GDT: UFC 271: Adesanya vs. Whittaker II

[LyricalLyricist]

I do wonder what an elite wrestler could do vs Adesanya.. but there isn't that guy at 185lb right now. Maybe Chimaev eventually, but who knows.

Well a guy like Weidman has wanted to get his opportunity but his chin is gone and his leg is taking so long to recover he'll never be in that conversation again.

 

[bobbyking]

such a weak top 10 like the hw division

 

[pistolpete11]

I can't tell if Izzy was being a wise guy when he said nothing is wrong with his right hand or if he was being serious.

Not a terrible fight. I usually like Bisping but he was way over the top here making it seem like an Izzy blowout.

Totally agree. I've heard who knows how many times how hard it is to score a fight while you're calling it but way too many times the announcers are doing just that and influencing everybody watching. If it's a close round, just say it's close and leave it at that. We don't need the announcers opinion unless it is some ridiculous outcome like O'Neil/Roxy. I thought DC actually did a pretty good job of counteracting Bisping in that sense.

I have no problem with Izzy winning, but it could have gone to Whittaker without much objection from me, too.

 

[Deen]

Whittaker should drop to 170,

 

[MMC]

 

[Taytro]

In Israel's defense, Whittaker is a fantastic fighter so I get it here.

With Vettori and other guys though? He's so ahead he should make it a clinic.

I don't disagree but you're essentially a paid entertainer, you get paid to entertain the crowd. A lot of people are calling this a boring fight or what have you because of it. It's not as entertaining to just slowly win a dominant performance by decision as it is to decisively win with a finish (in most cases). Same reason I can't see Francis getting a significant raise for winning that snooze fest vs Gane.

Good fight, good win, but I'd like to see Israel try to put these guys away/up his output rather than just methodically win a decision, but that's just me.

 

[CDJ]

Meh I don’t really see much of an argument for Whittaker under the scoring criteria. He got takedowns but didn’t do much with them. I think the judges came down with the only two possible cards- a rare W for Texas judges

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Bobby just looked too gun shy, understandable after the first fight

 

[pistolpete11]

I wonder if we get a different outcome if that fight took place in say, 2012 instead of 2022. I feel like judges have really dialed back the importance of takedowns in the last several years. You used to be able to get a takedown with 10 seconds left and steal the round. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just an observation.

 

[Chaels Arms]

No one is going to touch Izzy in this division. He'll cruise against Cannonier then he should step away for a while and take another shot at light heavyweight.

The UFC really needs to get Chimaev booked asap and try to get O'Malley to fight someone in the top ten.

Things are just feeling a little stale right now to me.

 

[pistolpete11]

Meh I don’t really see much of an argument for Whittaker under the scoring criteria. He got takedowns but didn’t do much with them. I think the judges came down with the only two possible cards- a rare W for Texas judges

Izzy didn't really do a whole lot either, though. So those takedowns, however brief, carry a little more weight than usual IMO.

Rounds 2-5 were all pretty similar and could have gone either way. The judge that had it 49-46 gave Whittaker R2. The other 2 judges gave Whittaker R4 and R5.

No problem with Izzy winning, but it just wasn't a decisive performance from either guy. They both played it safe and thus deserve whatever the judges decide.

 

[CDJ]

I wonder if we get a different outcome if that fight took place in say, 2012 instead of 2022. I feel like judges have really dialed back the importance of takedowns in the last several years. You used to be able to get a takedown with 10 seconds left and steal the round. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just an observation.

they have started to understand the scoring criteria where damage/effective striking takes priority over all else. And while Izzy didn’t blow him out of the water in that category I thought he was clearly just a bit better in that department

 

[member 51464]

MMA & UFC Middleweight Rankings – All Middleweight Ratings

Looking through the middleweight rankings, if Israel gets it done against Cannonier, the next highest ranked guys he has not fought yet are Strickland, Hermansson, and Till.

I don't know what fights are next for Vettori or Costa, but I don't see Israel giving either a shot anytime soon.

I am thinking if they can figure out a decent matchup for Strickland for late spring, he will probably get the next shot. It seems a bit soon, but Israel already beat the #1/2 guys twice each, the #4/5 once each and Strickland is #6 and just beat #7, lol. Till is #8, and Israel has indicated he'd like to fight him, but I am not sure who the UFC would match him up with to get a win to justify it.

I guess you could do Strickland v. Till for a title eliminator? Both new to Israel and either undefeated with another name win for Strickland, or Till can steal some of that shine of beating the up and comer. I don't know.

No wonder Israel's team already talks about their different approach the next time he fights up a weight class, haha.

Anyone else have a different take?

 

[CDJ]

MMA & UFC Middleweight Rankings – All Middleweight Ratings

Looking through the middleweight rankings, if Israel gets it done against Cannonier, the next highest ranked guys he has not fought yet are Strickland, Hermansson, and Till.

I don't know what fights are next for Vettori or Costa, but I don't see Israel giving either a shot anytime soon.

I am thinking if they can figure out a decent matchup for Strickland for late spring, he will probably get the next shot. It seems a bit soon, but Israel already beat the #1/2 guys twice each, the #4/5 once each and Strickland is #6 and just beat #7, lol. Till is #8, and Israel has indicated he'd like to fight him, but I am not sure who the UFC would match him up with to get a win to justify it.

