Any thoughts on Gabi Garcia?
It is still the ultimate freakshow of WMMA...but i got to admit...she does look alot better than she looked 2 fights ago.
Not talking about her 'look' guys...
Her movement is much better, as long as she is not throwing punches....haha...
I also think she is a better fit for a cage than a ring...
It's clear her standup has improved a lot, she has some semblance of rhythm, keeps her eyes open when punches are coming her way, and at least in theory/padwork has learned how to throw the basic punches. Like you said her footwork and general sense of space inside the cage have improved substantially, as has her feeling for distance. She even (successfully) tried to cut Futina off.
It's also clear that her standup is still really bad, she cant coordinate her footwork when throwing more than 2 punch combos, her form breaks down when she tries to flurry, she cant move and hit at the same time, she often fails to maintain proper distance when the opponent pressures her, and she still has a tendency to push her punches.
Seeing her training, it's clear that she's pretty much the opposite of a natural when it comes to striking. She has huge problems with her basic motor coordination and has to work very hard for comparatively small improvements. On the plus side, she seems very dedicated to her training and isnt afraid of getting lit up in sparring.
Realistically, she's around the level you'ld expect of a woman that takes up kickboxing at 30 years of age with absolutely 0 prior experience in any form of striking based combat sports. Whether man or woman, you're just not gonna get to a pro level if you throw your first jab at 30 unless you're an exceptional natural talent, which she clearly isnt.
That said, she lumped up Futina's face pretty good with only 4 or 5 jabs. Especially considering the level of her potential competition, all she'll probably need are 1-2s, 1-1-2s and a right cross to counter the MMA Overhand Right (tm) to retire undefeated. Unless she starts taking intergender matchups (a lot of Korean fans are calling for a match against Kim Jae Hoon on youtube and social media...).