UFC Fight Night 80 & TUF 22 Finale

[AirJordanB]

Didnt watch this event, but loled at the thread on junkie about the twatter responses to sage's fight. So many guppy sharks circling the blood in the water.

http://mmajunkie.com/2015/12/twitter...fight-night-80

All the two bit fighters in the division are hankering to get a win off his hype. Kevin Lee is such a *******, will never respect him after those white boy comments he made previously about this Sage kid, if a white guy said the opposite about him it would have blown up into a race riot on the internet. smh.

The kid has potential but he is green as summer grass, gonna be hard to spoon feed him wins to build him up in that stacked division.

lol'd hard at these two:

Cody Gibson✔@TheRenegade559
Like I said, this kid is weird as all hell. Parents pushing kids into stuff never had a good ending #UFCVegas

Angela Hill✔@AngieOverkill
'Google John 3:16!!!' I thought you weren't allowed to use the Internet Sage? Isn't lying a sin?


lmao

[mistahAIM]

If Aldo can grapple a lot, I don't doubt he'll win. But I'm not sold he's really going to go after that. I think the biggest key to the fight, besides who is pressuring, is Aldo's leg kicks vs. McGregor's left.

I'm not a guy who overrates the Mendes win or a Connor nuthugger. I picked Mendes over Aldo. What I underestimated is that Conor has a titanium skull. He ate, and moved into, some monster shot and wasn't even phased beyond stopping to smile and taunt. The short turnaround definitely played a part in Mendes gassing out, but so did McGregor's attacks to the body, and just being a madman who wasn't discouraged at all by the hard counters he ate or being takedown and controlled. Yeah, Connor's takedown defense, especially to reactive shots, is an issue, and his guard and ability to get back to his feet is really an issue, but I'm not sure Aldo will go that route and it's really been awhile since he's done that. Who knows if Conor can keep pouring it on into the championship rounds. Mendes also has a great chin for FW, and McGregor hurt him a bunch of times.

His will to win is insane, and it's clear he will test Aldo. Yeah, Aldo got into a dogfight with a very prepared Mendes. But Mendes also backed off after Aldo nailed him with some hard counters. And Aldo's best moments were often after he was ticked off Mendes was coming after him and doing better. I really am not convinced McGregor will fold like most of Aldo's opponents and let Aldo effectively dictate the pace. And as hard as he hits? I'm thinking he will get to Aldo and finish him. Hominick and Edgar also put pressure on Aldo and had some success. McGregor is longer than both those guys and a harder kicker and hitter. And he's a more skilled striker than either guy. Now, for once, Aldo doesn't have to worry about a takedown, so I think he'll be leg kicking a lot more this fight, which I think will limit McGregor's ability to finish if it gets to round 5. However, I think Conor can pressure Aldo, making it harder to leg kick with risking eating lefts, and really push the pace and get the finish after the first 2 rounds.

Aldo took down and mounted Ricardo Lamas in the fifth round of their match. Granted, Lamas reversed it and ended the fight on top. But the fact that Aldo can take down Lamas and Korean Zombie (at will pretty much) tells me that he absolutely can take Conor down especially after what we saw against Mendes.

Conor certainly brings freakish size and a freakish chin to the table at FW. But the skillsets are really incomparable. Aldo is facing the most limited and hittable opponent he's had in years. McGregor still has finishing ability but the diversitiy of his attack is unbelievably overstated.

[CorytheKiD]

lol'd hard at these two:

Cody Gibson✔@TheRenegade559
Like I said, this kid is weird as all hell. Parents pushing kids into stuff never had a good ending #UFCVegas

Angela Hill✔@AngieOverkill
'Google John 3:16!!!' I thought you weren't allowed to use the Internet Sage? Isn't lying a sin?


lmao

Man, hearing him talk tonight was cringeworthy af. I hope he gets better at interviews/press conferences with time.

[Gainzzz]

Conor having **** tier grappling is another ridiculous myth. Name me one person at 145 who could get off bottom with Chad Mendes sitting in their guard landing elbows? He wasn't moving. As soon as he attacked, Conor got up straight away. He's the best fuking wrestler in the division, and one of the best in the sport.

How does it make sense to belittle the Brandao exchange? He's a legit black belt and Conor man handled him. Yea, max was young but he got completely dominated. No one talks about his grappling being bad. Conor trains with Gunnar daily, if you don't think he's just as obsessed with grappling you're deluded.

Aldo is far better technically but again, you can't ignore the size and strength of Conor. It's a factor everywhere.

Saturday is going to answer so many fuking questions.

