What happend to Miguel Torres?

Steveston

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What happened to Miguel Torres? he was once riding a 17 fight winning streak defending the WEC Bantamweight Championship, now he has a 3 fight losing streak and he recently loss to someone who was a big underdog (Pablo Alfonso.) When the UFC cut him did he lose his mojo? the wild striker and BJJ specialist that Miguel Torres once was back in WEC I think could be top 10 or even top 5 in the UFC Bantamweight Division, what happened to one of my favorite fighters? is he going through personal issue's effecting his game? Miguel Torres will always be one of my favorite fighters.
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He was never a great striker. He could never take anyone down. His BJJ seems to be one of the best of the division though. But overall this doesnt sound like someone who belongs in the top 10 P4P does it?

Crazy when you think about it that he arguably beat Demetrius Johnson not that long ago. But at the same time you had the feeling if Johnson just kept it standing he would win. Because Johnson took him down it actually became an interesting battle.
 
He was never a great striker. He could never take anyone down. His BJJ seems to be one of the best of the division though. But overall this doesnt sound like someone who belongs in the top 10 P4P does it?

Crazy when you think about it that he arguably beat Demetrius Johnson not that long ago. But at the same time you had the feeling if Johnson just kept it standing he would win. Because Johnson took him down it actually became an interesting battle.
Yeah I thought he beat Mighty Mouse in my opinion, I think the reason why Mighty Mouse didn't want to stand with Miguel is because Miguel had a huge reach advantage. When Miguel fought Bowles Miguel was winning the fight before he got caught.:icon_cry2 Hopefully he makes a come back!
 
Yeah I think Torres got rocked by Bowles, recovered, took over, got really wild and then got tagged again for the finish. I believe it was after that fight when he talked about wanting to take a more measured approach with his striking in the future?

But youve got to be honest. He went through wars with Mizugaki and Maeda (?) right? So his striking was solid, but nothing special.
 
Miguel Torres, Frank Mir's favorite fighter.

Many things factor in Torres run at the top.

Torres was a very good fighter at the time, but he just wasn't what he was built up to be.

The talent level at 135 lbs. back then wasn't as stacked and good as it is now and as it was when the WEC began gaining popularity. Torres biggest win before fighting in the WEC was Joe Pearson. Not a knock on Pearson, but he's far from being an elite 135 lb. fighter. That however says a lot about the level of competition that was available to fight at 135 lbs back then and that Torres fought.

Despite being a very good fighter and the best bantamweight in the world for many years, Torres proved he had flaws and holes in his game and that he wasn't that much above everyone else because he severely tested in wars with both Maeda and Mizugaki who he beat by a close controversial split decision in a fight that some fans felt Torres lost.

Also look at Torres wins in the WEC, they weren't elite top level 135 lb. fighters. His best wins in the WEC were against Chase Beebe who's a decent 135 lb. fighter and Mizugaki who's a very good fighter as proven by his success in the WEC and UFC.

In the WEC, Torres beat Jeff Bedard who isn't even around the major scene anymore, Maeda who's a decent fighter, but not an elite level bantamweight and Manny Tapia isn't around the major scene either.

I think I pretty much summed up what happened.

I will say this though, Torres fights with Maeda and Mizugaki were awesome.
 
Miguel Torres, Frank Mir's favorite fighter.

Many things factor in Torres run at the top.

Torres was a very good fighter at the time, but he just wasn't what he was built up to be.

The talent level at 135 lbs. back then wasn't as stacked and good as it is now and as it was when the WEC began gaining popularity. Torres biggest win before fighting in the WEC was Joe Pearson. Not a knock on Pearson, but he's far from being an elite 135 lb. fighter. That however says a lot about the level of competition that was available to fight at 135 lbs back then and that Torres fought.

Despite being a very good fighter and the best bantamweight in the world for many years, Torres proved he had flaws and holes in his game and that he wasn't that much above everyone else because he severely tested in wars with both Maeda and Mizugaki who he beat by a close controversial split decision in a fight that some fans felt Torres lost.

Also look at Torres wins in the WEC, they weren't elite top level 135 lb. fighters. His best wins in the WEC were against Chase Beebe who's a decent 135 lb. fighter and Mizugaki who's a very good fighter as proven by his success in the WEC and UFC.

In the WEC, Torres beat Jeff Bedard who isn't even around the major scene anymore, Maeda who's a decent fighter, but not an elite level bantamweight and Manny Tapia isn't around the major scene either.

I think I pretty much summed up what happened.

I will say this though, Torres fights with Maeda and Mizugaki were awesome.
Great points!
 
I've also heard it discussed that he has shedloads of unsanctioned fights.
 
Yeah the level of comp through most of that run needs to be mentioned. Not that he's not good but he was too wild and had many holes throughout his career that he never addressed becasue many of his opponents couldn't exploit them. Until he got to a certian level of comp. He tried changing it up going to Tri-star.

I also thought he won DJ fight. But lets remember DJ fought a good portion of that fight(iirc) with a broken leg. So who knows what that fight tells us. Also shit loads of fights, some unsanctioned as was mentioned. 135 is a different game then the wieght classes where Randy can become champ or AS is champ well into late 30's defedning title. It's a young mans game at the lowest wieght classes. You age quicker & you wont see guys in their 30's littered throughout the top-10 or probably even the top-20.
 
