Did RDA's win just proved how deep the LW pool is?

[bombfirst885]

I think RDA is just a monster. Does anyone else follow speed of sport on Instagram? RDA is the guy I look to as the benchmark for the entire sport when it comes to strength and conditioning. Personally I think had he not got poked in the brain against Tony the fight would have played out different.

 

[560ti]

HUH?????

SMH.

It was impressive considering the talent level and the durability of his opponents. Diaz, Cerrone, Henderson, and Pettis where all top 20 toughest/durable fighters in the game at the time and he literally beat the fucking shit out of all four of them (he made some of the toughest guys in the game look like fucking kids). It's was as if he was fighting middle school teenagers in an alley

It's a different type of "impressive" than those you listed. GSP was dominate positional/gameplan wise but he rarely did a ton of damage and had few finishes. Anderson had tons of finishes but alot of the guys he fought weren't durable (lot of his opponents where notorious for getting finished).

Not saying GSP or Anderson weren't impressive (i love both) but the RDA streak was a different type of impressive

 

[NotoriousMillions]

The Lightweight top 10 is full of fighters that could easily be fighting at Welterweight but chose not to, with that said, I think there's only a few that would have success against the top 10 Welterweight division, Rafael indeed proved that, and he's one of them.

? Cerrone has looked great. He beat Lawler too imo, even though it was closer. He obviously was KTFO by Till, but he's a legit top three if not now then very soon.
All of the guys could come over, obviously there'd be a lot more competition so you have to account for that, but most of the guys are basically WWs cutting to LW, and for some of them like Lee and Khabib they can't even do it anymore.

 

[21 Savage]

odbless Conor's soul if he decide to fight again... It wont end well

Legit lol @ people thinking a guy like Tony (worse version of Nate) would beat Conor. At what point do you fools stop underestimating the importance of not being willing to take shots?

Tony had 20 years of his life taken from him by Cando Vanatta. He'll get stopped if he fights Conor, assuming he doesnt first break something during training thanks to his god awful technique.

 

[Canadian fan]

If fighters are within 10 to 15 lbs of each other and are similar in skill set speed beats size.

 

[Arkham's Notorious Geyser]

? Cerrone has looked great. He beat Lawler too imo, even though it was closer. He obviously was KTFO by Till, but he's a legit top three if not now then very soon.
All of the guys could come over, obviously there'd be a lot more competition so you have to account for that, but most of the guys are basically WWs cutting to LW, and for some of them like Lee and Khabib they can't even do it anymore.

Wait lol just because I didn't say Cerrone, didn't mean he was excluded from one of the fighters. Besides he's moving back down to Lightweight from what I remember, and yeah you're right most of them are MW's or WW's cutting to Lightweight. Lee, and Khabib I can see having some success, Khabib a little more than Lee right now, dude's already strong as fuck.Give Lee a little bit more time and he'll def be able to hang with the top 10 of WW.

Once Conor patches up his Cardio, he should do fine as well, his power already transitions well into his "natural" weight class, he just has to get used to the muscle and added weight, and touch up on his Cardio. Lee needs more time to sharpen his skills, mostly his striking, and he'll be good to go as well.

 

[NotoriousMillions]

Wait lol just because I didn't say Cerrone, didn't mean he was excluded from one of the fighters. Besides he's moving back down to Lightweight from what I remember, and yeah you're right most of them are MW's or WW's cutting to Lightweight. Lee, and Khabib I can see having some success, Khabib a little more than Lee right now, dude's already strong as fuck.Give Lee a little bit more time and he'll def be able to hang with the top 10 of WW.

Once Conor patches up his Cardio, he should do fine as well, his power already transitions well into his "natural" weight class, he just has to get used to the muscle and added weight, and touch up on his Cardio. Lee needs more time to sharpen his skills, mostly his striking, and he'll be good to go as well.

Conor is small for LW even if the big guys leave. He's a tweener, and since there is no 150 lb division in MMA, he's left either a bit too big for FW or a bit too small for LW. Him going up even higher to WW to have success is possible, but it's going to be difficult considering he can't even hit 170 in camp. I think he could've beat Bisping at MW too and been champ, and I wish he did, but I don't think the guy could even get up to make weight without not training or eating like complete shit.

 

[NotoriousMillions]

I think RDA is just a monster. Does anyone else follow speed of sport on Instagram? RDA is the guy I look to as the benchmark for the entire sport when it comes to strength and conditioning. Personally I think had he not got poked in the brain against Tony the fight would have played out different.

He's very strong, because of how dense he is. It's very deceiving strength too like Jon's and Khabib's strength. It's more natural than anything though. His cardio isn't bad, but I'd say there is better conditioned guys in MMA too, and certainly better overall athletes.

