These were the themes on full display from Conor through out the fight
Control
Distance manipulation/deception
High level baiting tactics
We will cover each.
Take a seat, get some popcorn, and lets dive deeper into analysis! Its going to be a long one. Im covering everything as thoroughly as possible. Lets truly begin to understand the brilliance of Conor. A journey of epic proportion!
If you watch Alvarez, you know the staples of Alvarez's game are level changes (to create oppurtunities or open up) and his darting right straight lead
Here is Alvarez's darting right lead against RDA
A darting right lead is when Alvarez will lead with the right with no wind up as he steps off to his left, taking himself off the center line - away from any return fire
Leaning to the left then leading with the right as you are stepping off to the left is something not many are used to or prepare for. And theres no telegraphing.
Alvarez has used this effectively against nearly everyone he has faced
What you will see is how Conor is just another supreme-being of a counter striker with truly educated footwork who operates on a higher dimensional plain of reality. I believe 3 of the 4 KDs (and the KO itself) actually came from Conor countering Alvarez's darting right leads
Firstly, I want to show the opening exchange below:
Look how Conor fients a level change, and how it gets Alvarez to back out of range and circle into Conors opening 1-2 lead.
Already we see Conor utilising tactics (in this case, feints) to back him out and lead him where he wants him (into the 1-2)
After the 1-2 Conor ducks to pre-emptively avoid any return fire. Conor makes Alvarez's left hook-response miss.
Pure classic boxing skill. Shoot the lead and duck to pre-emptively avoid any return fire. Conor's boxing fundamentals are sound as can be and his knowledge of boxing (boxing IQ) is incredible
Now the reason why I wanted to show that is this. Conor actually utilised the same shoot and duck to lead against vs Aldo.
But here (against Alvarez) Conor feints a level change to lead Alvarez into it, and its a 1-2 this time. Another example of how Conor switches things up
Let us cover the 1st KD:
Alvarez is trying to swat Conor's lead hand away, but now watch closely how Conor fients to back Alvarez out of range. Conor establishes control of range
Now pay attention to how Conor in control, changes head slots, leans forward to his right to appear as a closer target (hes completely off the center line defensively responsible) and then throws a non-committal throw away left at quarter speed. If Alvarez had tried to counter that bait shot, Conor was already a step ahead ready to counter and execute on the dime
You may ask what is all this Conor is doing? It is IS ALL TO ENTICE Alvarez to respond
Conor is making himself appear as a closer - more vulnerable target then he truly is
This is the deception "im close, im open, come get me"..
No real mistakes on Alvarez's part. Conor just simply being a MASTER of deception/baiting (Conor truly is MMA's Floyd)
Alvarez responded with his darting right lead as we saw
Because Conor is always taking good positioning, his head is already off the center line or hes out of range. He needs as little energy as possible to move and make the right lead miss
Conor intercepts Alvarez instanly with a counter left to right hook combo before Alvarez can even step off to his left. Thats just amazing. Conor has the fastest reaction speeds in MMA.
Not only because of Conor's hair trigger reactions. You just blink an eyelid and Conor is reacting and already on the draw ready to counter that ass, but also because Conor is always controlling what his opponents do, so he always has a leg up.
The intercepting counter combo from Conor (before Alvarez can step off to his left) forces Alvarez out of position with him now stood with his feet parallel by Conor's counter.
Conor literally now has the deadly T-position on Alvarez, and then instantly follows up over his shoulder with a sneaky flash of lighting left follow up right on the chin !
I mean...wow....thats just flawless control, deception, insane boxing skill, countering skill and super-human reaction speeds by Conor
Now lets move on
Here Conor probes his lead hand as a blinder/distraction, then shoots a jab behind it. It may not seem like much, but pay attention to how it pushes Alvarez out of range and gets Alvarez circling back toward Conor's left (as the gif ends)
And you will see it through out the fight. Conor was utilising fients and flick jabs to push Alvarez out of range and to move him and or position him to where he wanted him (Into the left)
Here is another example
Jab then push kick. Again to back Alvarez out of range (range control) and to get Alvarez to move where he wanted him to (back circling toward his left)
Alvarez in the post fight said what many of Conor's opponents have said,
"I made the mistake of willingly 'playing' Conor's game," like if Conor isnt the better fighter, that "they simply made mistakes"
They never realise how Conor was utilising tactics to move them to where he wanted them to and how in tandum utilises many distance deception methods to create a false sense of distance to lure in and counter
99% of MMA fighters are like first graders only programmed to understand checkers. Conor is BOBBY FISCHER PLAYING elite CHESS
This one is just sublime by Conor
Earlier we talked about how level changes are a large part of Alvarez's game
Pay close attention to the gif below how Conor takes a subtle step forward with his lead foot (while look at how his back foot is planted maintaining his range)
This makes Alvarez think Conor is closer then he is. Conor utilising another form of distance deception to make Alvarez miss-read distance
Alvarez feints a level change. Conor sees it a mile away (btw, notice how Conor half-cocked an uppercut. Conor was prepared to counter Alvarez's level changes with uppercuts)
Conor now simply pulls back his lead foot to normal (notice back foot still around same distance through out). This draws Alvarez out for another attempt. Alvarez drops levels and tries to go up top with an uppercut off of it (very Mendes-esque)
Conor readys his back foot, plants, slips to the outside and counters with a cross face elbow
This is just world class boxing skill+footwork+defense+countering skill by Conor. Absolutely SUBLIME!
