[SherdogGoat]

Gonna be a sick fight.

 

[Bob Gray]

Why would they not? He took down and submitted Tehuna and Diabate, he took down and used groundwork against Shogun, Jones (briefly) and Manuwa etc. If you are actually familiar with Gustafssons body of work then you would know what an odd statement that is to make.

Why would what not?

You're misconstruing what I'm saying from "AJ has shown more ground game" to "Gus has never ever shown any amount of ground game at all in the slightest".

Gus is by no means a slouch in any category, but AJ has just, by definition of the term multi-dimensional, displayed more multi dimensional game plans. That doesn't make him a superior fighter, as I've said Gus' is rightly the favorite.

 

[Bob Gray]

Strike variety is important in being multifaceted. Using wrestling to dictate where the fight goes is important, as is standing and not always trying to go to the ground. A well-rounded fighter displays all of this and Gustafsson has. If you're standing all the time, even though you can wrestle, and you're only boxing most of that time then it means you're more on the one-dimensional side of the spectrum. It doesn't mean you are, it just means that you fight that way typically. Rumble could change this but he's always been a big puncher and not much else. He has good head kicks and does have wrestling but his A-game has always been using his fists mostly to knock guys out. Gustafsson will box a lot but he'll mix in leg kicks, elbows, knees and kicks to the body and head. Strike variety matters, it's part of the equation. I gave examples of Gus wrestling in his last 4 fights, even hitting a takedown on a guy that had perfect TDD in his career prior to him ruining that stat. Gus has always had a mean RNC too and showed scary GnP against some opponents, most notably Hamill.

While it may be a bit unfair to call Rumble one-dimensional, it isn't exactly far from the truth. If he mixed it up better then I doubt Gustafsson would be saying this. The more accurate and less harsh statement would've been to say that he is less diverse/dynamic of an MMA fighter in comparison.

But by this logic, Anderson Silva would be extremely well rounded, when in fact he has a glaring weakness with his wrestling. His striking is one of the most diverse in MMA, but he still is not considered one of the more well rounded fighters.

I've literally never seen, until this very thread, the argument that throwing a greater variety of strikes can make a fighter more more rounded than a striker that has also shown a capable wrestling game.

Honestly I think people have vastly overrated Gus' wrestling game due to one takedown against Jones and his superb use of footwork and angles to avoid Jones' takedowns in their fight.

That isn't saying he's weak or can't ever take anyone down. But let's be real here, AJ has shown a much better wrestling skillset than Gus has.

 

[Reffson]

But by this logic, Anderson Silva would be extremely well rounded, when in fact he has a glaring weakness with his wrestling. His striking is one of the most diverse in MMA, but he still is not considered one of the more well rounded fighters.

I've literally never seen, until this very thread, the argument that throwing a greater variety of strikes can make a fighter more more rounded than a striker that has also shown a capable wrestling game.

Honestly I think people have vastly overrated Gus' wrestling game due to one takedown against Jones and his superb use of footwork and angles to avoid Jones' takedowns in their fight.

That isn't saying he's weak or can't ever take anyone down. But let's be real here, AJ has shown a much better wrestling skillset than Gus has.

Logic is meaningless when the best guys fight. What is meaningful is preparation and guts. The first guy who blinks will lose. Gus may show great movement, striking, whatever, and may be winning two rounds to zero when Rumble pops him with a right hand and he's fucked. Of course the same may happen to Rumble. Point is they belong in the battle for top contender and I honestly don't know who's gonna win, and I was pretty confident Jones was gonna beat Cormier. That's why I like this fight. Cormier needs to get FIT if he wants the belt.

 

[obiwankyerboaby**]

its funny how aj puts on muscle like the reem and all of a sudden hes the next lhw champ,
put ur dick away guys

 

[Bob Gray]

Logic is meaningless when the best guys fight. What is meaningful is preparation and guts. The first guy who blinks will lose. Gus may show great movement, striking, whatever, and may be winning two rounds to zero when Rumble pops him with a right hand and he's fucked. Of course the same may happen to Rumble. Point is they belong in the battle for top contender and I honestly don't know who's gonna win, and I was pretty confident Jones was gonna beat Cormier. That's why I like this fight. Cormier needs to get FIT if he wants the belt.

I dunno what you're arguing, though. I mean, I don't really disagree with anything.

Personally I'd rather have DC as HW champ over Cain. I think he'd beat just about anybody in either division, except Jones and Cain. Cain is sort of a question mark, though, since they haven't fought. DC may have the pedigree and strength to neutralize his gameplan.

 

[Theproof]

How the hell Is he one dimensional?

