What is Whittaker's path to victory?

[NoSmilez]

Bobby is a slow starter. He knows how to win rounds though. I think he just has to survive the first round and try not to give up the second. Khamzat slows down considerably after the first round. It's the pace that he pushes. I don't think Khamzat has good game planning outside of knowing he needs to take fights to the ground early in order to win.

 

[Simple Southerner]

Via anything he wants

 

[Thepaintbucket]

Khamzat is a strong starter and will likey go straight for take downs just like his previous fights. If Whitaker can avoid the initial onslaught he can out work him

 

[ChangeIsComing]

Not sure why some here think Khamzat is the better striker...that is laughable. Whittaker wins by keeping it standing, movement and cardio.

 

[TriangleMonkey]

Robert should start out leaning his back against the fence, grinning across the cage, arms behind his back, and sprint across the cage into a flying knee like its never been before

 

[Masturbin]

It's a volatile match up.

I can see cumzhat bullying Robert and tkoing him.

I can see Khazat gassing and Robert taking over.

 

[xentreos]

I'm interested to see how the spacing works out. Walking down Whittaker just feels like a bad idea ya know? Taking him down is going to take a little time so I believe a good portion of the early rounds should play out on the feet or God forbid for Whittaker up against the fence.

Which I find Whittaker clipping him early and often if khamzat finds himself chasing strikes and takedowns into the fence. He leaves his head up in the air way to often for someone like Whittaker in those type of exchanges. The man if nothing else knows how to find a chin, and will be in incredible shape, something khamzat has yet to prove.

I think khamzat is smarter than that though he's not Derek Brunson, but I do think he's gonna get locked into a striking battle and that's where we will learn if khamzat can hang with great strikers while implementing his game. I haven't seen enough to think he can go tit for tat with someone like Bobby but he hits extremely hard, and his chin has been very questionable of late, and hey after all these wars, I don't think ANY of us will be shocked the day Whittaker walks out to the cage and doesn't have the fire anymore. It's always something to do consider when judging elite vets like Robert, having said that the version we are accustomed to should be able to deal with khamzat in my opinion.


Or khamzat grinds him into dust whatever

 

[mjfan23]

None. Khamzat is unbeatable.

 

[brody_in_ga]

It's the accumulated damage on Whittaker that concerns me... If Khamzat can drop him, and that's certainly possibility, then he finishes it early. If Whittaker survives the first 2 rds, he can easily dec Khamzat.

 

[Fedora Millionankles]

If Chimaev decides to strike instead of wrestle, then Whittaker is done.

Khamzat has some power, but his overall striking game is borderline amateur.

 

[NicholasJBasile]

Stylistically, this is about as tough of a match up as I can think of for Borz at 185. I'm thinking Whitaker beats him via sprawl and brawl for 25 minutes or perhaps gets a finish in round 4 or 5. I'd love to see Borz prove me wrong though -- I really do like this match up.

 

[OmegaRugal]

Whittaker barely beat Costa, who has been shot for years. I don't see it going well for Whittaker. Hope he pulls it off though.

Costa actually looked amazing in that fight. Fast and powerful.

Whitaker most likely beat the best version of Costa we have seen.

 

[PEDRO IVO RUSSO MIRANDA]

Well
- Khamzat characteristics
Strong early
Aggressive /pressure fighter
Good TD's
Dangerous ground game (Sub's and GnP)
Sloppy Striking (he gets too opened)
Poor gas tank

- Whittaker characteristics
Good gas tank
Good movement
Nice TDD
Pillow fists
No sub game.

I dont think Robert have punch to knock him out, he'll need to move a lot and defend the takedowns.
If he can stand with Khamzat in the fence/clinch without going to the ground, and gas him out would be good for him, but I think is too dangerous to stay there.

I think Robert need to catch khamzat while he's stepping in with a counter or something like that.
Survives the 1st, them clip him eveytime he drop his hands.

But being honest, I think borz have more chances here

 

[Ludwig von Mises]

Throw hard punches in every exchange. No lazy shit. Hard crosses down the pipe and heavy jabs. Consciously wrestle hard and pummel for underhooks. Don't let Chimev bully him around. Make it to the the middle of round 2 and start turning it up on Chimaev as he's slows down.

 

[Ozze]

Question is if Khamzat, knowing it's a five rounder, will come guns blasting like he usually does.

I think he'll be more careful with his gas tank.

But then again, he seems just the type of dude to get carried away and throw any gameplan out the window.

 

[Dana's Conscience]

If Chimaev decides to strike instead of wrestle, then Whittaker is done.

When has Khamzat showed us that he has elite striking like Whittaker? When he was eating flush shots from Durinho?

 

[FilipEmoFights]

Calf kicks to the groin

 

[blaseblase]

Lol ok, refresh my memory on Whittaker's comebacks.

Costa I guess got one punch in the first round, then Whittaker won the next 2 rounds, but I was thinking about 5-round fights where this happens.

He's had a few 5-round decisions, I remember him beating Till clearly but others have said the fight was close, which is silly, maybe he lost round one and got "rocked" in some way there? I don't remember.

Gastelum he just dominated as far as I remember

Both times against Yoel were close fights, close rounds, I don't recall him being rocked early nor dominating the rest of the way

He beat Vettori clearly, Cannonier clearly, neither was a comeback win. How far back are we going in his career?

Dude, what? You don't remember him being rocked against Romero? He's been rocked against Costa, Romero and the second Izzy fight and in none of them did he "sleepwalk the rest of the fight."

 

[kingghidrah]

Dude, what? You don't remember him being rocked against Romero? He's been rocked against Costa, Romero and the second Izzy fight and in none of them did he "sleepwalk the rest of the fight."

I didn't say he did. I said I don't remember him getting rocked and then dominating the rest of a fight, which is the scenario you brought up.

He didn't dominate Romero and certainly not Izzy, and Costa is questionable though he clearly won a comeback there.

 

[kingghidrah]

Costa actually looked amazing in that fight. Fast and powerful.

Whitaker most likely beat the best version of Costa we have seen.

I disagree, I think Costa looked good because Whittaker was terrible. Evidence is that Costa hadn't looked good in ages and Whittaker looked like piss vs. DDP.

You look good when your competition is fading.