...and if Conor had missed the counter, he still wouldve been able to use his cross face elbow to jam Alvarez neck, control Alvarez's posture, shut down return fire, and or land off the control.
Everything Conor does has built-in defensive responsibility/control
Now lets go back to the gif again, as we saw here
Now look at how - after Conor lands the outside slip to cross face elbow counter, Conor jabs to back Alvarez out of range (reset/re-establish range)...Conor then jabs again to get Alvarez moving toward his left again...
Again, Conor is a MASTER of manipulation...Hes on a chess board moving opponents to where HE WANTS THEM...that leads directly into the 2nd knockdown. It happens literally right after, so you can see how it was Conor's jabs and flick jabs that were "positioning" Alvarez in place for exchanges etc
Here is the 2nd KD from a new angle:
Conor probing his lead hand constantly...not only can Conor feel out range, look how Alvarez is constantly reacting, its keeping Alvarez pre-occupied while Conor controls and maintains without leaving openings. PURE control by Conor.
Again, Conor leans off the center line and throws a noncommittal, 10% speed left
Again all to entice a response or lunge
"Distance/baiting"
Conor steps back as he counters undeneath Alvarez's darting right lead, right on the chin, then pivots out
Such beautiful legit world class boxing skill/countering skill by Conor
After viewing all the examples, and like we also saw in the Nate fight, Conor counters EVERYTHING, every step, every punch, every response. Conor is truly MMA's Floyd in reaction, skill, and IQ
This was such a beautiful sequence from Conor for KD #3:
Lead hand control to shut down jab hand. This typically forces a right hand response. Conor was likely looking to draw out the right and slip and counter it ala Bunchinger.
But then you see Conor just completely mix it up on the fly when Alvarez is not biting. Shoots a smooth left straight off the lead hand distractions. Conor then instantly flicks a jab in Alvarez face to blind him for another left straight coming right behind it. Again, beautiful boxing skill by Conor
Below we will see how Alvarez actually managed to get a pretty good takedown attempt on Conor off a jab
Look at it from a new angle:
That was actually a good shot attempt
Conor is just so fast with hair-trigger reaction speeds. Conor hops back and instantly gets underhooks. Pushes Alvarez up and swings him into an elbow off the break. Like I said in the Pettis thread, Conor will make you pay from every range and every position
Keep in mind, a hurt and tired Alvarez was still slamming Melendez in rounds 2 and 3, so Conor showed great TDD regardless if Alvarez was already hurt.
Lets look at this one:
Again Conor leaning forward utilising distance deception. A jab feint from Conor draws out a left hook response from Alvarez, Conor simply pulls back into normal range from his lean while countering with a jab. It was actually a 1-2 counter attempt but Conor sees Alvarez hop away and stops the left
Another jab gets Alvarez moving toward Conor's left...As Alvarez is being walked toward Conor's left (by the lead hand probes/fients) Alvarez probes his own lead hand, Conor controls the lead hand then simultaneously shoots a left straight down the pipe, on the off beat, as Alvarez's jab hand is out - out of position, and as Alvarez was being circled into it.
Holy sweet jesus what outstanding boxing skill by Conor - Alvarez never has a clue
That sequence basically embodied the themes of the fight. Distance manipulation (jab feints to move him into where he wanted, control, execution)
Another one:
Conor takes his head off the center line as he is leaning forward to his right. As Alvarez shoots a jab, Conor's head already off the center line, Conor simultaneously counters the jab. This is called a split entry counter left. I.e moving your head then timing and splitting the jab while off the center line. Split entry counter lefts were a staple of Manny Pacquiao's career. Its just another arsenal Conor has in his incredible tool box of counters
After Conor hits a beautiful split entry counter left, they battle with lead hands, Conor has both hands out now (likely to elicit some kind of response - physical or emotional)
As Alvarez steps forward, Conor hops back, As Alvarez tries to level change fient, Conor hops back again, Alvarez misses by a mile stepping into - and trying to come up top with a left hook-right straight. As Alvarez is vulnerable and out of position from missing, Conor comes back with a Super Saiyan 1-2 lol
This was due to Conor having given Alvarez false senses of distance through out the fight, and just scrambling his ability to ever read distance properly. Alvarez just never had a clue
That was just fucking sick. Pure fire by Conor. Conor is a real life master omega ninja who lives in the matrix!
In the gif below Alvarez gets a good shot in on Conor as Conor jabs...but again, Conor hops back, instantly gets underhooks, and pushes Alvarez up.
Watch how Conor has his right hand on Alvarez neck to control him and come over the top with the left, then breaks away
Conor WILL make you pay for anything - from any range and any position..
