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Definitely going to be an amazing fight and I absolutely agree that it'll take something weird to beat khabib and no one is weirder than Tony.

I just think Khabib takes him down and smothers him - same thing he always does.

I used to think Tony could win until the Kevin Lee fight, where Lee out grappled Tony until he gassed out hard and got triangled.

Tony is too happy to go to the ground because he has great BJJ off his back, but 10th planet BJJ struggles against wrestlers who give them zero room to breathe. Like Khabib isn't gonna get caught in a scramble reaching for a sub - he'll just press his body weight down and throw short elbows/punches.


All that said: anything can happen in a fight, nothing is a certainty. Who would've thought Romero vs Adesanya would be one of the worst fights in the history of the sport?
 
TRF_Olyy said:
Definitely going to be an amazing fight and I absolutely agree that it'll take something weird to beat khabib and no one is weirder than Tony.

I just think Khabib takes him down and smothers him - same thing he always does.

I used to think Tony could win until the Kevin Lee fight, where Lee out grappled Tony until he gassed out hard and got triangled.

Tony is too happy to go to the ground because he has great BJJ off his back, but 10th planet BJJ struggles against wrestlers who give them zero room to breathe. Like Khabib isn't gonna get caught in a scramble reaching for a sub - he'll just press his body weight down and throw short elbows/punches.


All that said: anything can happen in a fight, nothing is a certainty. Who would've thought Romero vs Adesanya would be one of the worst fights in the history of the sport?
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more if Tony submits and tries to bjj off his back hes in a world of hurt. I think the tactics will be to stuff every attempt and keep the fight stand up as much as possible, khabib isnt a world class wrestler but hes so powerful in the grapple that if he gets hold of you and gets you on the deck its game over. Tony knows this he will keep the fight stood up im convinced he will catch khabib with some unorthodox strike I just see it coming , both of their hearts will be tested in this fight I also think tony has the engine to win on points but if hes grounded by khabib its probably over. I think tony does have a shot of a darce choke if khabib dives in though.
 
Think it'll be the first time we'll see Khabib bleed in the octagon (I think?) - Tony's elbows are razor blades, he cuts people to shreds
 
TRF_Olyy said:
Think it'll be the first time we'll see Khabib bleed in the octagon (I think?) - Tony's elbows are razor blades, he cuts people to shreds
Click to expand...
That comment right there just drives home how dominant khabib has been:eek:
 
Gotta love Chael: It's time for Jon Jones to download the uber app.

I don't see Tony beating Khabib. I see Khabib taking this very seriously so i don't see him slipping or getting ko'd with a punch or having to tap.

There are some people claiming that Khabib will have to deal with Tony fighting from his back on the ground. I think those people are nothing short of mental. Sure, Tony can exert damage from his back, much more than the average fighter, but to compare that damage to the damage that Khabib can deploy once he's on top of you is delusional.

I like Sonnen's approach to the analysis (quite old video, and it's not about Khabib). Stand up, clinch, ground.

1) Standup i can concede it's Tony's. I don't think so, but i don't care, won't change the argument. Not like he has been knocking the lights out of everyone he's faced. He is nowhere near, say, Connor's level here.
2) Khabib has successfully taken every single person he has faced against the cage and once there, he's been able to take him down. Every single one. Not only that, but i don't he's ever been taken down (hence my dream fight against GSP!).
3) Once he takes you down, you might be able to get up, but odds are he makes damage and opponents don't

The only place where Khabib has been troubled in all his fights was in 1). Some might argue he was once in a position where (think it was Porier) got him some neck hold but I think it was more the surprise of seeing him there than the actual danger that the hold presented.

Other people will tell you Tony's bjj is something Khabib hasn't faced before and that Khabib will get caught in some hold here/there. Another mental statement. He fought Dos Anjos when he was at his best (Dos Anjos, not Khabib) and he rag-dolled him, literally.

Khabib is a very smart fighter and one that doesn't take chances. He is not a risk-taker. He knows his weapons, he knows his method works and he knows the longer the fight goes the better for him. He studies his opponents. He knows where he can push and where doing so will represent an unnecessary risk against Tony (probably during transitions) and i am quite certain he will be very careful.

Tony can win, sure, but if there we to fight the best of 10*, i'd get a second mortgage and bet it on Khabib.

*: if we could somehow have the same initial conditions 10 times.
 
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Khabib vs Tony (unofficially) off.
Dana told Khabib the fight was going to be in Abu Dhabi so Khabib left the states to go there to acclimatise.
While in Abu Dhabi they told him the borders were going to be closed so the fight wouldn't be there - so he flew to Russia.
Russia have now implemented a travel ban, and the UFC are going to hold the fight in America (after specifically telling Khabib it would either be in Europe or Abu Dhabi - hence him leaving).

They're now looking at Tony vs A.N Other (cowboy trying to get the fight but he don't deserve it at all, especially after getting chewed up and spat out by tony not that long ago).
What a **** show, this fight is officially cursed.

