The MMA thread

Fortitude said:
Mentioned his temperament a fair few times in the past and I think it's absolutely an achilles heel for him that has been absolutely exploited by Sterling's camp.

Yan was like the terminator before he faced emotional adversity; simply walking everyone down and seemingly being unflappable, but the moment the verbals and smack talk got under his skin with his last three opponents, he's absolutely lost his composure and gone in there overamped and underprepared in the sense that he only thinks about the hurt he wants to put on them and no strategy or readiness for what's coming back at him. Bit like Aldo flying out, triggered by McGregor and getting sparked out in embarrassing fashion for it, but on a slower, systematic time frame.

By now, Yan comes across as unintelligent, linear and self-absorbed because he doesn't adjust or even try to make strategic countermeasures. It's like he sees red and then loses his way.

I don't think it's an issue with ability or technical proficiency, but rather his mental aspects and ego. If the guy took time out and got some zen, I'd wager he'd make a far better account of himself than he has been doing - he simply cannot afford to have such triggerable ins vs opponents who are just as good as him; they are easy exploits that are being pounced upon by more cunning and savvy fighters.
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I feel like this is the case with the Sterling fight. If he was a bit less reckless he arguably wouldn't have got his back taken and dropped a 10-8 round and the fight.

Since then I don't know if that's really the case. The O'Malley fight most people felt like he won, and if it's a 5 rounder I think he certainly pulls away.

Merab is just a weird one and a terrible stylistic matchup for him. He takes some time to get in his stride offensively which is why he's always been a slow starter. But how do you ever find your rhythm when a guy is constantly pressuring you and shooting every 30 seconds? The pace is insane and he never got going for that reason.
 
DannyCAFC said:
I feel like this is the case with the Sterling fight. If he was a bit less reckless he arguably wouldn't have got his back taken and dropped a 10-8 round and the fight.

Since then I don't know if that's really the case. The O'Malley fight most people felt like he won, and if it's a 5 rounder I think he certainly pulls away.

Merab is just a weird one and a terrible stylistic matchup for him. He takes some time to get in his stride offensively which is why he's always been a slow starter. But how do you ever find your rhythm when a guy is constantly pressuring you and shooting every 30 seconds? The pace is insane and he never got going for that reason.
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There was a lot of pride on the line with O'Malley and Yan made some bold statements about not having to resort to wrestling to beat 'the clown' and perhaps made that fight a lot harder for himself than he needed to.

I thought Yan was too wired for the Merab fight, personally. Really wound tight and played right into his hands. Merab is a stylistic problem for him, but he didn't even try to make adjustments nor attempt to execute a tactical plan, which is, for me, is typical of the obstacles he's facing of late.

You expect more savvy from a champion of Yan's supposed calibre; someone who will make key changes to a plan if what they're trying to execute as a primary isn't working and I don't see him doing that since he's faced adversity.

Maybe I'm not giving Merab enough credit, but it's more Yan should be more switched on in there, to me. He wanted to go to war with the guy and take his head off, moreso than win by any means necessary, which is the sticking point for me in his emotions getting the better of him, imo.
 
Dirty Schwein said:
Yan... What's happened. Was meant to be the next dominating champ.
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For me, he never fully recovered mentally after the illegal knee. He was seconds away from easily defending his belt and making a shitload of money. The PTSD must be eating him alive since then.

He was even talking about retirement after his last losses, blaming the judges, etc. It's worrying when fighters get stuck in this mindset. Hopefully he can sort it out with some good sports psychologist. Still only 30 years old.
 
UFC 286 fight week!

FrENBnWWwAExrWg





 
George Owen said:
For me, he never fully recovered mentally after the illegal knee. He was seconds away from easily defending his belt and making a shitload of money. The PTSD must be eating him alive since then.

He was even talking about retirement after his last losses, blaming the judges, etc. It's worrying when fighters get stuck in this mindset. Hopefully he can sort it out with some good sports psychologist. Still only 30 years old.
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Funny, both conclude it's in the head, but reach that evaluation from different roads.

Definitely think he needs some kind of mental reset otherwise he'll become a gatekeeper instead of a legit challenger/champion again.
 
Fortitude said:
Funny, both conclude it's in the head, but reach that evaluation from different roads.

Definitely think he needs some kind of mental reset otherwise he'll become a gatekeeper instead of a legit challenger/champion again.
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Yeah. Impossible to perform at your 100% if you can't get your emotions under control. This game of inches is 90% mental.

Dominique Reyes is another example. He never let go of the Jones fight. It's been over 3 years now. To this day he keeps talking about it, instead of moving on. He must be having daily dreams of Jon Jones getting his arm raised...

Gonna be tough now for Yan. Doesn't strike me as the type of guy that would sit down and talk to a sports psychologist (too tough for his own good) but I hope I'm wrong.



 
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George Owen said:
Yeah. Impossible to perform at your 100% if you can't get your emotions under control. This game of inches is 90% mental.

