anyone else think that Maia could have won if didnt waste his energy on takedowns?

[xMaxPower]

title says it all

his hands looked better that Usmans in the first but got progressively worse as the fight went on after each failed takedown attempt.

 

[ArtemV]

If he continued to strike with Usman, he probably would have been slept with a big punch.. if Usman actually threw punches once in a while.

 

[Arm Barbarian]

He could have won if he had an actual camp. He started fading about mid-way in the fight.

Also, that ref separation in round 1 was questionable. He nearly had Usmans back there. He also wobbled him in the first.

 

[Kaybee]

What would Maia be doing if he doesn't initiate grappling exchanges? Roundhouse kicks?

That's like saying Conor wouldn't have cardio issues if he stopped throwing punches.

 

[Megatronlee]

That separation was bull fucking shit

 

[Black Blood]

Maia is too old and his cardio is junk. He'd be a lot more threatening if he could go hard for a solid three rounds.

 

[xMaxPower]

He could have won if he had an actual camp. He started fading about mid-way in the fight.

Also, that ref separation in round 1 was questionable. He nearly had Usmans back there. He also wobbled him in the first.

agreed. he wobbled him twice.

he started fading mid-way becausae of the failed take down attempts. I was hoping he learned his lesson from the Colby fight. He outsrtuck Colby in the first but got tired later on because of the wrestling. You dont wrestle against a wrestler.

 

[West_Hammer]

The separation was bollocks, not saying Maia would have won from there but he was obviously working towards something. His hands looked good in the first, definitely wobbled Snoozeman at least once.

 

[xMaxPower]

What would Maia be doing if he doesn't initiate grappling exchanges? Roundhouse kicks?

That's like saying Conor wouldn't have cardio issues if he stopped throwing punches.

he'd outbox Usman.

Usman is not a good striker... at all. Niether is Maia. To be honest I htink they're even in the standup, but Maia faded because of a bad gameplan.

 

[Loking]

yes

 

[LockardTheGOAT]

Takedowns were his only path to victory. He was never gonna win any other way. Usman is clearly a better/more dangerous striker that he is (not that he's anything to particularly write home about himself), and Demian's striking was only ever gonna be to set up a takedown at the right moment.

What frustrated me was his complete lack of kicks. I kept waiting/hoping he would go for a head kick at the right moment and possibly catch Usman with something that he could then use to capitalize on with a take down, but he never even tried. Kept throwing only mild punches and then went for a couple of weak ass kicks to the body in the last ten seconds of the fight.

 

[Mage Forthnutt]

I agree, but he was trying to utilize his best weapon I guess, can't blame him for that.

Am I the only one who thought that if Ponzi was fit he would of probably completely owned him in the stand up? We were watching a 40 year old catching him loads. Imagine a younger, sharper striker in there.

 

[WhitestKidU’Know]

What would Maia be doing if he doesn't initiate grappling exchanges? Roundhouse kicks?

That's like saying Conor wouldn't have cardio issues if he stopped throwing punches.

Conor actually did do that in the second Diaz fight. It’s what all the running was

 

[xMaxPower]

If he continued to strike with Usman, he probably would have been slept with a big punch.. if Usman actually threw punches once in a while.

wat lol

they were striking the entire time you goof

Maia would have faired better if he didnt go for the takedowns.