 

[Bob Gray]

How the hell Is he one dimensional?

According to the thread, Gus has taken down people. And has thrown different kinds of strikes.

 

[Reffson]

I dunno what you're arguing, though. I mean, I don't really disagree with anything.

Personally I'd rather have DC as HW champ over Cain. I think he'd beat just about anybody in either division, except Jones and Cain. Cain is sort of a question mark, though, since they haven't fought. DC may have the pedigree and strength to neutralize his gameplan.

It's like this; I like DC as much as any fighter because he's a good guy, he's funny and he's super talented. HOWEVER, coming in at LHW, as compared to HW, he should not be carrying extra weight around his gut and he should NOT gas in the later rounds. Not against guys like Jones, Rumble and Gus, these guys are super fit!

Maybe Cormier spent a little too much time in the booth, I don't know. He can beat any one of them CLEARLY but he needs to be in his best possible shape. That's all I'm saying.

Send him to Rickson's school. OH NO YOU DINT!!! :redface:

 

[sampuncher]

You guys made Rumble some sort of God just couse he knocked out a washed up Lil Nog.

and the only real names Gustafsson has beat is a washed up Shogun?

Lil Nog is a bigger victory than Thiago, Matyushenko, Manuwa and Te-Huna that's for sure.

 

[guiza]

It's quite a force to overcome. Going to be easier said than done for Alex. Johnson has always been really good at overwhelming fighters. Now that he isn't cutting 1000 pounds, he's matured, grown and gotten A LOT better.

Very much looking forward to this fight.

 

[Got GOAT]

But by this logic, Anderson Silva would be extremely well rounded, when in fact he has a glaring weakness with his wrestling. His striking is one of the most diverse in MMA, but he still is not considered one of the more well rounded fighters.

I've literally never seen, until this very thread, the argument that throwing a greater variety of strikes can make a fighter more more rounded than a striker that has also shown a capable wrestling game.

Honestly I think people have vastly overrated Gus' wrestling game due to one takedown against Jones and his superb use of footwork and angles to avoid Jones' takedowns in their fight.

That isn't saying he's weak or can't ever take anyone down. But let's be real here, AJ has shown a much better wrestling skillset than Gus has.

No, I never said that you could just show standup that's diverse and expect to be well-rounded. I mentioned wrestling as well. You just have to use your wrestling because if a fighter doesn't then it might as well not even exist, other than for defensive purposes. You're trying to strawman me and twist my argument to something it isn't. Show me where I said wrestling wasn't required? Or where I excluded it, and post the whole thing not just what you want to present.

 

[Bob Gray]

No, I never said that you could just show standup that's diverse and expect to be well-rounded. I mentioned wrestling as well. You just have to use your wrestling because if a fighter doesn't then it might as well not even exist, other than for defensive purposes. You're trying to strawman me and twist my argument to something it isn't. Show me where I said wrestling wasn't required? Or where I excluded it, and post the whole thing not just what you want to present.

You're picking out one part of what I'm saying.

Has Gus ever taken down anyone or defended a takedown? Yes. But AJ has worked takedowns and built a gameplan around it MUCH more often. So as far as wrestling/ground game being a part of your plan, AJ has Gus topped in that regard.

This is way too subjective to get into semantical nitpickings over. If you want to say Gus is a more diverse striker than AJ, Ok, cool. I won't disagree. But if we're talking about who has shown a bigger propensity to mix up his striking with taking his opponent down then AJ has accomplished this more often. Thus, in my personal opinion, he's shown to be more rounded than Gus who primarily works boxing/footwork and will throw in some takedowns to keep them guessing.

You're not gonna see Gus try to win a fight in the way AJ beat Hardy. You can call it boring if you want, but we aren't talking about what's the most pleasant aspect to watch.

 

[Bob Gray]

and the only real names Gustafsson has beat is a washed up Shogun?

Lil Nog is a bigger victory than Thiago, Matyushenko, Manuwa and Te-Huna that's for sure.

And I would likely put Phil Davis above all of them.

If we're going simply by wins over top competition, AJ probably has Gus beat, or at the very least is occupying a very similar perch. That's if you aren't counting Arlovski.

 

[Blah4]

Ppl gonna be surprised how easy Gus makes it look.

 

[Obsidian]

Ppl gonna be surprised how easy Gus makes it look.

He did make it look easy, for Rumble.

 

[Redhawks100]

Oh man

 

[Rittsy]

Gus fought in one dimension.

 

[cakemuncher]

Sometimes the one-dimensional approach works well.

Keep It Simple, Stupid.

 

[Broad Blade]

Talk is cheap.