial restart, it prevents the guy on top from being cautious and conserving energy while slowly, methodically working towards victory. This typically leads to the ground fighter attemptimg submissions and throwing strikes when he would normally be waiting for an opening, which contributes to a ground fighter gassing out.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Maybe you're right. But hardly any spectators would want to sit there and watch two guys lying still on the ground for long periods of time. PRIDE is doing well in Japan because the fans there are knowledgable, they like to see subs, but even they have a threshold of patience that gets exhausted in long drawn out ground battles. I think standups are good for the sport and help to open things up and take care of stalemates. Even though PRIDE is popular in Japan, it's nowhere near as popular as K-1. I have Japanese friends who don't train or have interest in fighting, and most haven't heard of PRIDE but they've all heard of K-1. And the few that have heard of PRIDE have only heard of it because of the crossover of certain famous pro wrestlers.

[Newbie]

--- Mr. Miyagi

I see what you're saying about the potential for more excitements in the fights. However, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has not improved their pay-per-view sales and is no less controversial than before the rule changes.

[Bad Karma]

Think about it this way, the ground fighter actually has more time in his specialty than the stand up fighter. I don't think there is more time in a match spent while standing. If there is, evidamnently, must be something else working against the ground fighter. Skill level comes to mind.

Now, even while on their feet, the ground fighter has just as much opportunity to beat his opponent as the stand up fighter. The ground fighter only has to practice the basics of striking (as the stand up fighter has learned the basics of grappling/submission...in order to stall).

It comes down to a matter of skills, wills, and pills. Pills since everyone is taking some kind of supplements, legal and illegal, just to be the best - in sport.

Peace