Edson got mauled but at this point I don´t think a lot of people can stop Khabib or Lee

[Kung Fu bb]

If you think Maia wouldn't be able to stop them from "wrestlefucking" them then you're helpless. There's a reason why the key to beating Maia is to keep it standing at all costs. Ask Chael what happens when you try to take it to the ground with him.

1 - Demian Maia vs Chael Sonnen
Feb 19, 2009. Nearly 10 years ago.

2 - That was just an example, and I said "I don´t even know if Maia".....

3 - Instead of nitpicking my OP, why don´t you talk about some of the possible candidates at LW that you think would be able to stop the wrestlefucking from Khabib and Lee?

 

[legkicktko]

If you think Maia wouldn't be able to stop them from "wrestlefucking" them then you're helpless. There's a reason why the key to beating Maia is to keep it standing at all costs. Ask Chael what happens when you try to take it to the ground with him.

Tell that to short notice Chris Weidman or Jake Shields

 

[Bend NvR Break]

Barboza is basically Michael Johnson. Both got into the top 10 maybe even the top 5, but can't hold their position because of their weak grappling. If they can't stuff the takedown they are toast.

MJ is a strong wrestler but like most wrestlers they get overextended and caught in subs.

Chael is another strong wrestler that immediately comes to mind that gets caught in subs for being overextended. And Chael was an Olympic wrestling alternate.

 

[MMAProfessional]

Tell that to short notice Chris Weidman or Jake Shields

Chris is a huge MW and Shields is not just a wrestler but a very high level BJJ black belt. Nice comparison though

 

[Flboycanscrap2]

These two fights showed that Edson has an amazing level of heart and cardio. If he could just develop some linear strikes to maintain distance, he would stop his problems with crowding. His takedown defense is still great and he is always dangerous.

Edson please develop a stiff jab or teep game.

 

[Schoolboy Q]

You don’t know what you’re watching.

No disrespect

You going to convince me he’s got good boxing? Lol his footwork is poor and he’s too hittable. He can wing haymakers but that’s hardly impressing anyone, he also lacks power in his punches.

 

[legkicktko]

You going to convince me he’s got good boxing? Lol his footwork is poor and he’s too hittable. He can wing haymakers but that’s hardly impressing anyone, he also lacks power in his punches.

Il give you the boxing, it’s not great, but he does have power in his hands.

I’m not about to shit on his TDD and groundgame based off of Khabib and Lee though. He’s had 20 UFC fights and everyone has tried to take him down. If he was that piss poor on the ground, his TDD wouldn’t be top 10 all time with a huge sample size.

Does Chiesa’s ground game suck? Or Trinaldo? Or Matthews? Those are all primarily ground guys who lee raped on the ground. while Edson survived

 

[dabouv]

I don´t disagree with you.
As long as guys like Khabib and Lee are out there, I don´t even see Barboza getting a rematch anytime soon, regardless of how many consecutive fights he gets. But that is also true for many other guys too.

He should train take down defense, take down defense, and more take down defense. He is surviving the ground and the learning curve to being a grappling master is much steeper. He can’t go there and he would much more likely to win if he stands. I’d also get that knee sharpened up for anyone who shoots.
He also would have won that fight if he had made a dazed Lee stand up after the knock down. I’d grill it in him to never go to th ground.

 

[grihenrumet]

He should train take down defense, take down defense, and more take down defense. He is surviving the ground and the learning curve to being a grappling master is much steeper. He can’t go there and he would much more likely to win if he stands. I’d also get that knee sharpened up for anyone who shoots.
He also would have won that fight if he had made a dazed Lee stand up after the knock down. I’d grill it in him to never go to th ground.

