The Official UFC Thread

50fiftyball · March 07, 2016, 11:19:13 AM

Good call Iceman. Looking forward to your assessment on here!

Gonna take the chance and book Vegas for UFC200 July 9th in the next week or two with a few other men, McGregor bound to be on the card? Going by the UFC Fan websites & social media, it's gonna be Edgar or Aldo at FW?

Last July was my 1st time in LV which I suppose was always gonig to be good regardless of the fight, but it was the best week of our lives which has to be repeated this year!!

Longshanks · March 07, 2016, 11:22:06 AM

Mc Gregor seemed to be gassed a minute into the second round which is unlike him, unsure if it was the weight or what? I dont think he is done at this level and will come back surely as still fairly young at 27 but yes a setback for sure. personally think 155 is a good level for him but he will have to drop again to 145 to fight aldo which after being at this weigh will be very hard..

gallsman · March 07, 2016, 11:37:16 AM

Quote from: Longshanks on March 07, 2016, 11:22:06 AM
Mc Gregor seemed to be gassed a minute into the second round which is unlike him, unsure if it was the weight or what? I dont think he is done at this level and will come back surely as still fairly young at 27 but yes a setback for sure. personally think 155 is a good level for him but he will have to drop again to 145 to fight aldo which after being at this weigh will be very hard..

LW should be fine but the idea that he can complete at WW should be forgotten about immediately.

rosnarun · March 07, 2016, 11:45:43 AM

Quote from: The Gs Man on March 07, 2016, 09:34:53 AM
Bit of talk earlier about him tapping out whilst Holm didn't.

Is it not the case that because he tapped out he can fight again quicker whereas Holm will have to wait out an injury period?

Sensible approach.

Anyways, as a wise man once said, "you can't grow muscles on your chin".

true
he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day

nrico2006 · March 07, 2016, 12:34:35 PM

I love McGregor, but I find myself using the argument that he lost because he was fighting a bigger man, but then the neutral in me is saying that while that is true it is also the case for McGregor in nearly all of his victories as he has had basically the same advantage over his opponents that Diaz had over him.

As for Aldo, his comment is cringeworthy. I also don't see why he should get a rematch as its not as if the first fight was close.

Hound · March 07, 2016, 12:44:28 PM

Quote from: nrico2006 on March 07, 2016, 12:34:35 PM
I love McGregor, but I find myself using the argument that he lost because he was fighting a bigger man, but then the neutral in me is saying that while that is true it is also the case for McGregor in nearly all of his victories as he has had basically the same advantage over his opponents that Diaz had over him.

As for Aldo, his comment is cringeworthy. I also don't see why he should get a rematch as its not as if the first fight was close.

Ah, but when he's fighting at FW, he isn't fighting blown up flyweights, he's generally fighting other featherweights.
Although I'd say he's going to find it incredibly tough to get to 145 next time.

gallsman · March 07, 2016, 12:54:09 PM

Quote from: nrico2006 on March 07, 2016, 12:34:35 PM
I love McGregor, but I find myself using the argument that he lost because he was fighting a bigger man, but then the neutral in me is saying that while that is true it is also the case for McGregor in nearly all of his victories as he has had basically the same advantage over his opponents that Diaz had over him.

As for Aldo, his comment is cringeworthy. I also don't see why he should get a rematch as its not as if the first fight was close.

Because he was a champion who went ten years unbeaten and, like can happen, got caught with one punch. That's more than enough reason.

155 is McGregor's home. Diaz is a 155 fighter who has fought at welter. He's not a true welter. He's naturally the bigger man, but not to the extent you'd say it was an insurmountable difference.

DuffleKing · March 07, 2016, 12:55:29 PM

The major alarm for McGregor - and therefore flag for all future opponents - was his lack of ju jitsu nous under pressure. Looking for the mat was a desperate act to see the end of the round but Diaz submitted him in three moves.

Walter Cronc · March 07, 2016, 12:55:58 PM

So the question remains, how would McGregor have faired against RDA?

From what I saw from their fight RDA took Diaz apart.

ballinaman · March 07, 2016, 12:57:25 PM

Quote from: DuffleKing on March 07, 2016, 12:55:29 PM
The major alarm for McGregor - and therefore flag for all future opponents - was his lack of ju jitsu nous under pressure. Looking for the mat was a desperate act to see the end of the round but Diaz submitted him in three moves.

