GDT: UFC 291: Poirier vs. Gaethje 2/Bellator x Rizin 2

[MMC]

Wow, Chihiro Suzuki KO'd Pitbull in the first

 

[CDJ]

holy shit, is Patricio washed???

 

[MMC]

Pretty crazy span, Pitbull beat Koike pretty easily on NYE, Koike submits Suzuki in the first round last month and now a month later Suzuki KOs Pitbull in the first round.

Happy for Archuleta winning the Rizin strap, excited to see the originally planned Kai Asakura fight

 

[MMC]

 

[MMC]

 

[16Skippy]

Great KO by Gaethje, hopefully it gets him the winner of Olivera-Islam. But lol at DC for reminding us over and over and over that it was the same technique that Edwards used.

Poaton-Jan was maybe a little boring but they both fought smart knew what they needed to do to win.

Derek Lewis in the best shape of his career at age 38. Typical HW lol.

Tony had his moments against Green but I agree with everyone that he needs to retire. I think his chin is still there but that just makes his beatdowns last longer.

I know Holland was talking about going back to MW but I think he has the potential to be a legit contender at WW. Especially since a lot of the top guys are going to age out or retire in the next couple years.

It was a good card but please scrap this BMF belt nonsense. One of the dumbest things I've seen in this sport and that's really saying something. But at least the Rock wasn't there.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

Great KO by Gaethje, hopefully it gets him the winner of Olivera-Islam. But lol at DC for reminding us over and over and over that it was the same technique that Edwards used.

.

it was even funnier that Usman was there and teammates with Gaethje and Rogan was talking about it while Usman was in the ring

 

[The Devil In I]

What exactly did Perreira do to win that 3rd round exactly?

Dana White special. Discard the 40 yr old to build a paper tiger hype machine. That dude will get slaughtered if he ever faces off against Prochazka.

Prochazka is very hittable, and that front leg heavy wide stance is gonna get eaten up by leg kicks. Don't see how you can be that confident in his reckless/chaotic style vs an elite kickboxer. Not that I think Pereira should be a clear favorite or anything.

 

[Taytro]

www.mmafighting.com/platform/amp/2023/7/30/23812952/jan-blachowicz-claims-robbery-in-ufc-291-loss-to-alex-pereira-bunch-of-thieves

No idea how Jan can have that perspective, I like Jan but that's just a bad take. Pereira had 13 (65%) more significant strikes in the 2nd round and 10 (35%) more significant strikes in the 3rd round. Jan having a minute of control time while doing no damage doesn't over ride getting outstruck for the rest of the round.

 

[16Skippy]

www.mmafighting.com/platform/amp/2023/7/30/23812952/jan-blachowicz-claims-robbery-in-ufc-291-loss-to-alex-pereira-bunch-of-thieves

No idea how Jan can have that perspective, I like Jan but that's just a bad take. Pereira had 13 (65%) more significant strikes in the 2nd round and 10 (35%) more significant strikes in the 3rd round. Jan having a minute of control time while doing no damage doesn't over ride getting outstruck for the rest of the round.

Yea definitely not a robbery. I wouldn't have been shocked if two judges gave it to Jan, but I think this was the right result.

Most media had it 29-28 Poatan. I can understand if he feels the strikes from Poatan in the 2nd or 3rd didn't do much damage, but that's not how most people saw it. (except fans from Poland who seem to be scoring with their hearts)

Alex Pereira def. Jan Blachowicz :: UFC 291 :: MMA Decisions

mmadecisions.com

 

[pistolpete11]

Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje

Disappointing. One, I wanted Poirier to win. Two, I was excited for a back and fourth technical brawl and we didn't get that. Round 1 was alright. Both guys had their moments, but that was what most people would call a "feeling out" round.