Tony tripping and falling and blowing his knee out on April 1st was bad enough, but a global pandemic?
The worst part is both fighters were fit and healthy and fought on the same card...just not against each other, recently. FFS
 
Poirier's take.



The **** people are throwing at Khabib for not fighting is mesmerizing. It's a ******* pandemic ffs. They told him odds were the fight would take place in Abu Dhabi, so he went there. After that, it's simply ludicrous to judge him for things out of his control.
 
"I don't wanna put words in your mouth - but would you suggest Tony is overrated?" Ah Ariel, ever the **** stirring weasel.
 
Tony vs Gathje for the interim belt confirmed

Would be all over that if it wasn't at the expense of the Khabib fight.

Fight is gonna be a blood bath - both guys love defending with their face and aren't afraid to take 2 to land 1
 
TRF_Olyy said:
Tony vs Gathje for the interim belt confirmed

Would be all over that if it wasn't at the expense of the Khabib fight.

Fight is gonna be a blood bath - both guys love defending with their face and aren't afraid to take 2 to land 1
Click to expand...
aaaaaaaaand it's cancelled.

It was stupid to try to start with and I'm glad they've seen sense.

As funny as Fight Island is, I hope that doesn't come to fruition either. I love MMA but it's a one in a century global pandemic atm, you can wait a couple of months ffs.


Edit:
Dana White has confirmed he was told to stand down by ESPN and Disney Execs.
I mean....... good.
 
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Wowowow

Francis kills a man
Cejudo gets a dodgy stoppage and then pretends to retire
Tony vs Justin is fireworks from start to (devastating) finish. Justin has evolved so much since joining the UFC, he fought an absolutely perfect fight. Would love to see him fight McGregor (though McGregor doesn't deserve that shot now). Him vs Khabib is very interesting now - NCAA Div 1 wrestler with devastating leg kicks could be a tough challenge for Khabib (though I think Khabib Khabibs him tbh)
I had reservations over Tony's chin but the shots he took tonight were absolutely insane.
 
JG was very impressive. Before the fight, i was thinking Tony vs Conor would have been a massacre (Tony beating him), but after seeing JG destroy TF standing up, my money is with Conor. Or at least 50-50. I can see it both ways, before i did not.

I still cant see how any of the 3 can beat Khabib other than with a lucky shot. Khabib has to be patient, look for a 50/50, grab a leg, push to the fence and do his thing. I dont see any of those 3 being able to stop him from doing that.
And yes, JG was amazing on his feet, but the thing is, he was never really worried about TF taking him down. He could focus on outboxing/kicking TF. You miss one kick by an inch and khabib will grab your leg and you're in his backyard. It's uphill from there.

I know that it sounds counterintuitive, but Khabib's edge at the standup comes from being good at taking people down, not from being a super strong nor deadly accurate puncher. He basically forces people to worry about something that he might or might not do. People have to worry about punches, kicks and takedowns. They know a wrongly placed punch of kick will close the (distance) gap and once Khabib grabs a hold of you i dont see anyone able to stop him. People do get up, true, but generally after receiving some damage, which they will try to avoid from happening again, which means being more careful at the standup, which give Khabib the edge again.

You would need to be someone incredibly elusive and powerful, or someone who can actually put khabib on his back. You could argue JG is the former, i dont think he is elusive enough. In other words. I can see how Khabib could get hurt. But i cannot see anyone stopping Khabib from what he does, to pretty much everyone. He is smart and patient. He knows where his advantage lies, and he is generally careful enough not to overcommit in other places or take unnecessary risks.

I dont think Tony can beat Khabib, but i think he has a better chance than JG, stylewise.

I cant help but feeling bad for TF. The guy is terrible at promoting himself, and has the charisma of an amoeba. but his commitment, perseverance and endurance are top 2. He had no need to take up this fight but did so anyway and now I'm afraid he will pay for it. I'm afraid he might be out of the conversation for a while. JG and Khabibg are #1 and 2, and Conor is a bigger ticket.
 
Pretty depressing card so far,

Aldo looked fantastic and even brought his leg kicks back to the table - but then gassed hard (with some help from Yans body shots) and the finish was just brutal/very late. I think his time at the top is over - hopefully he goes the Pettis route and just takes fun fights from here on (or retires). I don't want to see him getting battered by the young killers at 135/145

I like Volk a lot but Max won that fight - judges need to stop scoring takedowns that lead nowhere so highly.

Hopefully Mas vs Usman is a banger

Edit: main even so boring I fell asleep.
I can appreciate that Usman is a dominant wrestler but he's got zero killer instinct - just does the bare minimum to not get broken up. Just terrible.
 
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Same,
Card is nowhere near stacked enough to warrant the extra on top of subscription as well.

So I shall be sailing the seven seas later
day talk GIF
 
Crazy that that's arguably the cleanest shots anyone's ever landed on Khabib....and it was still complete domination
 

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