Dominique Reyes is another example. He never let go of the Jones fight. It's been over 3 years now. To this day he keeps talking about it, instead of moving on. He must be having daily dreams of Jon Jones getting his arm raised...

Gonna be tough now for Yan. Doesn't strike me as the type of guy that would sit down and talk to a sports psychologist (too tough for his own good) but I hope I'm wrong.



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Agreed. Reminds me of Gus too, who was never the same after the loss to Jones. But yes, that description of Yan is very much how I see him/it. If he's too proud in the octagon, you can't imagine him being any better out of it, which is ultimately ruinous because it's an easy exploit; something you can't afford to have at the levels he's competing against.
 
Excited for Gaethje-Fiziev, if that fight isn´t gold standard violent entertainment i don´t know what is what.
 
So what are realistic expectations for Cejudo's return ?

I'm not asking in regards to a single next fight, but rather looking towards the long term.

Perfect world, he looks competitive against Sterling, somehow wins, gets a mega fight against O'malley, and if all stars align, moves up for a superfight with Volkanovski.

If you are of the view that he will lose, I hope he tries to climb back the ranks as there are some really fun matchups for the fans at BW.
 
Luke1995 said:
So what are realistic expectations for Cejudo's return ?

I'm not asking in regards to a single next fight, but rather looking towards the long term.

Perfect world, he looks competitive against Sterling, somehow wins, gets a mega fight against O'malley, and if all stars align, moves up for a superfight with Volkanovski.

If you are of the view that he will lose, I hope he tries to climb back the ranks as there are some really fun matchups for the fans at BW.
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As cringe as he is, I like him as a fighter and want to see him do well.
 
Watched a lot of GSP interviews recently, and I have to say he might be my favourite athlete ever. He’s proof of what can happen when you dedicate yourself more than anyone else is willing to do, but he’s also so honest about how dumb a decision it is for 99.999999% of people to even contemplate fighting as a career choice. When you think of guys who made it to the very top of their sport, it’s really hard to find someone classier.
 
FriedClams said:
Watched a lot of GSP interviews recently, and I have to say he might be my favourite athlete ever. He’s proof of what can happen when you dedicate yourself more than anyone else is willing to do, but he’s also so honest about how dumb a decision it is for 99.999999% of people to even contemplate fighting as a career choice. When you think of guys who made it to the very top of their sport, it’s really hard to find someone classier.
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Mate he is awesome through and through... Except the alien abduction thing, which is bizzarre :lol:
 
I wonder of Leon is taking this as seriously as Usman is. Leon has to do better overall than he has been during his time in the octagon with Usman otherwise it'll be a swift handover of that belt.

I doubt Usman will have the same vulnerabilities as the last fight as he'll go back to his base of wrestling and avoid the stand-up outside of tentative jabs and set ups to grapple. There won't be the same opportunities for that kind of kick as last time. Thought that was a clear call to make last fight as this is this fight.

The questions are more on Leon and whether he can prevent the fight becoming what Usman dictates and that'll come down to holding his nerve as well as his intelligence in reading the setups and preemptively shutting them down or evading them into continual resets. Very different kind of fight for him to retain the belt, one that'll show if he has it in him to be a proper champion rather than a placeholder.

Having said all that, what will be interesting is whether Usman shows any fear in there - that would be a real equaliser if he does.
 
Fortitude said:
I wonder of Leon is taking this as seriously as Usman is. Leon has to do better overall than he has been during his time in the octagon with Usman otherwise it'll be a swift handover of that belt.

I doubt Usman will have the same vulnerabilities as the last fight as he'll go back to his base of wrestling and avoid the stand-up outside of tentative jabs and set ups to grapple. There won't be the same opportunities for that kind of kick as last time. Thought that was a clear call to make last fight as this is this fight.

The questions are more on Leon and whether he can prevent the fight becoming what Usman dictates and that'll come down to holding his nerve as well as his intelligence in reading the setups and preemptively shutting them down or evading them into continual resets. Very different kind of fight for him to retain the belt, one that'll show if he has it in him to be a proper champion rather than a placeholder.

Having said all that, what will be interesting is whether Usman shows any fear in there - that would be a real equaliser if he does.
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It does make me think Usman will go really wrestle-heavy. He’s so freakishly strong that it’s an easy and comforting gameplan.
I do hope, mostly just for the popularity of mma in the U.K. that it isn’t 25 minutes of ground control. Those type of mains just turn so many people away from the sport. Hopefully Gaethje delivers his usual mental trench warfare beforehand
 
Probably should have tapped and live to fight another day. Heart of a lion though. Big fan of Mo
 
George Owen said:
Yeah man, that was close. Hopefully Mokaev's knee is only sored and not badly injured.
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redom said:
Yup, was just waiting for something to pop or buckle but hopefully it's just badly sprained or something.
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I don’t know how that happened, he must have unnatural flexibility. I’ve been in kneebars and as soon as it goes past the lock position it’s agony. Mind you, I’m a knackered old cnut :lol:
 
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