[RoccoTanno123]

Aldo took down and mounted Ricardo Lamas in the fifth round of their match. Granted, Lamas reversed it and ended the fight on top. But the fact that Aldo can take down Lamas and Korean Zombie (at will pretty much) tells me that he absolutely can take Conor down especially after what we saw against Mendes.

Conor certainly brings freakish size and a freakish chin to the table at FW. But the skillsets are really incomparable. Aldo is facing the most limited and hittable opponent he's had in years. McGregor still has finishing ability but the diversitiy of his attack is unbelievably overstated.

The takedowns at KZ were mostly reactive, following KZ's wild attacks, and after Aldo had broken his foot. Lamas also doesn't keep his hips back as much as Conor does when he goes offensive with punches. With McGregor, it's good to stop the initial shot, but it's also bad because it's a lot like a sprawl, where it's a last line a defense. Lamas...I mean maybe I'll re-watch that, but that's not a comparable fight at all. Lamas was so overmatched and Aldo knew it completely and just went to workman mode.

Limited? LOL. McGregor started off his career as much more of a counter fighter, who goaded other people into leading. Now, he's much more of a pressure fighter. We'll see how Aldo can handle a powerful, quick southpaw with a strong left because that's clearly McGregor's best strike. The only memorable one I can recall him facing was Kenny, who doesn't throw it as well and doesn't have similar power. Historically, that's always a tough test for most orthodox fighters, particularly if they're at a length disadvantage like Aldo is at. McGregor also loves to double up and follow that left hand with a left head kick. Aldo's head movement is going to have to really be on point to avoid some of those. And with the stance difference, if those are hard, yeah...that can mess you up even if you block them; guys have broken arms with that.

I think you're also overlooking, even though McGregor sometimes just spams kicks, a lot of the ones he has developed are good weapons to deter guys from just circling away from his power side--such as the front snap kick to the body, the wheel kick, or the spinning back kick to the body. Yeah, Mendes wasn't fully prepared, but McGregor was constantly troubling him with his abliity with those. Same with Siver.

[Singularity7]

McGregor's grappling compared to the high-level grapplers of the division is flat out terrible. He reversed a takedown by Brandao and outgrappled a 20 year old Max Holloway. Aldo literally has nothing to worry about but McGregor's left hand and range. McGregor brings nothing else to the table. I have absolutely no doubt that he's studied McGregor carefully and will come into this fight impeccably prepared.

I'm going out on a limb to a certain extent because at the end of the day anything can happen in a fight but I seriously think McGregor-Aldo is a pretty easy fight to predict all things considered.

Aldo took down and mounted Ricardo Lamas in the fifth round of their match. Granted, Lamas reversed it and ended the fight on top. But the fact that Aldo can take down Lamas and Korean Zombie (at will pretty much) tells me that he absolutely can take Conor down especially after what we saw against Mendes.

Conor certainly brings freakish size and a freakish chin to the table at FW. But the skillsets are really incomparable. Aldo is facing the most limited and hittable opponent he's had in years. McGregor still has finishing ability but the diversitiy of his attack is unbelievably overstated.

Wrong. Not only does he have to worry about the left straight he has to worry about the hand fighting McGregor is good at. McGregor has the advantage being a southpaw since their lead hands will clash a lot and McGregor has the experience there.
Also Aldo can dangerously over reaches on his straights, dangerously over reaches. He also has to worry about the front kicks McGregor likes to use which can punish the gas tank and pressure fighters to the cage.

I think you dismiss McGregors tools way to hastily and don't give him enough credit. This is very clear in you saying he only has the left straight and range (Which there are tools and skills applied to control range) nothing else to worry about. This is coming from a guy who dislikes McGregor's attitude.

[RoccoTanno123]

Gomi, looking on youtube now. Rockhold was also the favorite over Machida, despite being ranked lower.

[kathebrahl]

not that it mattered to the outcome of the fight but that stand up in the northcutt fight again clearly shows how the ufc has a grasp on the referees who are supposed to be independent. would hate for something controversial like that to happen on saturday

edit: after thinking about it I applaud stand-ups like that because I don't like lay 'n praying where guys throw punches from guard to stay 'active' with no intent to finish or improve position, just trying to stay on top.

thing is referees have to be consistent with it. it's clear there's favouritism playing

[deepfat]

McGregor's grappling compared to the high-level grapplers of the division is flat out terrible. He reversed a takedown by Brandao and outgrappled a 20 year old Max Holloway. Aldo literally has nothing to worry about but McGregor's left hand and range. McGregor brings nothing else to the table. I have absolutely no doubt that he's studied McGregor carefully and will come into this fight impeccably prepared.