You shoot in on Conor you better complete the TD because Conor will make you pay with strikes in transition or on the breakaway
Its been demonstarted again and again, Conor is money from every range, every position. Conor can make you pay from any range and any position. We saw proof of that in the Nate fight.
Theres never been any one more flawless in all ranges then Conor. Conor is the real p4p#1. Mighty Mouse at #1 is a joke btw. He has only fought one truly elite similar sized opponent in Cruz and he was out classed by Cruz yet "pound for pound"
Below is an example of how Conor will just give you a completey different look out of no where:
Conor decides to start moving laterally to his left, Alvarez follows, Conor then switches direction and moves laterally to his right, Conor then walks Alvarez right into a left straight. Thats legit footwork skill by Conor to walk into offence. Conor then flows from it right into an uprising jab, to step out to outside angle, to another left straight down the pipe. Another beautiful sequence by Conor!
As you can see, Conor wont allow opponents to read him or time him
Varries jab speeds, varries speeds on punches, fients, distance deception..or will just switch it up. ."ok how about now I sart to move, then when an opponent follows, bam, left lead to uprising jab to step out to outside angle to left down the pipe"
Conor controls, shows opponens what he wants - when he wants, can switch it up at any time, gives different looks, fucks with his opponents ability to read distance, and just gives them false senses of security, only to get counter fucked in a blink of an eye. Conor is again the real Neo from the Matrix
I love this one because it shows Conor's shoulder rolls:
Conor tucks his chin behind his lead shoulder, assumes philly stance, and turns his body in away from the punches catching Alvarez's right hands off his forearms
Conor has it all defensively and does it all defensively. Best defense in MMA by a long shot
Now we have arrived to the last exchange before the KO
Below we see Alvarez go for broke and come forward with a huge right hand into a combination attempt
Conor attempts a counter left, they get tangled, both land...
But watch how afterwards Conor then dodges every follow up from Alvarez so effortlessly and smoothly likes hes in the Matrix
Weaves the left hook, plants and bends slipping to the outside of Alvarez's shoulder making Alvarez miss the right widly. Watch how Conor after slipping to the outside, places his right hand on Alvarez back to keep him off balanced and counter left
Matrix defense and matrix countering by Conor
Then of course, the KO happened. And we all have seen it. Just another example of how Conor is the real neo from the Matrix
In conclusion:
Alvarez came out doing everything he was prepared to do
Alvarez was clearly trying to do a Mendes, level change underneath his punches for TDs, strikes, or counter rights
Alvarez had the right idea. The problem is Conor improves dramatically
And the thing with Conor is that, Conor is even more like Floyd in that IF any thing ever works against Floyd and Conor, Floyd and Conor will instantly recongize it, patch that hole up, adjust to it, and never let it work again
Mendes had the only chance he ever had against an injuried Conor on short notice. Nate had his only chance he will ever have against Conor (in the 1st fight on short notice.) Now those holes have been patched up - in fact Conor even has turned them into strengths now
Every time Alvarez tried to step in:
"Heres a fient, now get back"
"Heres a jab, start circling toward my left"
"Heres a push kick"
"I control range and dictate when exchanges occur mother fucker"
Then Conor utilising many forms of world class boxing distance deception methods
"Let me change head slots and lean my head forward off the center line, im safe defensively, but you dont know that, im close, come get me" *then ba-bam Conor drops that smooth counter
"Ok let me step my lead foot forward to yours so that I feel closer to you, you lunge when I say, I pull to my resting back foot and drop that counter or dart back in with leads when you are out of position"
"Heres a slow left, im open, come get me," *then ba-bam Conor turns into the flash and lights you up like a christmass tree
"Oh you are not biting, thats fine, I will stay here and pump your face full of jabs, push kicks and safe set-up left leads all night. I will never give you an opening. I CONTROL when things happen. Pick your poison. Stay here and get picked apart all night, or lunge when I show/tell you to - and let the counter put you out of your misery"
Then it becomes a never ending repeating cycle, you never know the order and thats why opponents can never predict it
Conor's jabs, feints, flick jabs also served to keep Alvarez off set and continually messed with Alvarez's ability to time anything
This was just a completely evolved Super Saiyan Conor compared to the injuried Conor who fought on Mendes on short notice
When you compare the Alvarez fight to the Mendes fight IT really shows how much Conor has improved and evolved
CONOR took away and neautralized what Alvarez wanted to
Superior skill and IQ
These fighters will look great against each other. Put them up against Conor, Conor will strip them to their barebones, control, dictate, manipulate, and make them look ordinary
Conor's matrix performance over Alvarez was the most flawless performance we have ever seen in MMA at the highest level. Complete clinic and shut down of a legit prime elite opponent. Just wow. Dont take Conor for granted. We will never see anyone liie Conor in our life time. Enjoy and appreciate Conor now while we can and while we still have the oppurtunity. You dont want to look back and regret it, like the people who grew up durring Ali or Bruce Lee's time and took that for granted. Conor is a revolutionary once in human history game changer
