I've been followig the 'animal vs animal and animal vs human face off' thread with interest, and am rather impressed with some of the research. I would just like to add my 2 cents worth.
1. Gorilla vs Human
I understand that anatomically the gorilla is limited in some strength moves, such as raising weight above it's head because such moves are unecessary in the animal world, so human power lifters would be anatomically able to lift more. However, a weight lifter vs a gorilla in just a mano a mano fight (i.e. human can't make a spear etc)? Jake get real! Get a grip on your ego and come back to earth. Has anyone seen a gorilla in real life. Their faces and heads are huge, blows would glance off, plus force of blows to back of head would be dissipated somewhat by their hair. In any case explosive power counts for a lot here. If you've ever watched the UFC matches, the shorter, more explosive fighter who comes out just slugging has dominated and won every fight I've seen against a taller more skilled fighter. There's simply no time to respond with all the flash stuff you see in the movies like a spinning kick. If a gorilla rushes at you it would be over in seconds in a flurry of huge flailing hands or body slam.
2. Leopards + big cats dragging animals 2-3 times their weight (in the leopards case, up a tree)
Has strongman Jake ever tried to climb a ladder carrying someone heavier than himself through a harness held by a bit in his mouth? I assure you, he wouldn't get further than a rung or two, yet leopards can jump up branches on a tree. On a documentary I heard that lions have been known to snap a man's head off his shoulder's with one swipe. Clearly animals have different muscle structures than us, allowing them greater strength. Even little chimps have our size. It's not easy for us bigger animals to accept the little guy is stronger than us. Still I'd rather have our brains, so we still got the better deal.
3. Now for a spanner in the works.
If anyone can defeat animals like lions and tigers (with the exception of someone like big Angus), sorry big Jake, it will not be a body builder/weight lifter. I have 2 black belts, I am 6'2 with only an athetic build and I do not rate body builders in my fight experience very highly. They are too focused on trying to intimidate people with just their size + muscles, but their kind of muscles actually makes them inflexible, rigid, slower and once they realise they do not intimidate, they lose the psychological battle. Best fighters in the ring and not overly muscled.
The one factor not taken into account is the ability of certain humans to develop chi energy into something extraodrinary. In his book "Paramahamsa Yogananda: autobiography of a yogi", the author, an Indian yogi writing in I think 1920'2 - 1940's talks to an Indian Swami who developed a herculean physique from, get this, mental exercises (and no weights). He smashed through the edge of a concrete wall leaving a whole and no harm to his hand. This swami used to enter a cage with a tiger and subdue it with his fists! In one famous encouter, the Raj organised a fight between a fierce bengal and the swami, the swami still managed to subdue the tiger although his hand was mauled. I wasn't there so I don't know, read the book if you like. There is also a very sweet photo of a 'vegetarian lioness' accompanying another swami. This lioness was from the mild, but became completely tame and would only drink milk and some other food.
In another book I read, sorry forgot the title, it was written by a brave/crazy martial artist who thought he would attack certain Qui Gong masters and the like, see what happened and write a book about it. On one occasion he jumped on a mild mannered doctor. Next thing he knew he woke up on his back. He explained the reason for the attack to the doctor, who told him that he basically did something to disrupt his internal energy, and if left untreated he would die. Clearly 'dim mak' (death touch) may have some basis. Don't know if this would work on a gorilla though, but if anyone can, it would be one of these guys using their energy in some way, not normal body building muscles or some kind of wrestler.
4. Lion vs Tiger debate (II)
Like humans, I don't think this depends on just greater physique but attitude. I've dominated bigger fighters than me in the dojo.
Animals have different personalities and attitudes too you know. Clearly smaller, more aggressive humans can dominate larger humans. A smaller more aggressive bruiser-lion will dominate a larger tiger not used to so much physical action. I wonder how a bruiser tiger will fare though?. So for a more realistic basis of comparison we really need a match of 2 equals to decide: an aggressive lion vs an aggressive tiger, both in their prime. Ligers may be twice the size, but apparently they have a gentle disposition (as do gorillas, unlike homicidal chimps), whereas little wolverines are the 'psycho's of the animal world and everyone gives them a wide birth.
3. Just for fun - Some comparitive pointless questions I'd like to have answered:
If a Neanderthal is 8 times stronger than a normal human, and can lift a ton, who would win in a fight between a gorilla and a neanderthal?
If a sabre tooth is built like a bear, then who would win between a sabre tooth and those much larger cave bears of the past?
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