PBP Bellator 256: Bader vs. Machida 2, Fri. 4/9, 6 PM ET/3 PM PT PBP Discussion Thread

[Kryptt]

Ugh I’m so gutted dude. I hope he retires. Hopefully these loses don’t tarnish his legacy too bad. I don’t think they will if he stops right now. And I mean right now lol

I'm a fan of a number Legacy Fighters and imo losses past a certain point become irrelevant. Still cheer em and enjoy what glimpses ya can but either they need or want to scrap. So like old wrasslers and boxers - let em bang!

 

[Kryptt]

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Thoughts having seen the main card.

- I thought Goiti did enough to win, but he shouldn't be letting someone like Dan Moret anywhere near the possibility of getting any kind of decision really.

- Cat is going to get beaten up if she fights Cyborg.

- Very impressed with Borics, I thought he was going to have trouble with Kennedy's wrestling but he didn't really and he worked well behind a nice jab in beating a good opponent. If Patricio beats AJ there's a lack of obvious challengers for him, so he might come into the conversation for a shot.

- Carmouche just did what she does, wins boring decisions. Probably gets Velasquez now, hopefully she can't do that to her.

- Good first round by Machida, but he's just too old now, his reflexes have gone and he needs to retire. I didn't think Bader looked that good either if I'm being honest, looked pretty defensively slow on the feet.

 

[sonhow]

Checked back to watch main card. Goiti seems ud pick for most but the biggest crime Doug Crosby still scoring fights in major mma promotion when he should be judging fights by his fellow patients at local nuthouse.
Good job by Cat even when the girl she fought was able to reverse her from mount which should be a rarity.
Borics vs Kennedy went the perfect way for Adam. Kennedy just wasn't arsed enough to really push the wrestling on him and was focused using his overall skillset too much. Poor poor fight iq by the Canadian.
Carmouche zzz but at least she keeps winning.
I thought Bader overcoming the rocky start was the most impressive aspect of the fight. Machida just doesn't have that cardio to win grueling battles anymore especially against bigger / stronger wrestlers. But he did so well in the beginning that I thought Ryan was going to sleep.

 

[EndlessCritic]

Good job by Cat even when the girl she fought was able to reverse her from mount which should be a rarity.

Uhh... getting reversed like that from rear mount happens literally all the time to good BJJ black belts in MMA.

 

[Kdup]

True True - The most that needed to be said is that he gave some good shots to Bader's flank. Bader in the post fight was like - eh. whatever - concerning the kicks.

Yeah that was my take away as well. It’s almost like Big John is listening to Rogan and taking notes. Over exaggerating the body shots to the “liver”, how the fuck does he know it hit the liver? I mean it just sounded absurd to me. He needs to do a better job of analysis and stop fawning over what he thinks the fighter is thinking/doing.

 

[sonhow]

Uhh... getting reversed like that from rear mount happens literally all the time to good BJJ black belts in MMA.

Yes but in this context vs this level of opponent no it doesn't you little critic.

Nah maybe I'm selling the girl short but to me this looked like a gimme fight that Cat needed to finish pretty much 10/10.

 

[BFoe]

Thoughts having seen the main card.

- I thought Goiti did enough to win, but he shouldn't be letting someone like Dan Moret anywhere near the possibility of getting any kind of decision really.

- Cat is going to get beaten up if she fights Cyborg.

- Very impressed with Borics, I thought he was going to have trouble with Kennedy's wrestling but he didn't really and he worked well behind a nice jab in beating a good opponent. If Patricio beats AJ there's a lack of obvious challengers for him, so he might come into the conversation for a shot.

- Carmouche just did what she does, wins boring decisions. Probably gets Velasquez now, hopefully she can't do that to her.

- Good first round by Machida, but he's just too old now, his reflexes have gone and he needs to retire. I didn't think Bader looked that good either if I'm being honest, looked pretty defensively slow on the feet.

i completely agree with all of this. Bader just looks soft to me, and not nearly as sharp and explosive as he was even just a couple of years ago. I’m also wondering if at this point in his career, he would do better to stay in Bellator’s HW division, where the fighters are generally older and Bader has a speed advantage. He looked really good in the HW Grand Prix, and not so good when he returned to 205. It’s just too early to say.

 

[tehMoose]

i completely agree with all of this. Bader just looks soft to me, and not nearly as sharp and explosive as he was even just a couple of years ago. I’m also wondering if at this point in his career, he would do better to stay in Bellator’s HW division, where the fighters are generally older and Bader has a speed advantage. He looked really good in the HW Grand Prix, and not so good when he returned to 205. It’s just too early to say.

Keep in mind that Bader didn't fought any of the contenders at HW. He didn't beat Minakov, Moldavsky, Fortune, Mowry etc

He won the belt via that GP.

 

[Andrey Kamensky]

Watched the replay a few hours ago. Don’t know what to say honestly. Was hyped for both 255 and 256 but honestly I did not get that thrill from either.
Some weird decisions too.
Happy for Bader though. Congrats! Was rooting for Machida but it is what it is.
The next card looks pretty exciting. Hopefully it’ll deliver.

what is the fight of the night for you guys?

 

[hognubbins]

We don't really have to imagine. Machida was a -275 favorite when they fought in 2012. Bader was +250.

Yeah, people get old. Hell, I got old and didn't even remember they fought. I used to be on top of this shit.

 

[Judge Lance Ito]

First round was vintage machida but I actually think that knee by Bader right at the end broke his nose and that, added to Machida being 42, gassed him badly.

Bader eating that flush head kick was impressive also.

 

[Kryptt]