I guess you could do Strickland v. Till for a title eliminator? Both new to Israel and either undefeated with another name win for Strickland, or Till can steal some of that shine of beating the up and comer. I don't know.

No wonder Israel's team already talks about their different approach the next time he fights up a weight class, haha.

Anyone else have a different take?

Muniz is at least a couple wins away but probably presents an interesting style match up

Alex Pereira comin

 

[Perennial]

I do wonder what an elite wrestler could do vs Adesanya.. but there isn't that guy at 185lb right now. Maybe Chimaev eventually, but who knows.

I think Luke Rockhold vs Adesanya would be an interesting fight...

And I'd probably favour Rockhold to win it

 

[Chaels Arms]

MMA & UFC Middleweight Rankings – All Middleweight Ratings

Looking through the middleweight rankings, if Israel gets it done against Cannonier, the next highest ranked guys he has not fought yet are Strickland, Hermansson, and Till.

I don't know what fights are next for Vettori or Costa, but I don't see Israel giving either a shot anytime soon.

I am thinking if they can figure out a decent matchup for Strickland for late spring, he will probably get the next shot. It seems a bit soon, but Israel already beat the #1/2 guys twice each, the #4/5 once each and Strickland is #6 and just beat #7, lol. Till is #8, and Israel has indicated he'd like to fight him, but I am not sure who the UFC would match him up with to get a win to justify it.

I guess you could do Strickland v. Till for a title eliminator? Both new to Israel and either undefeated with another name win for Strickland, or Till can steal some of that shine of beating the up and comer. I don't know.

No wonder Israel's team already talks about their different approach the next time he fights up a weight class, haha.

Anyone else have a different take?

Even with his losses I think Cannonier is clearly more deserving than Strickland but Izzy would probably prefer to fight Strickland. Izzy needs someone he can build natural dislike towards in the months leading to the fight, that's why the Costa and Vettori buildups were so much more fun than Whittaker.

 

[m9]

MMA & UFC Middleweight Rankings – All Middleweight Ratings

Looking through the middleweight rankings, if Israel gets it done against Cannonier, the next highest ranked guys he has not fought yet are Strickland, Hermansson, and Till.

I don't know what fights are next for Vettori or Costa, but I don't see Israel giving either a shot anytime soon.

I am thinking if they can figure out a decent matchup for Strickland for late spring, he will probably get the next shot. It seems a bit soon, but Israel already beat the #1/2 guys twice each, the #4/5 once each and Strickland is #6 and just beat #7, lol. Till is #8, and Israel has indicated he'd like to fight him, but I am not sure who the UFC would match him up with to get a win to justify it.

I guess you could do Strickland v. Till for a title eliminator? Both new to Israel and either undefeated with another name win for Strickland, or Till can steal some of that shine of beating the up and comer. I don't know.

No wonder Israel's team already talks about their different approach the next time he fights up a weight class, haha.

Anyone else have a different take?

I would probably do Strickland/Brunson if Brunson is willing to jump back in there quickly.

I don't have much interest in seeing Till vs the top of the division until he wins another fight or two.

 

[pistolpete11]

they have started to understand the scoring criteria where damage/effective striking takes priority over all else. And while Izzy didn’t blow him out of the water in that category I thought he was clearly just a bit better in that department

Isn't it effective striking/grappling? So the what's the difference between a takedown with little control vs. a strike with little damage?

I don't really have a good answer to that question myself, but a takedown has to count for something and in rounds that were as close as that, could be enough to take rounds for Whittaker (even if I agree they were overvalued in the past).

 

[m9]

Even with his losses I think Cannonier is clearly more deserving than Strickland but Izzy would probably prefer to fight Strickland. Izzy needs someone he can build natural dislike towards in the months leading to the fight, that's why the Costa and Vettori buildups were so much more fun than Whittaker.

Cannonier is getting the next shot and likely in June. Adesanya & Dana both put it out there tonight.

 

[MMC]

 

[pistolpete11]

You could do Strickland vs. any of Whittaker, Brunson, Vettori, or Costa (if he's sticking at 185). He just needs a top 5ish win to get the next shot after Cannonier. I don't have much excitement for it because I don't think he's really that good, but I didn't think Tuivasa would KO Lewis so what the f*** do I know?

 

[pistolpete11]

Calling it like you see it and being biased aren't mutually exclusive, Mike. And if a lot of people are saying it, maybe you need to look at it more objectively to see why and not just jump on Twitter defending it an hour after the fight.

 

[m9]

I think Luke Rockhold vs Adesanya would be an interesting fight...

And I'd probably favour Rockhold to win it

A prime Rockhold would have been a great fight. This version of Rockhold who has one win in 6 years and it was vs David Branch? I don't think so.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

I think Luke Rockhold vs Adesanya would be an interesting fight...

And I'd probably favour Rockhold to win it

Unless Rockhold's chin has recovered in his 3 years off, him getting KO'd by a left hook from Adesayna would be a guarantee.

That said, it would be interesting to see how Adesayna would deal with a guy who can actually throw kicks at a high level

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Muniz is at least a couple wins away but probably presents an interesting style match up

Alex Pereira comin

Didnt he beat Izzy in kickboxing?