Obviously a great result for Gaethje, though. Should pretty much guarantee him a title shot next. Who knows what's next for Poirier. He said in the post fight presser that he's not really interested in fighting any of the up and coming guys. Wasn't interested in Dariush before. Just beat Chandler. Conor again? Can't imagine Volk moving up for anything but a title shot. Already beat Max twice. Maybe Nate if he comes back to the UFC and Conor isn't around? I don't know. Maybe he'll change his tune after he cools off a bit. Gotta pick up a win somehow just in case Gaethje wins the belt so they can do the trilogy for the title.

Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira

I had Pereira winning, but R3 was close. I think Pereira's shots were landing harder so I would have given it to him, but Jan was doing some good work on the feet, too.

Not the big statement win for Pereira. Just muddies the waters at LHW even further if you ask me.

Jan did not handle the altitude well. I get he's not used to grappling so that could wear him out quicker, but 1 round? He has a better gas tank than that normally. If this was at normal altitude, I think he would have won this fight.

Derrick Lewis vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima

There's the Lewis we all know and love. He looked fantastic, but it's also frustrating because why wasn't he training like this his entire career?

I suspect the PFL will throw a ton of money at him if he's a FA. Promote Francis-Lewis 2 as the fight that it should have been. I don't know how much it would have to be, though, because the UFC would never bring him back if goes to help the PFL and Francis.

Tony Ferguson vs. Bobby Green

I didn't see this one. Wouldn't have picked Green by submission.

It's weird how washed Tony is but that he keeps having moments in many of these fights. Still, it's not enough. The people around him need to have a talk with him.

Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Holland

Didn't see this one either, but I brought this up as a possibility. Really wish Holland would stick at WW.



Bummer about Wonderboy-other Pereira and shame on the UFC for not paying Wonderboy his show money. That seems like it should be illegal. He fulfilled his contract. He shouldn't be punished because his opponent didn't.

 

[16Skippy]

Tony Ferguson vs. Bobby Green

I didn't see this one. Wouldn't have picked Green by submission.

It's weird how washed Tony is but that he keeps having moments in many of these fights. Still, it's not enough. The people around him need to have a talk with him.



Bummer about Wonderboy-other Pereira and shame on the UFC for not paying Wonderboy his show money. That seems like it should be illegal. He fulfilled his contract. He shouldn't be punished because his opponent didn't.

I get the feeling that Tony doesn't have "people round him" which is a huge part of the problem. I'm pretty sure BJ Penn had the same issue; his crew were basically yes men. But I'm not even sure if Tony has a crew. And also like I mentioned he still has a chin, so if he lasts most or all of the fight he'll have his moments. But all that does is prolong his fall.

The Wonderboy thing should be a huge deal, I hope it doesn't get swept under the rug.

 

[CDJ]

I just couldn’t doubt Gaethje after the Fiziev fight, that was the first time I went into a fight thinking he was completely f***ed and he proved me wrong

rogerio by sub is +600, interestingggggg

That second and a half where he had the heel lmao

 

[CDJ]

Gabriel Bonfim is starting to feel like he may fight for a belt one day

 

[m9]

Gabriel Bonfim is starting to feel like he may fight for a belt one day

Yeah Giles is legit and and to run through him like that is extremely impressive.

So much young talent coming up at 170lbs.

 

[Sheppy]

Pretty terrible take after one guys been retired for years and the other is 39 and on a losing streak. Considering they were originally supposed to fight 8 years ago, well before all Tony had his knee blown out and his personal life did a backflip into oncoming traffic.

Do I think Tony would have won that fight 8 years ago (or even 4 years ago)? No. Do I think it's silly to make a comment about scorecards of a hypothetical fight based on a performance at one fighters lowest point, and after the other fighter left the sport? Yes.

Maybe it was a bit harsh. I'm just not a big fan of that guy. I find him completely delusional, and still do. The guy, despite losing 6 straight is still out there acting like king shit.

He's cooked.

