Quote:
Originally Posted by Indestructibl3
Just to be clear, he didn't win a silver medal at the Olympics (not discrediting Askren at all, just saying).
|
Which is why i said runner-up and not (silver) medalist. It's common terminology, runner up in Olympics means 4th place.
EDIT: just realized he was a quarter-finalist in 2008, not 4th place (semi-finalist), so you got me but still pretty huge achievement and unparalleled in MMA.
Also forgot to mention he is a Wrestling World Championship gold medalist the following year, which is almost as good as an Olympics gold. To put it in perspective, even Cael Sanderson only managed to get a Silver at the World championships, and he is considered the greatest wrestler of all time alongside Dan Gable.
Personally I think if Askren kept up training he could still make Olympic gold in 2012, 08 was just his first attempt and he choked.
As for the likes of Marquardt, I think he'll make him look downright ridiculous on the ground. In addition to his obvious wrestling edge Askren is already a brown belt in BJJ, and Marquardt is a one-dimensional black belt with nothing off his back.