Conor has lost his greatest weapon : the ability to make his opponents fight emotional

Hazuki Ryo

Hazuki Ryo

Brown Belt
Joined
Jan 21, 2014
Messages
3,345
Reaction score
4,593
Dustin said at the press conference that the biggest difference he felt in Conor's game was that "he didn't have this presence, this aura around him anymore. He was just another fighter"

Conor lost one of the thing that made him special. He was always able to play mind games with his opponents and make them fight angry inside the cage. The perfect example was Jose Aldo, who got completely mentally dominated by Conor and lost before he even entered the cage.

Khabib fought emotional too. And he could have been really tired after round 3 and all the hard shots he threw at Conor. But props to him, he got the takedown and finished him.

Now Conor will just be another fighter that got humbled by Nate, Khabib, and now Dustin defeats. He will have to rely on determination and activity, not stardom and charisma. That will be a game changer for him
 
I don’t think it’s even to do with him not playing mental games and taunting his opponents in his fights.

During his climb to the Featherweight title he was starching everybody that was put in his way, sometimes even predicting the rounds it would happen. He looked untouchable, his highlight reel and record was pretty intimidating for his next opponent.

But since then he’s lost to Nate Diaz via Submission, lost to Khabib via Submission and just about scraped through on a decision against Diaz in the rematch.

He’s lost the air of invincibility and intimidation he had, several weaknesses in his game have been exposed and this loss to Dustin Poirier only compounds that fact.
 
Hazuki Ryo said:
Dustin said at the press conference that the biggest difference he felt in Conor's game was that "he didn't have this presence, this aura around him anymore. He was just another fighter"

Conor lost one of the thing that made him special. He was always able to play mind games with his opponents and make them fight angry inside the cage. The perfect example was Jose Aldo, who got completely mentally dominated by Conor and lost before he even entered the cage.

Khabib fought emotional too. And he could have been really tired after round 3 and all the hard shots he threw at Conor. But props to him, he got the takedown and finished him.

Now Conor will just be another fighter that got humbled by Nate, Khabib, and now Dustin defeats. He will have to rely on determination and activity, not stardom and charisma. That will be a game changer for him
Click to expand...
Yeah he doesn't have that same aura he used to have. Not just from trash talking, his overall confidence that intimidated other fighters. It wasn't just the trash talk, it's how he carried himself before. He comes off less confident in his abilities currently and the other fighters can pick up on that.

He can always get it back, but we'll see if he is able to.
 
This particular fight was less about Conor losing his aura and more about Dustin gaining the ability to calm/center himself before, during and after a fight. His emotional control was leagues above what we've seen from him (especially when he was facing Khabib). That emotional growth was really impressive to see on display.
 
We all respond differently to trash talk ...
I think Alvarez was not afected at all, and Aldo was to small for Conor.
 
Conor is a great counter striker and his greatest assets are power and timing. However at higher weight divisions his power doesn't translate. Both Khabib and Dustin were able to take multiple shots from Conor unfazed.
 
randomg1t said:
the people who think aldo and alvarez got KO'd because they were emotional are idiots.
Click to expand...

Nah I think theres a good arguement that was a factor, Aldo otherwise wasnt really known for looking to rush in for an early KO.

Conor was good at exploiting this of course being an exellent counter fighter, it wasnt simply that his opponents fought poorly because they were emotional but rather than that this pushed them to fight in a fashion that suited him.

A big factor as well was IMHO that pretty much the full force of the UFC promotion was aimed at Aldo for almost a year, not just baited by Conor but the UFC themselves clearly gunning for him.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Guy just feels bored about it. Has all the money he will ever need. I'd legit retire if I was him. Why bother with getting hit in the head anymore. He's already had a great career.
 
Hazuki Ryo said:
Dustin said at the press conference that the biggest difference he felt in Conor's game was that "he didn't have this presence, this aura around him anymore. He was just another fighter"

Conor lost one of the thing that made him special. He was always able to play mind games with his opponents and make them fight angry inside the cage. The perfect example was Jose Aldo, who got completely mentally dominated by Conor and lost before he even entered the cage.

Khabib fought emotional too. And he could have been really tired after round 3 and all the hard shots he threw at Conor. But props to him, he got the takedown and finished him.

Now Conor will just be another fighter that got humbled by Nate, Khabib, and now Dustin defeats. He will have to rely on determination and activity, not stardom and charisma. That will be a game changer for him
Click to expand...

FW is the only division where he has a good record. Incidentally he left FW when IVs got banned.

Now think about this.
 
randomg1t said:
the people who think aldo and alvarez got KO'd because they were emotional are idiots.
Click to expand...

moreorless87 said:
Nah I think theres a good arguement that was a factor, Aldo otherwise wasnt really known for looking to rush in for an early KO.

Conor was good at exploiting this of course being an exellent counter fighter, it wasnt simply that his opponents fought poorly because they were emotional but rather than that this pushed them to fight in a fashion that suited him.

A big factor as well was IMHO that pretty much the full force of the UFC promotion was aimed at Aldo for almost a year, not just baited by Conor but the UFC themselves clearly gunning for him.
Click to expand...
I was gonna say, not so much Alvarez but definitely Aldo let the emotion affect his performance.

Of course it was Conor's timing credited for capitalizing but the UFC seemed to be really disrespecting a great champ at the time. This likely was more annoying than anything Conor was doing.

As to the point of the OP. If that was Conor's biggest weapon(it wasn't), then it wasn't much because there are plenty of fighters who would NOT be bothered by his antics at all.
 
GoshiShun17 said:
Of course it was Conor's timing credited for capitalizing but the UFC seemed to be really disrespecting a great champ at the time. This likely was more annoying than anything Conor was doing.
Click to expand...

Thats always been my guess, someone chipping away with smack talk is one thing but feeling your own promoter is working against you strongly for a long period is something else.
 
Fox by the Sea said:
Guy just feels bored about it. Has all the money he will ever need. I'd legit retire if I was him. Why bother with getting hit in the head anymore. He's already had a great career.
Click to expand...
Nope. He just fought a better fighter. I can understand YOU might feel this way if you were in his position but until he gives that excuse, don't buy it.

Let's put it this way. Conor is not the only combat sports athlete to make big money. Take Mayweather for example.
 
randomg1t said:
the people who think aldo and alvarez got KO'd because they were emotional are idiots.
Click to expand...

Eddie just got outclassed but Aldo was clearly outclassed. He always set his work up and is positionally sound. He never just lunges on the first exchange naked like that
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
1,267,318
Messages
57,463,707
Members
175,716
Latest member
Angell

Share this page

Back
Top