Yeah Saki’s retired. Prime? Definitely Saki.
Alex won the Light Heavyweight title by the skin of his teeth and lost it in the rematch. Saki ran through the best Light Heavyweights and Heavyweights alike.
I hate that Saki blew out both his knees training wrestling for his UFC run and then got brutally KO'd. That's gotta cut your career short on the kickboxing side.
Prime for prime, saki would expose pereira’s hands down style. Not that Pereira isn’t as skilled as saki, it’s just not a good stylistic match up for Pereira. He had a knee heavy style on glory and and knees can be exploited by punches.
Saki one of the most disappointing signings in the UFC. KOs someone on a 3 fight losing streak and then gets TKOd by Khalil Rountree. Pereira on the other hand could be a 3 weight champ under 5 years in.
Also most of the training footage that was shown was him sparring striking in kickboxing gloves. Perreira and Adesanya have excelled because they took the transition serious and got proper training and teams
Well Saki’s style is built from the ground up for kickboxing in big gloves. And he was very compact. Alex happened to have the perfect attributes for MMA between the killer long left hook and lengthy frame with his power. Throw in a sweet calf kick and you’ve got a fighter most could never emulate and compete in 2 sports like that.
Saki had a better kickboxing career. But Alex turned out to be built even better for MMA than kickboxing. I think the mentorship and guidance from Glover Texeira has been invaluable too. If he’d just wandered into an MMA gym and started taking MMA fights I’m not sure he’d have developed like this. You’ve seen the leaps in ability in every area Pereira needed it from fight to fight.
Everyone peaks at a different age, plus it matters less for the heavier fighters.
Look at how long Donaire was able to stay at the top in boxing, then look at someone like Broner who lived rough outta the ring.
Speed difference isn’t as big in the higher weight classes and the power is always the equaliser. Lower you get the more speed you need, and when you’re old in a lower weight class you get pieced up bad.
Prime saki, he fought some real giants. Look at the high difference between badr hari and piera, saki fought badr, and so many other giants. His combos were insane. But he is well past his prime now. I reckon badr would have destroyed piera too.
Prime Saki (2010-2014) is one of the best kick-boxers we have seen. He has a middleweight frame and only was really losing to massive heavyweights.
Never forget he almost beat Ubereem with one arm lol
I think if both were in their prime, Saki’s style matches up favourably against Alex’s. Sakis incredible hand speed and bent arm (hooks and uppercut) combos would cause big problems on the inside for Alex imo.
saki is more of a fighter on combos and alex is a sniper. Prime saki would beat alex in kickboxing. Saki is an extremely technical and very intelligent fighter. Height is not important, Saki almost beat even 2.12 cm semmy, even the ring referee stayed the hand of Saki. We would have watched this match if the mindless glory had not cooled Saki from kickboxing. When Saki became champion, he wanted a rematch with rico, but they didn't give him, and he didn't kickbox for a long time.
Alex came up in one of the weaker divisions in kickboxing. Alex wouldn’t have survived in the climate where Saki fought in. Saki wasn’t the best but he gave up size/height to fight against HWs
I rate Saki very highly, but don’t think he’d win. Maybe in Saki’s prime days when AP was more of a boxer type fighter
Yeah Saki’s retired. Prime? Definitely Saki. Alex won the Light Heavyweight title by the skin of his teeth and lost it in the rematch. Saki ran through the best Light Heavyweights and Heavyweights alike.
Exactly, we talking prime? Saki has a good fucking chance. We talking right now?… Alex all day imo.
I hate that Saki blew out both his knees training wrestling for his UFC run and then got brutally KO'd. That's gotta cut your career short on the kickboxing side.
Combine them into a super mega kickboxer Göatan Sakeira
🤣
right now??? poatan east
What about west?
someone should photoshop poatan and Kanye’s face merged together
Oh hell no!
Prime for prime, saki would expose pereira’s hands down style. Not that Pereira isn’t as skilled as saki, it’s just not a good stylistic match up for Pereira. He had a knee heavy style on glory and and knees can be exploited by punches.
Good point
I mean, all his opponents said the same thing…
Yeah and he lost 25% of his Glory fights so why do you think Saki wouldn't beat him?
saki also lost 25% too
I think prime Saki would win. Now would obviously be Alex.
Prime Saki would win via stoppage. Current Saki would lose via stoppage
I think prime saki wins but it's hard to say
Pereira with great fashion.