I'm just seeing a bunch of stuff on twitter "hE cOuLd hAvE bEaT KhAbiB!" - I'm saying he still would have got smoked, even when he was good.

 

[m9]

Maybe it was a bit harsh. I'm just not a big fan of that guy. I find him completely delusional, and still do. The guy, despite losing 6 straight is still out there acting like king shit.

He's cooked.

I'm just seeing a bunch of stuff on twitter "hE cOuLd hAvE bEaT KhAbiB!" - I'm saying he still would have got smoked, even when he was good.

I think it's completely fine to not like Tony Ferguson. He's a weird dude and despite having the means needed to address his mental health issues he's chosen to not really do that and that has led to him risking the safety of himself, his family, and others by his selfish behavior as we've seen with his legal issues.

Agreed he's done as a high-level fighter or anywhere close. I would say that anecdotally the majority of knowledgeable fight fans realize what his standing is in the sport.

The Khabib stuff is a tough one. I mean yeah, given what we know now I think Khabib in 2020/2021 etc would smoke versions of Ferguson we got then. I'm not so sure in 2016/17 when they were originally supposed to fight. That version of Ferguson seemed legitimately as good as anyone and it would have been interesting.

I think with Khabib's career over and Ferguson's basically there too, we have all the cards on the table. I think Ferguson peaks in 2016/2017/18 and Khabib was more like 2018/2019/2020. So to me there's a window there where Ferguson would have been very competitive with Khabib and then a later window where Khabib probably beats him pretty easily.

 

[Taytro]

Maybe it was a bit harsh. I'm just not a big fan of that guy. I find him completely delusional, and still do. The guy, despite losing 6 straight is still out there acting like king shit.

He's cooked.

I'm just seeing a bunch of stuff on twitter "hE cOuLd hAvE bEaT KhAbiB!" - I'm saying he still would have got smoked, even when he was good.

You have to realize that before this losing streak Tony was 15-1 in the UFC. Tony didn't start losing until he was over the hill at 36... which is still 2 years older than Khabib is today, Khabib stopped fighting at 31, he was in his prime and didn't have to see a downward trajectory that Tony is in now.

Tony beat multiple former champs, and title challengers, guys who will be in the HOF. He beat a former champ in a 5 round fight the next fight after that champion lost the title. Timing and luck haven't been on Tony's side but he always puts 100% into a fight, and he's great to watch. He's had multiple surgeries and overcame plenty of adversity in his career (a lot of which he caused). Yes, he's washed now at 39 but what good does disrespecting him now do?

He was always seen as a challenge for Khabib becuase or the matchup. Nothing he does or says 8 years later changes the fact that in 2015 Tony vs Khabib would have been a very interesting and probably competitive fight that plenty of people were excited for and had opinions about. You and I think Khabib would win, other people think Tony would win. But that's life, and we'll never know.

 

[chicagoskycam]

I think that Gaethje fight really changed Tony followed by Oliveira nearly breaking his arm. In his prime he probably still loses to Khabib but it would have been entertaining. Post Gaethje fight I have bet against Tony every time as he just seems compromised.

 

[CDJ]

I think that Gaethje fight really changed Tony followed by Oliveira nearly breaking his arm. In his prime he probably still loses to Khabib but it would have been entertaining. Post Gaethje fight I have bet against Tony every time as he just seems compromised.

Yeah that was a career-altering beating, sometimes there’s no coming back from them

 

[MMC]

 

[End of Line]

Rewatched Jan/Alex and that fight should’ve been a draw

 

[Taytro]

Rewatched Jan/Alex and that fight should’ve been a draw

I have no idea how that fight would be declared a draw. There would have to be a 10-8 round for one guy or a point deducted... And there definitely wasn't either of those things. The first round Jan had a ton of control time but did nothing with it, no real damage at all. Certainly didn't do enough for it to be a 10-8 round. After that Pereira outstruck Jan pretty convincingly (statistically). Judges got it right.