I love watching Edson fight I hope he can fix his grappling but....Bjj/wrestling you basically gotta start young it's hard to master it when your older edson is helpless on the ground it's weird you'd think a Brazillian would be good at bjj

 

[xmovingparts]

noticed lee gets hurt/dropped/'rocked' in just about every fight of his. he leads with a 2 way too often and gets countered just as often. he's got amazing shots, like legit some of the best entry's you'll see, and great kicks. jab, kick, takedown is all he should fuck w for most his matchups w his skillset. he's a got a lot more heart than i thought and seems to be growing well. unfortunately i think he can lose just about every fight if he isn't defensively tight.

 

[grihenrumet]

No I don´t. But Maia is on a decline and past 40 with suspicious gas tank at this point. Ferguson is younger, cardio freak and granite chin. And Lee had an infection.

Staph infection hmmm excuses ,Lee would've prob gassed any way he spent most of the fight hitting the ground Tony way dodging the punches unlike Edson who did'nt seem to have anything on the ground unfortunatly

 

[Zeppeling]

People saying the same thing about Gaetje; "He just fought two top guys."

There's definitely a nugget of truth to statements like these regarding a fighter who just lost a few in a row, but the writing is on the wall. Barboza won't be champ, but should remain in the top 10 for a while before he takes his rightful place at the gate. Same for Gaetje.

Yeah...using barboza, gaethje, or Johnson as markers for success is deceptive. None are top talent, and they seem to always lose when they step up

 

[SourPatchKid]

long fighters with slick bjj can stop Lee, idk about khabib tho. Nate, Tony, and Leo Dos Santos are three I see giving Lee problems. I see all three fights being back and forth against Lee

 

[xMaxPower]

Agreed for the most part...except I think Tony beats them both (assuming he's the Tony we've always seen)
But yah Lee and Khabib beat everyone else.

 

[Skarsgard]

If you think Maia wouldn't be able to stop them from "wrestlefucking" them then you're helpless. There's a reason why the key to beating Maia is to keep it standing at all costs. Ask Chael what happens when you try to take it to the ground with him.

To be fair, it was Maia who took that to the ground with a fucking beautiful lateral drop.

 

[fortheo]

I like you, but if you don't think prime Maia could submit, or backpack either of these guys, then .....we disagree lol. I'm not saying it's a guarantee, but if tony Ferguson can sub Lee, then Maia could turn Lee into a pretzel.


I think barboza still has some solid performances left in him.

 

[kalabula]

When guys have impressive wins ppl like to jump on the "unbeatable" bandwagon. Then they lose and "they were never that good".

 

[Kung Fu bb]

I like you, but if you don't think prime Maia could submit, or backpack either of these guys, then .....we disagree lol. I'm not saying it's a guarantee, but if tony Ferguson can sub Lee, then Maia could turn Lee into a pretzel.


I think barboza still has some solid performances left in him.

Prime Maia definitely, I´d put him as favourite against either guy. But not nowadays, I don´t think so. Today i think youth would be the decisive imo.

 

[fortheo]

Prime Maia definitely, I´d put him as favourite against either guy. But not nowadays, I don´t think so. Today i think youth would be the decisive imo.

I love Maia sad to see these guys getting old. That said, 39 year old Maia fought masvidal, Woodley, and Covington in a 6 month time span. I think that's part of why he looked so run down.

 

[Kung Fu bb]

I love Maia sad to see these guys getting old. That said, 39 year old Maia fought masvidal, Woodley, and Covington in a 6 month time span. I think that's part of why he looked so run down.

It´s true, age is a b*tch, look at Silva's sloppy striking in his past few fights. Maia fought very tough guys as you said, now imagine Khabib and Lee moving up to ww, they wouldn´t need to make that extreme weight cut, so they would be bigger, stronger and better gas tank than we´ve ever seen. Obviously I´d never rule out a submission from Maia, but today i think it would be unlikely.
I give Maia the advantage on the feet against Khabib though, but like in the Colby fight I think he would run out of gas quickly and Khabib would take over. (actually neither guy would want to take Maia down even if they could, it simply wouldn´t be the smart strategy, they´d likely keep the fight standing like everyone else who beat Maia did)