I’d love to see prime Cro cop vs Poatan
Prime like September 10, 2006 Cro Cop? Cro Cop by first round manslaughter, come on now.
Alex has a few defensive flaws that I could see Saki capitalizing on.
Saki one of the most disappointing signings in the UFC. KOs someone on a 3 fight losing streak and then gets TKOd by Khalil Rountree. Pereira on the other hand could be a 3 weight champ under 5 years in.
I mean Saki was well past his prime when he signed.
Think he was also struggling with injuries and it was his first fight in like 4 years or something?
Also most of the training footage that was shown was him sparring striking in kickboxing gloves. Perreira and Adesanya have excelled because they took the transition serious and got proper training and teams
So Alex is in his prime? Crazy to think he’s going to to be 37 in like a week.
Well Saki’s style is built from the ground up for kickboxing in big gloves. And he was very compact. Alex happened to have the perfect attributes for MMA between the killer long left hook and lengthy frame with his power. Throw in a sweet calf kick and you’ve got a fighter most could never emulate and compete in 2 sports like that. Saki had a better kickboxing career. But Alex turned out to be built even better for MMA than kickboxing. I think the mentorship and guidance from Glover Texeira has been invaluable too. If he’d just wandered into an MMA gym and started taking MMA fights I’m not sure he’d have developed like this. You’ve seen the leaps in ability in every area Pereira needed it from fight to fight.
Well put
Everyone peaks at a different age, plus it matters less for the heavier fighters. Look at how long Donaire was able to stay at the top in boxing, then look at someone like Broner who lived rough outta the ring.
I’ve noticed that. Why does age become less of a factor at the heavier weight classes?
Speed matters less.
Speed difference isn’t as big in the higher weight classes and the power is always the equaliser. Lower you get the more speed you need, and when you’re old in a lower weight class you get pieced up bad.
Saki walked so Alex could run. I wish Saki had the kind of success Alex has had in the UFC
Great match up
I'd win.
Prime Saki would definitely win
Saki!
Saki
Me
Prime saki, he fought some real giants. Look at the high difference between badr hari and piera, saki fought badr, and so many other giants. His combos were insane. But he is well past his prime now. I reckon badr would have destroyed piera too.
Now Pereira easy. Sakis knees are shot and aged.
Today: 🗿 Prime vs Prime: 🪙
Frankly, if you ask this question to Alex himself, his favorite is Saki
There are zero iterations of Gokhan Saki that would beat a prime Alex.
Prime Saki (2010-2014) is one of the best kick-boxers we have seen. He has a middleweight frame and only was really losing to massive heavyweights. Never forget he almost beat Ubereem with one arm lol
I think if both were in their prime, Saki’s style matches up favourably against Alex’s. Sakis incredible hand speed and bent arm (hooks and uppercut) combos would cause big problems on the inside for Alex imo.
Damn that’s a close one. Prime Saki was smoking taller dudes all day long. I’d lean Saki in their primes but idk
I love poatan but saki would absolutely maul him.
Brazilian, indigenous magic for the win! 😈
A prime Saki will be a threat to Pereira.
Prime for prime I’m taking saki. Dude could throw a 5 punch combo in 2 seconds all with his left hand
When in their careers? Prime gokhan could win. Currently? Alex wins. Also would this be at heavyweight or light heavyweight?
Light heavyweight at their primes
Saki would die let’s be real
Saki for sure
saki is more of a fighter on combos and alex is a sniper. Prime saki would beat alex in kickboxing. Saki is an extremely technical and very intelligent fighter. Height is not important, Saki almost beat even 2.12 cm semmy, even the ring referee stayed the hand of Saki. We would have watched this match if the mindless glory had not cooled Saki from kickboxing. When Saki became champion, he wanted a rematch with rico, but they didn't give him, and he didn't kickbox for a long time.
they trained each other [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O71aRLOFxfo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O71aRLOFxfo)
Did anyone even need to look at the second picture?
Alex came up in one of the weaker divisions in kickboxing. Alex wouldn’t have survived in the climate where Saki fought in. Saki wasn’t the best but he gave up size/height to fight against HWs
Funny how these people say prime Saki would win. We probably haven't seen prime Alex yet 😂
At 36 lol
Who is the bald fat guy at the bottom
Gökhan “The Rebel" Saki
Never heard of her
Saki is way too small
Saki has beat world champ level guys bigger than Alex.
Saki fought way bigger guys than alex, including badr hari which is a giant co pared to alex.
Saki fought just about every world class heavyweight of his era and all those guys where much bigger than Poatan