I'd say we'll see less muscle ups and hopping over sticks in training from now on, won't surprise me if Ido Portal lad is thrown under a bus.

gallsman · March 07, 2016, 01:15:32 PM

Quote from: ballinaman on March 07, 2016, 12:57:25 PM
Quote from: DuffleKing on March 07, 2016, 12:55:29 PM
The major alarm for McGregor - and therefore flag for all future opponents - was his lack of ju jitsu nous under pressure. Looking for the mat was a desperate act to see the end of the round but Diaz submitted him in three moves.
I'd say we'll see less muscle ups and hopping over sticks in training from now on, won't surprise me if Ido Portal lad is thrown under a bus.

Not so sure of that. Don't think McGregor being a cocky b**tard who refuses to put his hands up is attributable to Portal.

The fact he can't wrestle is not news. Mendes absolutely dominated him on the ground in their fight and Diaz has genuinely world class BJJ. If the fight ended on the ground it was only ever going one way. Gunnar Nelson is the BJJ star out of SBJ (he's good, too, perhaps because he trained elsewhere) and he was shown up badly against Maia in December. Don't know much about Kavanagh's qualifications as a BJJ coach but I'd be skeptical of anyone claiming a high belt off him.

Longshanks · March 07, 2016, 01:34:25 PM

I think just for future fight Mc Gregor does need to do more training so that if it does go to the mat he has more confidence as opponents will see it as a weakness, I'm not saying he has to be great there as everyone has their strenghs but just at the moment he does struggle there.

In saying that he took the risk and it didnt work out, still a great fighter and at 155 against Diaz could be very different.

JoG2 · March 07, 2016, 02:53:06 PM

enjoyed this comment from thejournal.ie

"I'm anything but a fan, but I'm not blind to his outstanding talent, and in my humble opinion he had that fight in the bag up to the point where he walked into those two big punches, after which I feel Ryan Tubridy would have taken him down."

nrico2006 · March 07, 2016, 03:15:03 PM

Quote from: Longshanks on March 07, 2016, 01:34:25 PM
I think just for future fight Mc Gregor does need to do more training so that if it does go to the mat he has more confidence as opponents will see it as a weakness, I'm not saying he has to be great there as everyone has their strenghs but just at the moment he does struggle there.

In saying that he took the risk and it didnt work out, still a great fighter and at 155 against Diaz could be very different.

I imagine that McGregor does a lot of training on the floor as he and Kavanagh are aware of his weak points, which makes the speed of his submission on Saturday all the more shocking.

The Iceman · March 07, 2016, 03:40:22 PM

I take absolutely no delight in McGregor losing. He's a champion and I trust he will be back better than ever. McGregor came to SBG with well touted hands. He was a prospect most people heard about 10 years ago on the MMA scene before his first fight. In ten years though working under a BJJ black belt (John Kavanaugh) he hasn't shown the same growth on the mat. I'm not saying he isn't good - he just isn't elite and Diaz exposed that at UFC 196. Mendes nearly had the better of him and Frankie Edgar will beat him at 145 by keeping it on the ground. I expect to see McGregor take a standup fight at UFC 200 or the matchup with RDA (which I doubt they give to him).
In the Diaz fight he was vintage McGregor. His strikes were unorthodox, he attacked from multiple angles and he had Diaz confused. But as he landed his trademark left over and over again and Diaz took them there had to be a sense of dread there. I've thrown everything I have at you and you're still coming forward.....
He got caught with some crisp jabs - I think 3 or 4 in the 2nd round before eating Diaz's combo and getting wobbled. CMG did great to hand in there on the feet as long as he did - even connecitng again with his left. The take down was to buy time. Diaz welcomed it and had 3 different submission attempts in 10 seconds. He's a whiz on the ground and even if McGregor had been thinking clearly he was going to get submitted.
Comments on here that Diaz is an average fighter are ridiculous. Diaz like McGregor takes the fight when called upon. He hasn't been the most dedicated trainer and is certainly not a company man. He's taken fights injured and lost but he's always showed up to fight.

The UFC is on the back foot now following this loss. GSP was in the crowd. The 170lb king. How much interest would a GSP McGregor fight at 170 generate? George never made the millions CMG has made. He would be tempted to come back for that and I think that's why he was there (despite Dana's comments). The UFC lost a big money super fight there.....