Eddie Alvarez: Justin Gaethje's style is tailor made for Khabib Nurmagomedov

[Pious Augustus]

“The style matchup I think – whenever I look at a big fight like that, the first thing I ask myself is kind of where I feel like the fight is going to take place,” Alvarez told MMA Junkie Radio. “The majority of the fight, where is it going to happen, and I just see Khabib taking him down. We’ve got to assume it’s going to be on the ground, and I just don’t feel like Justin has the experience jiu-jitsu-wise to be able to deal with what Khabib is going to be able to bring on the ground.”

“I think it takes some time, like a lot of strategy to fight a guy like Khabib, and I think Justin’s style is tailor made for Khabib,” Alvarez said. “Justin is a come-forward fighter, and I think against a guy like Khabib, you need to be really lateral. You need to move a lot so he can’t get square and then get his shots in on you and Justin’s kinda there. He’s right in front of you and even his mind coming into the fight when I hear the media, ‘I’ve just got to create a car accident,’ I don’t know if that’s the right mindset against Khabib.

“I know he wants to hurt him, and you want to do that, but it should be more of a ‘tag, you’re it,’ game against Khabib and making sure you’re keeping lateral and then ‘tags, you’re it,’ one-twos down the middle and then move again, and that’s how I would like the first round or two played against a guy like Khabib in order to stop that takedown and stop that dominant grappling he has.”

https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020...varez-breakdown/amp?__twitter_impression=true

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Creating a car accident wasn't Gaethje's idea originally, he copied that from Desmond Green.

 

[fortheo]

Yet the style that he suggests beats khabib is pretty much the style that gaethje has been using in his last few fights.

 

[AndrewGolota48]

Yet the style that he suggests beats khabib is pretty much the style that gaethje has been using in his last few fights.

It's also the style everyone has already tried.

 

[mxer31]

It's also the style everyone has already tried.

really? Like who? Tibau is the only one to really come right at him.. And we saw how that played out. Even Conor played it safe. Guys are afraid of being taken down and therefore afraid to let it go. and thats the main reason i wanted to see TFurg vs Khabib 3 years ago.

 

[AndrewGolota48]

really? Like who? Tibau is the only one to really come right at him.. And we saw how that played out. Even Conor played it safe. Guys are afraid of being taken down and therefore afraid to let it go. and thats the main reason i wanted to see TFurg vs Khabib 3 years ago.

Yes I mean what Alvarez is suggesting is what people have been trying lately.

 

[13Seconds]

Creating a car accident wasn't Gaethje's idea originally, he copied that from Desmond Green.

Doesn't make it a bad idea. He plans to hurt Khabib any chance he get's.

Good gameplan imo.

 

[Sanserif]

“The style matchup I think – whenever I look at a big fight like that, the first thing I ask myself is kind of where I feel like the fight is going to take place,” Alvarez told MMA Junkie Radio. “The majority of the fight, where is it going to happen, and I just see Khabib taking him down. We’ve got to assume it’s going to be on the ground, and I just don’t feel like Justin has the experience jiu-jitsu-wise to be able to deal with what Khabib is going to be able to bring on the ground.”

“I think it takes some time, like a lot of strategy to fight a guy like Khabib, and I think Justin’s style is tailor made for Khabib,” Alvarez said. “Justin is a come-forward fighter, and I think against a guy like Khabib, you need to be really lateral. You need to move a lot so he can’t get square and then get his shots in on you and Justin’s kinda there. He’s right in front of you and even his mind coming into the fight when I hear the media, ‘I’ve just got to create a car accident,’ I don’t know if that’s the right mindset against Khabib.

“I know he wants to hurt him, and you want to do that, but it should be more of a ‘tag, you’re it,’ game against Khabib and making sure you’re keeping lateral and then ‘tags, you’re it,’ one-twos down the middle and then move again, and that’s how I would like the first round or two played against a guy like Khabib in order to stop that takedown and stop that dominant grappling he has.”

https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020...varez-breakdown/amp?__twitter_impression=true

Sounde like Alvarez is describing adesanya...

 

[mkt]

Gaethje 2.0--who can now go 5 rounds and is more patient and technical--would beat any version of Eddie Alvarez badly. I had to say that first.

As for Eddie's comments, I agree about the jiu-jitsu part. Gaethje's is untested in both submissions/sub-defense and MMA wrestling. His college wrestling from 10 years ago isn't all that relevant since wrestling is a use-it-or-lose-it skill. But the rest of it didn't make much sense, as others have pointed out.

 

[DS66]

Everyone has tried to fight Khabib the way Eddie is suggesting. Conor tried it. Dustin tried it. Barboza tried it. Michael Johnson tried it. They all got mauled.

Time to try something different. And Gaethje is certainly different than every other other fighter. Not saying he will win, but I disagree with Eddie about the way to fight Khabib.

 

[Haj01]

Gaethje via chokeslam

 

[Peli]

We'll see

 

[Willie]

I have a feeling we're going to see Khabib recycling the game plan he had with Conor. Maybe with some tweaks but very similar in general.

 

[humdizzle]

eddie also thought he would beat McGregor... look how that prediction turned out.

he also thought mcgregor would kill khabib in the standup … didn't happen.

of course dustin and eddie want Justin to win, it makes them look better since they hold a W over him.

 

[ScarfaceJr]

Wasn't Alvarez's style supposed to be tailor made to beat conor?

hmmm ok eddie.

 

[Serbinator85]

eddie also thought he would beat McGregor... look how that prediction turned out.

he also thought mcgregor would kill khabib in the standup … didn't happen.

of course dustin and eddie want Justin to win, it makes them look better since they hold a W over him.

He predicted khabib win though he also predicted dustin would get destroyed also vs khabib

 

[Pious Augustus]

Everyone has tried to fight Khabib the way Eddie is suggesting. Conor tried it. Dustin tried it. Barboza tried it. Michael Johnson tried it. They all got mauled.

Time to try something different. And Gaethje is certainly different than every other other fighter. Not saying he will win, but I disagree with Eddie about the way to fight Khabib.

Conor fought Khabib head on at the first two rounds he was the aggressor

 

[BROWNPRIDE]

Gaethje 2.0--who can now go 5 rounds and is more patient and technical--would beat any version of Eddie Alvarez badly. I had to say that first.

As for Eddie's comments, I agree about the jiu-jitsu part. Gaethje's is untested in both submissions/sub-defense and MMA wrestling. His college wrestling from 10 years ago isn't all that relevant since wrestling is a use-it-or-lose-it skill. But the rest of it didn't make much sense, as others have pointed out.

Man just is way overrated on here now. Dude is good but wait and see Khabib kick his ass.

 

[Deleted member 579908]

I think Eddie himself is custom made for Habib.

 

[KID Yamamoto]

Justin isn't gonna fight Khabib trying to bang him out like Eddie or Justin. He's been very laid back and not swinging his weight forward lately.