GDT: UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje

[Peter Griffin]

Yeah, he looked rough. I hate these bad weight cuts.

Lets just turn 170lbs into 175lbs and do a 165lb division with the initial championship fight being Khabib v Colby Covington. Khabib doesn't need to do that cut anymore.

Only makes sense at this point as the two most stacked divisions are arguably 155 and 170. Doesn’t make much sense to have a 15lb difference above and below the 170lb division.

If they do create a 165lb division in the near future, Khabib/GSP is the fight to make though.

 

[kabidjan18]

I always thought they should get rid of 125 and make a new 165 and 175.

I'm not a big guy. I'd probably fight in the featherweight division or maybe even the bantamweight division if I was a fighter. And I always found flyweight absolutely pointless. I know how much I struggle against guys who are 170, 180 pounds if we have comparable skill levels or even if I have a slight skill advantage. And when I roll with flyweight-sized guys who are anywhere near me in skill level...I literally feel like I have the strength of the Hulk. So I always felt it was really pointless to have a flyweight division. Just have those guys move up to Bantamweight and have a stacked bantamweight division. The best flyweights fighting as flyweights are just terrible at fighting, they would lose to the regional welterweights that the UFC signs to fill cards.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Making the weigh-in the day of the fight would get rid of all the cartoonish weight cuts.

 

[CDJ]

Alright I officially made my bets

Gaethje +250
Whittaker -115 (A surprising pick’em)
Volkov -175
Struve EVEN (I watched Tuivasa against Spivak and Tai could not know less about what to do on the ground)
Ankalaev + Da Un Jung parlay


Fade em responsibly

 

[member 51464]

Wow, I somehow thought Tuivasa had been cut already. Weird.

Blagoy Ivanov should be fighting again sometime soon, I imagine. I am a fan of him, and he had two tough split decisions go against him his last two times out.

 

[Peter Griffin]

Whittaker -115 (A surprising pick’em)

I’m also a bit surprised Whittaker isn’t more of a favourite. He basically beat a better version of Cannonier in Romero back to back. I think Adesanya making him look foolish tarnished his image but Adesanya is just so good.

 

[CDJ]

Wow, I somehow thought Tuivasa had been cut already. Weird.

Blagoy Ivanov should be fighting again sometime soon, I imagine. I am a fan of him, and he had two tough split decisions go against him his last two times out.

He said he was cut but is apparently getting another chance

 

[jcs0218]

Khabib is a heavy favourite here. I am seeing some lines of Khabib -385 and Gaethje +280.

Oddsmakers have been wrong before, with more lopsided odds than this. Just look at Rousey vs. Holm, for an example.

But it is rare that underdogs win at +310 or more.

 

[member 51464]

I’m also a bit surprised Whittaker isn’t more of a favourite. He basically beat a better version of Cannonier in Romero back to back. I think Adesanya making him look foolish tarnished his image but Adesanya is just so good.

I think part of it is because Rob did not look amazing in the Till fight. He definitely won it, but he still showed a lot of bad habits with how he was lunging to try to get in big shots. To me he just looked like a guy who didn't learn anything from the Israel fight.

That said, he is now more than a year past the brutalizing he got from Adesanya, and I do still think he has shown he has the tools to be a favorite over Cannonier.

Though it is worth pointing out there was a not insignificant number of people who thought Romero won at least one of the fights with Rob.

Anyway, should be a fun afternoon and I for one am happy I don't have to stay up late.

 

[CDJ]

Khabib is a heavy favourite here. I am seeing some lines of Khabib -385 and Gaethje +280.

Oddsmakers have been wrong before, with more lopsided odds than this. Just look at Rousey vs. Holm, for an example.

But it is rare that underdogs win at +310 or more.

unless they are a part of one of my parlays

looking at you Roosevelt Roberts you rat f***er

 

[CDJ]

Conor gives us a good breakdown of the main event

 

[m9]

Making the weigh-in the day of the fight would get rid of all the cartoonish weight cuts.

Or you have guys fighting when they're still dehydrated which is extremely dangerous.

 

[LSCII]

Khabib looked rough while weighing in. He used the arms of the two guys holding the towel to get up on the scale and then was very relieved after making weight. He has had tough weight cuts before and still dominated so it probably doesn't mean much for the actual fight.

Would have picked Khabib all day long until I saw this. Gaethje may have a chance in this one, given how badly spent Khabib looked at weigh in.

 

[member 51464]

Would have picked Khabib all day long until I saw this. Gaethje may have a chance in this one, given how badly spent Khabib looked at weigh in.

Imagine how much worse khabib would've looked had he actually had to actually make weight. I think he had a half pound or so to go. He went first to get extra time to start rehydrating.

I'm a simple man, but the MMA gods have to be favoring Gaethje now

 

[CDJ]

Would have picked Khabib all day long until I saw this. Gaethje may have a chance in this one, given how badly spent Khabib looked at weigh in.

khabib has just about everything working against him today, if he comes out with the win he’s even more impressive than I already thought

father/coach died, bad weight cut, opponent possibly has the ideal style for him...

 

[Crossfire Hurricane]

I think Gaethje dominates.

 

[LSCII]

khabib has just about everything working against him today, if he comes out with the win he’s even more impressive than I already thought

father/coach died, bad weight cut, opponent possibly has the ideal style for him...

If Gaethje wins, I see him and McGregor throwing, and then McGregor winning. Setting up a big rematch with Khabib. I think Dana would be more than happy with that outcome.

I've never been that impressed by Khabib, TBH. I get he's incredibly difficult to fight, but he's one dimensional as hell, and that usually gets figured out eventually. Hell, you give Iaquinta a regular camp to prepare for him, and I think he could have won that fight.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Holy early start time Batman

 

[Kevin27NYI]

I always thought they should get rid of 125 and make a new 165 and 175.

That'd be ideal

 

[member 51464]

Jojua is an idiot and has bad coaching. She is a beast on the ground but always wants to stand and trade. She only won her last fight because the lady out striking her took it to the ground. Like she doesn't even pretend she might go for a takedown? It is bizarre.

 

[m9]

That was a nasty elbow.

 

[I am not exposed]

He said he was cut but is apparently getting another chance

Hope he gets destroyed. Can't stand him.

 

[Incognito]

Giving Gaethje maybe a 2-3% chance in today's fight, because there's always the slight possibility that he manages to catch Khabib early with a devastating knockout blow. But if he doesn't finish him in the opening round, then he's getting mauled just like every other Khabib opponent.

 

[K Fleur]

Feel like this is just the usual “Khabib might be in trouble this time” talk that happens right before he mauls his opponent for 20 minutes.

 

[I am not exposed]

Fun fight. Not too sure which way it will go.