Fighters with skill sets/fighting style that dont make sense/ synergise well

[Masturbin]

Watching T-Wood clinch with Gilbert this week-end made me think how his skill set/gameplan doesn't make sense.
Woodley is incredibly inactive so it's pretty hard for him to win on points he has to get a finish yet he seemed okay with clinching and stalling against Gilbert when he was loosing.

Zabit skill set doesn't make sense too. It works in a 3 rounder AKA I win the first 2 rounds then I gas. He can't do that in a 5 rounder with his 2 rounds cardio. The problem is that if your cardio is bad you have to compensate with great finishing abilities yet Zabib's pillow can't finish anything.

Another fighter with a structural problem is Rockhold which has incredible ground game yet his wrestling is not that good.

A lot of kick heavy fighter are quite prone to backing down which doesn't work well with kicks.


Other examples?

 

[Mr.Maelstrom]

Luke rockhold.

Fantastic kicks, lethal top game.

No defense, no chin, no hands, no humility

 

[TheJohnnyWalkerEra]

Michael Johnson

He is one of the most dangerous guys in the division but never seems to have a gameplan

 

[TheJohnnyWalkerEra]

Yoel Romero

Who knows what he's doing half the time

 

[Reach4theSky]

BJ Penn...

World champion bjj player, never submitted anyone off his back..

 

[theTKDguy]

Rockhold is the prime example

Great kicks but no hands
Great grappling but no wrestling

 

[Hellowhosthat]

JDS has amazing boxing offence but pretty terrible boxing defence.

Rani Yahya is amazing on the ground but can only get it there if the other guy has awful TDD.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Paul Harris
Diego after he started to fall in love with his hands.

 

[Fahcough]

Yoel Romero

Who knows what he's doing half the time

He's only here for our entertainment.

 

[TheJohnnyWalkerEra]

He's only here for our entertainment.

lol that reminds me of the Frank Mir disconnected controller meme

 

[2004 account]

Derrick Lewis doesn't know how to fight economically, hurt his back throwing so many high kicks

 

[NGute87]

Im with the guy who voted Yoel Romero.
Idk wtf that guy is thinking when he fights.
Nothing he does makes sense, then somehow your left starstuck as to how he pulled off the win. (Not lately)

 

[Conor_Is_Overrated]

There is that type: great bjj paired with weak/non-existent offensive wrestling. Someone like Nate Diaz or even Pettis. They are dangerous when it comes to grappling scrambles, but it is not happening on their terms.

Or let's take Dern, I'm still not sold on her take-down abilities. Cifers was a fool that she didn't immediately disengage, he could have done that, and probably win the round.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

Rockhold is the prime example

Great kicks but no hands
Great grappling but no wrestling

It worked till his cardio and chin deteriorated cause of his great scrambling ability but I agree he's the best modern example of a fighter with a skill set that doesn't seem like it should work.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

Jake Shields, great ground game, bad striking, shit takedowns. Somehow he still managed to be one of the best WWs of all time.

 

[linvillegorge]

Cody Garbrandt

Great MMA boxing and wrestling with a mediocre chin. Used to use tons of movement, got in got out, even out-Cruz'd Dominick Cruz. Now he just constantly gets into wild toe to toe brawls where his biggest weakness (mediocre chin) has the highest chance to get exposed.

 

[Megatronlee]

BJ Penn...

World champion bjj player, never submitted anyone off his back..

To be fair that’s a very specific skill set. I used to do subs all the time as a white belt.
Now? 13 years later? Couldn’t tell you the last time I even tried

 

[Sticko]

Paul Harris
Diego after he started to fall in love with his hands.

Why Palhares?

 

[DegenerateHypeTrain]

Stefan Struve not fighting behind the jab.

 

[Bouboumaster]

I nominate one of the most frustrating fighter ever: Carlos Condit.

He's a killer on the feet and a damn good submission artist. Problem is: he's shit at wrestling.
He can't stay up, and he can't gain control on the grounds, so he's basically fucked against a top wrestler.