In stark opposition to the recent thread,
Be grateful that Sean is abrasive, I offer the opposite view, that
Talking trash = Sheer Idiocy.
Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis was almost universally regarded as "hard sparring match," with ALMOST ZERO actual efforts to finish.
All that "trash talking" constituted nothing but woof tickets ...
By contrast, consider Khabib vs. Gaethje.
Both fighters respectful, toned down, but seriously determined in their efforts.
The fight itself was a banger, with Gaethje trying to kill Khabib with almost every shot, and Khabib hunting Gaethje down like a wolf.
On the second takedown, Khabib executes a beautiful finish.
More recently, consider Pereira versus Procházka.
Both warriors, both quiet, both confident, both respecting their opponents, but both deadly serious ... in fact many called the pre-fight staredown "the most intense they had ever seen" ... yet both were respectful.
Again, the fight itself was a banger, with Pereira expertly crippling Procházka, and yet with Jiri going into "wild man mode" in the second —
BOTH LOOKING TO FINISH.
Pereira got the finish.
Bottom Line: Real fighters don't need trash talk.
What they need are
balls, plus
the ability and the desire TO FINISH.
At the end of the day Strickland and DDP are elite at nothing, ability-wise, and neither one of them stepped on the gas to legit go for a finish.
At best, their fight (despite all the "trash talk") was mediocre, and ultimately a disappointment.
The most exciting fights don't need one drop of trash talk, they just need warriors who are legit
trying to finish each other, and who have
the ability to do so.
"Trash talk" is a substitute for actual balls and skill.
The most elite fighters typically are quiet, but serious and confident.
Their actions will speak louder than their words.