I'm going out on a limb to a certain extent because at the end of the day anything can happen in a fight but I seriously think McGregor-Aldo is a pretty easy fight to predict all things considered.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. I think this fight is going to not only disappoint Conor fans but viewers expecting a barn burner. I think Aldo fights smart and takes this fight to the ground for 5 rounds. McGregor looked like he never fought a wrestler before in the Mendes fight. He's very lucky he has a granite chin and Mendes was on short notice.

[whiskeyjackie]

Damn she went through hell

[KazBrah]

This one picture summed up the fight perfectly. Rose is a savage! She's taking the back of PVZ's with a smile on her face, covered in all of PVZ's blood.

[Von Brawn]

I agree with this wholeheartedly. I think this fight is going to not only disappoint Conor fans but viewers expecting a barn burner. I think Aldo fights smart and takes this fight to the ground for 5 rounds. McGregor looked like he never fought a wrestler before in the Mendes fight. He's very lucky he has a granite chin and Mendes was on short notice.

If Aldo's smart, he tries to hold Conor down for the first two rounds to conserve energy / bank rounds.

That said IDK if Jose can hold Conor down

[wake_me]

[SwimToTheMoon]

Aldo took down and mounted Ricardo Lamas in the fifth round of their match. Granted, Lamas reversed it and ended the fight on top. But the fact that Aldo can take down Lamas and Korean Zombie (at will pretty much) tells me that he absolutely can take Conor down especially after what we saw against Mendes.

Conor certainly brings freakish size and a freakish chin to the table at FW. But the skillsets are really incomparable. Aldo is facing the most limited and hittable opponent he's had in years. McGregor still has finishing ability but the diversitiy of his attack is unbelievably overstated.

I'm rooting for Aldo but I don't think he has a huge advantage on the feet against Conor srs... I think it will either be Aldo by sub or Conor by tko

[AirJordanB]

If Aldo's smart, he tries to hold Conor down for the first two rounds to conserve energy / bank rounds.

That said IDK if Jose can hold Conor down

I don't think Aldo is game planning to take Conor down, unless the opening is there. That's never been his game. Aldo will be the much faster fighter during the early rounds, so I'm thinking he's going to stand with Conor and use his speed advantage.

[stayingpositive]

seriously how can a number 3 ranked fighter be an underdog to a 7th ranked by the ufc's own ranking system?

Well the number 7th ranked women's bantamweight did just defeat the greatest fighter of all time....

[Gomi]

because the public buys into hype trains and bets regardless of match-up? the odds are from betting lines, not the ufc.

Or, alternatively, some guys are just nightmare style fights for more accomplished guys and can beat them. I mean, Holm was stylistically a bad fight for Rousey, but Rousey had accomplished more in wmma. Then Holm completely styled on her and looked great and shut Ronda down. RDA completely tooled Pettis too. Werdum got Fedor. Etc.

edit: lol, those are opposite examples I gave actually. Some real examples of what you asked. Robbie Lawler was a slight underdog to Rory MacDonald despite being the champ and beating Hendricks. Edgar was ranked higher than Swanson, and he styled all over him, which was basically a styles thing, but also because Edgar is a stud. Um, Maynard was favored over Frankie at least one of the times he fought him, maybe both times after Frankie won the title.

props, thanks mate

[AirJordanB]

Joe Lauzon looks washed.

feelsbadman

[TurkeyMan1992]

Why is Big John McCarthy such an angry little ****?

[scooterbrah]

loving this fight. #JustBleed

[AirJordanB]

New drug testing has Barboza not looking as juiced as usual.

[Tough92]

Joe Lauzon looks washed.

feelsbadman

I know brah wtf,I put $30 on him just bc he was the underdog and though he could we but he looks like a bum


I got $120 on Edgar tonite what you guys think?

[AirJordanB]

I know brah wtf,I put $30 on him just bc he was the underdog and though he could we but he looks like a bum


I got $120 on Edgar tonite what you guys think?

[Tough92]

L

Lulz War Edgar

[SwimToTheMoon]

Dayum that was sick

[ashketchup963]

damn, tony fergusons one aggressive mofo

[scooterbrah]

[AirJordanB]

I love how UFC commentators say every Brazilian is a "high level BJJ black belt" just because they're Brazilian. When has Barboza ever shown any grappling skill?

[KazBrah]

That finish was relentless from Tony. I think Barboza was concussed from the illegal kick though. Dude was on jelly legs trying to get back to his feet.

[KazBrah]

I'm picking Frankie for the main event.