 

[Arkham's Notorious Geyser]

Conor is small for LW even if the big guys leave. He's a tweener, and since there is no 150 lb division in MMA, he's left either a bit too big for FW or a bit too small for LW. Him going up even higher to WW to have success is possible, but it's going to be difficult considering he can't even hit 170 in camp. I think he could've beat Bisping at MW too and been champ, and I wish he did, but I don't think the guy could even get up to make weight without not training or eating like complete shit.

True, true, but my thing is, wasn't it established that he's a natural welterweight or did I hear that wrong, I know 155 is more of his home, but didn't he say he walks around about 168? I forget where I saw that but I did, he either walks around 168 or 170+, and I wouldn't say he's too small for LW, I think he's got the perfect frame for 155, some of the taller people like Vick are too big for LW imo, but I agree, he looked drained every time he cut down to 145, but for me, I think he's just fine at 155, and could possibly move up to 170. So I think it's a combination of finding a diet that helps him put on some clean muscle and adjusting to added muscle/weight.

 

[NotoriousMillions]

True, true, but my thing is, wasn't it established that he's a natural welterweight or did I hear that wrong, I know 155 is more of his home, but didn't he say he walks around about 168? I forget where I saw that but I did, he either walks around 168 or 170+, and I wouldn't say he's too small for LW, I think he's got the perfect frame for 155, some of the taller people like Vick are too big for LW imo, but I agree, he looked drained every time he cut down to 145, but for me, I think he's just fine at 155, and could possibly move up to 170. So I think it's a combination of finding a diet that helps him put on some clean muscle and adjusting to added muscle/weight.

He walks around a little bit heavier, but that's outside of camp when he's not training. He's definitely not a natural WW even when not cutting any weight considering he can't make the weight during an active camp. Depending on the camp, he's probably cutting from anywhere from 158 to 168. Guys like Eddie and Anthony, who I'd say are natural LWs are cutting from a bit heavier. Like I said Conor's really more of a 150 lber than a 155 lber, but they don't have that division so he falls at being irregular at weights. In my opinion, they definitely need to add 150, and 163 lb divisions in the future, and or mix some other things around.

 

[Paynebringer]

He proved how freaking good Tony Ferguson is (and Khabib)

Godbless Conor's soul if he decide to fight again... It wont end well

I had Dos Anjos to win in that fight I won't take away from Tony's win because he won that night, but the eyepoke changed RDA's tone in that fight just imo...

On topic: All though RDA doesn't have the height stature of what WW his seen to be 5'10 + ↑ he has the body density, muscle, & bully power to fight in the WW division @LW it's harder to hold the strength draining the weight to fit 155 especially getting older, something Dillashaw about to learn the hard way dropping 10lbs beyond class, you gonna lose your ass to DJ.

 

[BowserJr]

Proved RDA packed too much muscle to stay at LW and do well

 

[TriangleMonkey]

I was thinking this as well

How many LWs, on their best night, could beat the WW champ?

I think theres quite a bit depending on performance on given night

 

[ICEibuPROfen]

It proved that Conor's got the entire game wrapped around his little finger.

 

[TriangleMonkey]

I had Dos Anjos to win in that fight I won't take away from Tony's win because he won that night, but the eyepoke changed RDA's tone in that fight just imo...

On topic: All though RDA doesn't have the height stature of what WW his seen to be 5'10 + ↑ he has the body density, muscle, & bully power to fight in the WW division @LW it's harder to hold the strength draining the weight to fit 155 especially getting older, something Dillashaw about to learn the hard way dropping 10lbs beyond class, you gonna lose your ass to DJ.

Talk about density in RDA

I seen that dude at the outlet mall after his demolition of Pettis and he was thick as fuck.

The back of his neck reminded me of when I met Priest Holmes (former NFL runningback). At first glance I didnt think it was Priest but then I seen how wide his neck was....

 

[Guile]

battle worn CTE Lawler isnt the same.. Lots thought he would run through Cerrone and I along with many thought Condit beat him.

 

[Pseudo Sane]

Robbie is 35 and had been fighting since 2001.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that, USADA or no USADA, he might be finally past his best-before date.

 

[DorianGray]

i think it just showed that rda is incredibly skilled and it was the right call for him to move up. But if he does win the ww belt, we're going to probably end up seeing him vs conor after all, lol. I aint even mad, the ufc is going crazy these days

 

[markg171]

He proved how freaking good Tony Ferguson is (and Khabib)

Godbless Conor's soul if he decide to fight again... It wont end well

Noticed you conveniently left out the fighter who sparked RDA faster and better than Khabib and Ferguson did, and who happened to have gotten humiliated by Conor.

Must've just been an honest mistake though eh?

 

[The XL]

RDA was basically a zombie at LW post IV ban. The RDA pre IV ban was a machine, and now that he isn't Rumbling himself cutting to LW anymore, it would appear that the machine is back. I'd favor him at WW vs any lightweight including Tony, with the exception of maybe Kabib.