Vitali Klitschko in the UFC.

[VG_Addict]

Vitali was originally a kickboxer before he took up boxing. If he had decided to stick to kickboxing and learned some grappling, how would he have done in the UFC?

[$Bullsfam$]

Champion isn't out of the question. It just depends on the schedule and time period. If he fought the right opponents he'd be champ. Takedowns obviously could be a problem if he ran into Randy, Fedor, Cain, Mir ect. Unless he caught them early coming in.

But no doubt I think he'd smash the Tim Sylvia's, Arlovski, Junior Dos Santos, and Big Foots of that time. Cro Cop and JDS would be blood baths tho.

[OctoberRed]

Vitali was originally a kickboxer before he took up boxing. If he had decided to stick to kickboxing and learned some grappling, how would he have done in the UFC?

Wasn't he knocked out by Oleg Maskaev in kickboxing?

['b']

Current HW division is crap in UFC. Stipe is good, but the guys he is beating are past prime to say the least. There is some new blood coming along but they don't look all that either tbh.

I think any top HW from boxing in the last 2 decades could have been a force if they trained for MMA, they are much bigger than the guys in there

[Clegg]

Wasn't he knocked out by Oleg Maskaev in kickboxing?

Not sure but he was knocked out by Pele Reid, who was talented but didn't go far in boxing compared to Vitali which makes me think VK was probably better suited to boxing than kickboxing. Maybe Wlad could've adapted those clinchling skills into a muay thai style though.

[BKM-]

Similarly to Semmy Schilt. Guys of this stature though need to train wrestling(other grappling styles like BJJ just won't cut it. Look at struve) from an early age otherwise they will get taken to the ground by guys with lower center of gravity. Vitali never grappled I don't think, despite being a Soviet prodigy.

[OctoberRed]

Not sure but he was knocked out by Pele Reid, who was talented but didn't go far in boxing compared to Vitali which makes me think VK was probably better suited to boxing than kickboxing. Maybe Wlad could've adapted those clinchling skills into a muay thai style though.

I remember interviews where Maskaev was always grilled about that fight and what happened.

[Anthony342]

I remember interviews where Maskaev was always grilled about that fight and what happened.

I don't like Wlad's chances with his chin, plus only 4 ounce gloves, the odds wouldn't really be in his favor. Unless maybe Manny Stewart was training him.