Please note: I am willfully declaring my ignorance on this, I am not actually stating Nieky's defense is limited. I'm just looking to learn. I've watched 12 of his fights (numerous times), and it seems like Nieky really only "shells up". He presses forward, shells up occasionally, and otherwise applies his offense.
Yet somehow, he never seems to sustain much damage. Hell, he doesn't even check leg kicks that often. He just covers up with the gloves, waits for his opponent to lay off, then resumes whatever it is he was doing. I never see him back up. I see him slip punches occasionally (and he throws an awesome left hook). Parrying sometimes, but not as much as the average MT fighter. (I know he's a dutch kickboxer.)
Here's my main question: look at his fight against Joe Valtellini. Joe always had such a hard "shell" to me. He has a really strong rigid upper body and holds his guard really well. Yet Nieky lit him up. Conversely, Nieky also has very much the same type of defense, but it looks like he simply never gets hurt. I see him eat a lot of punches too, right to the face. He's totally unphased.
What am I completely missing here? Is Nieky just tough as shit, with a granite chin? Or is he employing lots of small defensive tactics I just don't see?
In some ways, it reminds me of Nate/Nick Diaz, in that they sort of just absorb punishment while maintaining their own pressure.
But most other guys who do this seem to crumble hard. So, is this just toughness or is there more technique that I'm missing?
Yet somehow, he never seems to sustain much damage. Hell, he doesn't even check leg kicks that often. He just covers up with the gloves, waits for his opponent to lay off, then resumes whatever it is he was doing. I never see him back up. I see him slip punches occasionally (and he throws an awesome left hook). Parrying sometimes, but not as much as the average MT fighter. (I know he's a dutch kickboxer.)
Here's my main question: look at his fight against Joe Valtellini. Joe always had such a hard "shell" to me. He has a really strong rigid upper body and holds his guard really well. Yet Nieky lit him up. Conversely, Nieky also has very much the same type of defense, but it looks like he simply never gets hurt. I see him eat a lot of punches too, right to the face. He's totally unphased.
What am I completely missing here? Is Nieky just tough as shit, with a granite chin? Or is he employing lots of small defensive tactics I just don't see?
In some ways, it reminds me of Nate/Nick Diaz, in that they sort of just absorb punishment while maintaining their own pressure.
But most other guys who do this seem to crumble hard. So, is this just toughness or is there more technique that I'm missing?