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I think in every Torres fight in the WEC his unsanctioned were brought up at least once or twice by the other WEC commentator who wasn't Mir.
 
What happened to Miguel Torres? he was once riding a 17 fight winning streak defending the WEC Bantamweight Championship, now he has a 3 fight losing streak and he recently loss to someone who was a big underdog (Pablo Alfonso.) When the UFC cut him did he lose his mojo? the wild striker and BJJ specialist that Miguel Torres once was back in WEC I think could be top 10 or even top 5 in the UFC Bantamweight Division, what happened to one of my favorite fighters? is he going through personal issue's effecting his game? Miguel Torres will always be one of my favorite fighters.
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There was a time where people were placing Torres in the top 5 p4p. High intensity offensive fighters often have a short shelf life. George Foreman predicted Mike Tyson's fall before it happened on that basis. It is much worse for smaller fighters. In boxing a 135 fighter can be shot at 28 or 29. The range on MMA hasn't really been established because the sport is so young. Torres had a far bit of mileage.
 
I think in every Torres fight in the WEC his unsanctioned were brought up at least once or twice by the other WEC commentator who wasn't Mir.

Todd Harris! Cant believe they made Anik a commentator (he was the host of MMA Live before) and Harris is doing that UFC studio show now. Really shouldve been the other way around.
 
Yeah I thought he beat Mighty Mouse in my opinion, I think the reason why Mighty Mouse didn't want to stand with Miguel is because Miguel had a huge reach advantage. When Miguel fought Bowles Miguel was winning the fight before he got caught.:icon_cry2 Hopefully he makes a come back!

Mighty Mouse still lit him up on every exchange. It's one of the most overlooked aspect of that fight.
 
Todd Harris! Cant believe they made Anik a commentator (he was the host of MMA Live before) and Harris is doing that UFC studio show now. Really shouldve been the other way around.
Harris has the voice and enthusiasm of a game show host.
 
Yeah I thought he beat Mighty Mouse in my opinion, I think the reason why Mighty Mouse didn't want to stand with Miguel is because Miguel had a huge reach advantage. When Miguel fought Bowles Miguel was winning the fight before he got caught.:icon_cry2 Hopefully he makes a come back!

Bowles exposed Miguel grappling, Most fighter didn't want to go to the ground with Torres Until Bowles finished on the ground
 
Miguel Torres, Frank Mir's favorite fighter.

Many things factor in Torres run at the top.

Torres was a very good fighter at the time, but he just wasn't what he was built up to be.

The talent level at 135 lbs. back then wasn't as stacked and good as it is now and as it was when the WEC began gaining popularity. Torres biggest win before fighting in the WEC was Joe Pearson. Not a knock on Pearson, but he's far from being an elite 135 lb. fighter. That however says a lot about the level of competition that was available to fight at 135 lbs back then and that Torres fought.

Despite being a very good fighter and the best bantamweight in the world for many years, Torres proved he had flaws and holes in his game and that he wasn't that much above everyone else because he severely tested in wars with both Maeda and Mizugaki who he beat by a close controversial split decision in a fight that some fans felt Torres lost.

Also look at Torres wins in the WEC, they weren't elite top level 135 lb. fighters. His best wins in the WEC were against Chase Beebe who's a decent 135 lb. fighter and Mizugaki who's a very good fighter as proven by his success in the WEC and UFC.

In the WEC, Torres beat Jeff Bedard who isn't even around the major scene anymore, Maeda who's a decent fighter, but not an elite level bantamweight and Manny Tapia isn't around the major scene either.

I think I pretty much summed up what happened.

I will say this though, Torres fights with Maeda and Mizugaki were awesome.

He beat the best guys at that time. He hasn't held up and neither have those guys, but they still were the best guys at that time.

Most of the time in MMA the guys who were the best 5-7 years ago aren't the best anymore, that's how it works.

He was the best at that weight in that time and now other guys are better, simple as that.

**People shouldn't shit on fighters because they didn't beat guys that didn't exist when they were in their prime. ...not a jab at anyone in particular just a comment on how fighters are perceived, especially from lower weight classes before WEC/UFC really made them popular. People need to refuse revisionist history, the best guys then were the best guys, they just aren't anymore.
 
The division wasn't as deep in talent at the time as people pretended it to be. I remember thinking how ridiculous it was to put Torres on a P4P list when other divisions LW and above were far more developed.
 
Last rant- I think it sucks that a lot of the guys that put these weight classes on the map don't get to the reap the financial benefits, don't get the fame and glory and often aren't remembered for their achievements (but instead their declines).

Jens Pulver was the 1st UFC LW champ and defended it twice and according to him he has to fight way past his prime in local shows (for chump change relatively speaking) to pay his bills.

Miguel Torres was at one point 37-1, 3x defending 135 champ with tons of finishes, he was considered top 5 p4p and he was cut not once but twice from the UFC. Each time he was cut he had a .500 record n the UFC at that point... a little harsh for a guy who is easily one of the best 135ers of all time.
 
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