TUF Finale - Kendal Grove (spoilers)

[Iphaltuus]

I felt the Kendal Grove was disappointing against Tanner. Not so much that the fight was disappointing as much that I realized that he's really not challenging himself as a fighter. When a fighter is six feet six inches tall, at what point do you think he/she should move into the light heavy/heavy weight division?

[G-Off]

I felt the Kendal Grove was disappointing against Tanner. Not so much that the fight was disappointing as much that I realized that he's really not challenging himself as a fighter. When a fighter is six feet six inches tall, at what point do you think he/she should move into the light heavy/heavy weight division?

He's not challenging himself? Any fight is a challenge after you've been knocked out twice in a row. And he will never move up to light heavy, his height is an advantage at MW and he's too skinny to be effective at a higher weight.

[Zentenk]

Plus he would be getting rocked way more often if he moved up.

[Iphaltuus]

That's my point. He could easily put on the pounds at 6'6". Fighting is fighting, period. There are plenty of fighters out there with the drive and tenacity to overcome weight disadvantages. I mean look at the open weight grand prix's at pride, the ifl, and any BJJ tourney around.

[Kentucky Fried Chokin]

We should move up when he fails to make weight, no because he's so tall it's gives him a big advantage. Most people would consider that a good thing, so why the hell would he give that up?

Also, the IFL never had open-weight fights.

[Iphaltuus]

That's exactly my point. It's a matter of philosophical opinion. In my opinion, it should be the goal of a fighter to challenge himself, and relying on advantages against opponents is to weaken ones own abilities.

[G-Off]

That's exactly my point. It's a matter of philosophical opinion. In my opinion, it should be the goal of a fighter to challenge himself, and relying on advantages against opponents is to weaken ones own abilities.

What are you smoking? Again, how is getting knocked out twice in a row not challenging yourself?

[auschip]

That's exactly my point. It's a matter of philosophical opinion. In my opinion, it should be the goal of a fighter to challenge himself, and relying on advantages against opponents is to weaken ones own abilities.

Just so I understand, you want a fighter to ignore his natural gifts, so he has more of a challenge? Following that logic, guys who are naturally stronger should become weaker to give themselves more of a challenge? That's dumb.

[Happy Panda]

There are plenty of fighters out there with the drive and tenacity to overcome weight disadvantages.

You're suggesting that he should intentionally put himself at a disadvantage? Professional fighting is a competitive career, not a game or a hobby. If he doesn't perform well, he loses his livelihood. You clearly don't understand how serious that is, or you wouldn't have made this thread.

[Iphaltuus]

I don't care about him not getting knocked out. My point is that I think Kendal could be a great deal better than he has been so far.

Disadvantage, no. I'm saying that there seems to be a lack of motivation on Grove's part from what I see. You don't have to explain obvious things about how fighters take fighting. Neither one of us knows what's going through the minds of any of these fighters, unless I'm mistaken and you know them personally.

I could point out any number of cases of fighters throughout history jumping weight classes. A lot of them did it to find bigger game.

I see Grove now, and all that I am saying is that I don't sense a hunger in him when I see him perform.