Caporegime
They don’t call him the Nigerian Nightmare for nothing.
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They don’t call him the Nigerian Nightmare for nothing.
Soldato
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Were these fights both during the pre-lims?
Soldato
Khamzat opened the main card. The Russian was Mosvar Evloev who was highly touted a while back but had a bad road accident or something and this was his comeback fight. Featherweight, looks like he could easily be a title contender. Enjoyed his emotionless gaze and elite wrestling (minus any lay and pray).
Soldato
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Thanks
I'd seen the main card with Khamzat smashing, that was almost a ridiculous spectacle - walk over, pick him up, walk back, put him down, beat him up. Like a grown man beating a child!
I've seen the Trinaldo stoppage/the Herb Dean moment now too - will need to find Mosvar escaping the d'arce
Caporegime
Let’s go Justin!!
Caporegime
Kebob's toughest challenge yet.
Soldato
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I'll be putting money on Gaethje
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I'm hoping Gaethje has enough grappling prowess to not allow it to even get to the floor - he's undoubtedly the best wrestler (on paper) that Khabib has faced so it's going to be fun!
I'm banking on the fact that the gulf in striking is bigger than the gulf in grappling, in favour of Gaethje.
I'm banking on the fact that the gulf in striking is bigger than the gulf in grappling, in favour of Gaethje.
Caporegime
Gaethje at 2/1 is a bet all day long.
Soldato
It'll be like the fight against Dustin, except he might stuff a couple more of the takedowns. I don't care if his background is in wrestling - Justin is in love with striking and in all his UFC fights he's never used it once to control a fight... indeed he says he doesn't even like wrestling because it's fatiguing. That tells me even if he can stuff a takedown or two, Khabib will get one eventually and then we'll have the same story as Barboza, Johnson, McNugget, RDA, etc.
The biggest question mark is how much of an impact on his preparation and performance the death of his father will have had, although Justin and his coach went on Joe Rogan's podcast recently and basically spelt out exactly what their gameplan against Khabib would be, so it's not like he doesn't know what to prepare for. Additionally if they're fighting in Vegas, the cage is a little smaller which makes getting people up against the fence easier, which favours the grapplers.
The biggest question mark is how much of an impact on his preparation and performance the death of his father will have had, although Justin and his coach went on Joe Rogan's podcast recently and basically spelt out exactly what their gameplan against Khabib would be, so it's not like he doesn't know what to prepare for. Additionally if they're fighting in Vegas, the cage is a little smaller which makes getting people up against the fence easier, which favours the grapplers.
Caporegime
He might not use it offensively but he’s easily the most accomplished wrestler Khabib has ever faced. If the fight stays standing Khabib is in big trouble, his sloppy stand up has nothing for Gaethje.
And likewise, Khabib will be the most toughest grappler Justin has ever faced. This fight will mainly be on the floor or up against the cage clinched up, as Khabib knows full well he isn't going to engage with Justin that much standing.
Caporegime
You’re probably right but Gaethje has fought guys like TFerg who are accomplished and decorated wrestlers. I also think someone like Ferguson would give Khabib serious problems.
The best wrestler I can remember Khabib facing is Johnson who doesn’t have the credentials someone like Ferguson has.
The best wrestler I can remember Khabib facing is Johnson who doesn’t have the credentials someone like Ferguson has.
Soldato
^True, but it doesn't really mean anything, since they spent the entire fight on their feet.
Soldato
There won't be any surprises with this fight.
Gaethje has openly stated that wrestling makes him tired and he thinks BJJ is useless so doesn't train it. If you think he wins you have to believe either he'll successfully stuff all TDs or successfully wall-climb in a way nobody else has gotten close to doing. He won't be pulling out a whole different style or trying to out-do someone who is a no-gi world grappling champion and world combat sambo champion at their own game.
Realistically his path to victory will be if he can keep Khabib's hands off him, calf kick his lead leg to pieces and slow him down so much he can pick him off in the middle of the octagon. Everyone who has fought him in the last few years has talked about how they'll keep the fight in the centre and not get backed up... which never happens. Justin's approach will be fundamentally similar to what Poirier, Conor, Barboza offered. At least with Ferguson you had that element of unpredictability and creativity both standing and on the floor.
I just don't see him preventing Khabib from sticking him against the fence and doing his thing; if Dustin could catch a leg...
Gaethje has openly stated that wrestling makes him tired and he thinks BJJ is useless so doesn't train it. If you think he wins you have to believe either he'll successfully stuff all TDs or successfully wall-climb in a way nobody else has gotten close to doing. He won't be pulling out a whole different style or trying to out-do someone who is a no-gi world grappling champion and world combat sambo champion at their own game.
Realistically his path to victory will be if he can keep Khabib's hands off him, calf kick his lead leg to pieces and slow him down so much he can pick him off in the middle of the octagon. Everyone who has fought him in the last few years has talked about how they'll keep the fight in the centre and not get backed up... which never happens. Justin's approach will be fundamentally similar to what Poirier, Conor, Barboza offered. At least with Ferguson you had that element of unpredictability and creativity both standing and on the floor.
I just don't see him preventing Khabib from sticking him against the fence and doing his thing; if Dustin could catch a leg...
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There will be for one of us
I'll be surprised if it plays out like a normal Khabib fight, you'll be surprised if it doesn't 
I need to go back and watch the Barboza vs Khabib fight, to see whether Barboza threw many leg kicks and how Khabib dealt with them - fair point that Dustin managed to catch one and push Gaethje to the cage, but I honestly feel Gaethje would have comfortable in allowing that to happen vs Poirier - he won't allow it/will actively try and stop it when fighting Khabib if he's any sense.
Soldato
There will be for one of us
I need to go back and watch the Barboza vs Khabib fight, to see whether Barboza threw many leg kicks and how Khabib dealt with them - fair point that Dustin managed to catch one and push Gaethje to the cage, but I honestly feel Gaethje would have comfortable in allowing that to happen vs Poirier - he won't allow it/will actively try and stop it when fighting Khabib if he's any sense.
It's MMA, anything can happen, but it just seems like the same thing we heard with MJ, Conor, Dustin etc, and every time things pan out a similar way. Anyway the full fight is on YouTube - Khabib didn't get caught standing in the range where Barboza's kicks would be most effective, so while he ate a couple he took no real damage. Worth pointing out that Edson also had extremely high TDD going into that fight (86%) and he only got taken down 4/13 times during it... which looks good on paper, but then you watch the fight and he spent a lot of it on the floor getting smashed because one successful takedown is typically all Khabib needs to then do his thing for the round.
Soldato
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I remember watching the Barboza fight and just feeling sorry for the amount of punishment that Barboza was taking - I also remember being impressed that even in the 5th round (if I'm remembering correctly) he was still fresh enough to be throwing head kicks and looking for the win and hadn't resigned himself to being beaten down.
I'm under no illusion as to how good and dominant Khabib has been, but I just don't feel he's been challenged by a true in shape wrestler with the pedigree of Gaethje. The only guy with a decent wrestling background Khabib has faced is Iaquinta, and he didn't look too great there - again I appreciate that it was a short notice opponent change and not someone either man had prepared for, but it does cast doubts, in my mind at least, as to whether Khabib can "Khabib" Gaethje.
I'm under no illusion as to how good and dominant Khabib has been, but I just don't feel he's been challenged by a true in shape wrestler with the pedigree of Gaethje. The only guy with a decent wrestling background Khabib has faced is Iaquinta, and he didn't look too great there - again I appreciate that it was a short notice opponent change and not someone either man had prepared for, but it does cast doubts, in my mind at least, as to whether Khabib can "Khabib" Gaethje.