MMA pretender litmus test - how to spot a poser without sparring him?

**Hiro Protagonist** · Posted On: 6/11/2011 8:03pm

Twenty years of BJJ? Check his ears, that should tell more than hours of conversation.

The same for fake strikers. Their hands should be strong, their fingers thick, their knuckles broad and probably smashed or scarred.

If that's not the case, chances are they are bullshitting you.

***Omega Supreme*** · Posted On: 6/11/2011 8:14pm

Originally Posted by Hiro Protagonist

Twenty years of BJJ? Check his ears, that should tell more than hours of conversation.

The same for fake strikers. Their hands should be strong, their fingers thick, their knuckles broad and probably smashed or scarred.

If that's not the case, chances are they are bullshitting you.

Ew...I'm exception to those rules?

**syberia** · Posted On: 6/11/2011 8:17pm

I don't train in MMA, but wouldn't pierced ears usually be a quick giveaway? The poser tools I know have huge holes in their earlobes with these long spikes, or entangling objects through them. They think they are a symbol of their manliness. I just see first strike capabilities for me.

I have two earrings in each ear. Calling me a poser? ;)

I had a similar experience once. I think the guy might have been trying to impress a friend of mine and I happened to be listening in. Unfortunately for him there's only one BJJ place in town, and I'd never seen him there.

**syberia** · Posted On: 6/11/2011 8:18pm

Originally Posted by Omega Supreme

Ew...I'm exception to those rules?

You have delicate hands or pretty ears?

**The Juggernoob** · Posted On: 6/11/2011 8:19pm

Originally Posted by Omega Supreme

Ew...I'm exception to those rules?

You're right. I've seen ex-cons with traits like that. But proper hand wrapping and ear drainage negate a lot of that ****. Smashed knuckles are for angry wall punchers.

**ProfessorChaos** · Posted On: 6/13/2011 1:02am

Cauliflower is for eargrind victims.

I hate eargrind.

**SARS_Attacks** · Posted On: 6/13/2011 1:24am

I remember a guy I met at a party that claimed to have trained under Royce(with the "R" pronounced the english way...not like the Brazilian "H" sound) Gracie....and also claimed to have a color(forget which color...maybe black?) belt in muay Thai....I tried explaining to him that legitimate muay Thai places don't generally issue color belts and he tried to argue with me about that. I basically wrote him off as bullshit as soon as he claimed to have trained under Royce...but couldn't seem to pronounce his name correctly.

Oh yeah, and he was an emo looking fat boy....not that it matters...just wanted to add that.

**All Dice** · Posted On: 6/13/2011 1:45am

Just turn to the side and ask Segal if he's trained them in the deadly.

**Aikironin21** · Posted On: 6/13/2011 5:30am

Originally Posted by syberia

I have two earrings in each ear. Calling me a poser? ;)

Depends. Are they the big huge spacer earrings you could play bean bag toss with? Do you spend $500 to look like you spent $20 on an outfit? Do you wear your T-shirts one size smaller than you actually are, white sunglasses, and man sandals on all occasions?

The earrings themselves are not necessarily indicators, however here in California, Most of the guys dressed like this, train in MMA only via pay per view. The guys really grinding it out, that I know, are very modest and humble. You wouldn't even suspect they train at all.

I have a friend who competes in Muay Thai. He has pierced ears, but wears just some standard stud earrings with like a diamond like stone in them. He takes them out at at work and a when training and fighting. He doesn't have some loopy earlobes though. I can't imagine any fighter doing that, but to each his own I guess.

**syberia** · Posted On: 6/13/2011 6:02am

Originally Posted by Aikironin21

Depends. Are they the big huge spacer earrings you could play bean bag toss with? Do you spend $500 to look like you spent $20 on an outfit? Do you wear your T-shirts one size smaller than you actually are, white sunglasses, and man sandals on all occasions?

Ugh. I wish I had 500 to spend on anything. But I like wearing thongs.

Edit: Wait, on my feet. Thongs, on my feet. Whatever you call them over there. Flip flops?

The earrings themselves are not necessarily indicators, however here in California, Most of the guys dressed like this, train in MMA only via pay per view. The guys really grinding it out, that I know, are very modest and humble. You wouldn't even suspect they train at all.

I've met some douchebags in my time. But usually, as with anything, the more someone does something, the less they feel the need to brag about it.

I have a friend who competes in Muay Thai. He has pierced ears, but wears just some standard stud earrings with like a diamond like stone in them. He takes them out at at work and a when training and fighting. He doesn't have some loopy earlobes though. I can't imagine any fighter doing that, but to each his own I guess.

I've nearly had an earing torn out when I was younger, not a fun experience. My piercings are of a normal size, incidentally.