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I've now rewatched the fight about 6 times, here are my thoughts and what adjustments I think either fighter can make.
Izzy is going to have a much tougher time next time around, for a couple of reasons.
1: Alex won't make the same mistake he did going for the trip that Izzy reversed to get the TD in round 3. The next fight will be purely kickboxing with clinching.
2: Alex made key adjustments towards the later rounds, he will come in with a better game plan that reflects those changes.
Handfighting is something that is relatively new to Pereira, you can't handfight the same way in kickboxing.
For instance, he started backing Izzy up right away, but only started going to the body to counter the hand fighting that Izzy did in the second and third round, and really started going to the body in the 4th and 5th. Izzy won't be able to handfight the same way, which was a key part of Izzy's defense while backed to the cage. He also started to go for the legs while Izzy was backed up to the cage and trying to handfight.
Other adjustments include the use of the jab and straight when Izzy was backed to the cage. He also started to figure out Izzy's movement patterns towards the end there, which was how he got the finishing sequence (Izzy's legs being compromised was also a reason).
Adjustments Izzy can make:
Utilize more body kicks, those were working. Leg kick less and body kick more, as the leg kicks were being checked and that limited Izzy's movement potential.
Handfight more in open space, not just when he is already backed up to the cage. He desperately needs to avoid being backed up to the cage, because Pereira will capitalize better than he did last time. Handfighting in open space can slow that process down significantly, and doing it in open space is less likely to get hit to the body and the legs in comparison to doing when you are right on the cage.
Use the jab more, and double up on it occasionally. If I could give one criticism of Izzy it would be that I find his jab is rather one dimensional. He only throws it from a particular stance and while relatively stationary (He does step in but not very far). If he used more of an in and out darting jab it would serve him better against Pereira, who like to frame with his hands which can leave him open to a darting jab or double jab.
His jab was working as is against Pereira, so with a few adjustments I think it can be even more useful. The few times he threw a solid darting jab at 4:11 in the third round and 3:47 and 3:21 in round 4 they landed cleanly.
Also using the body jab more, the few times he threw it it was effective and landed. Not a damaging strike, but keeps the activity and the range finding going on.
This all being said, it will be possible for Izzy to win in a rematch, but I think it will be significantly harder than the last time.
These are my initial thoughts, at some point I will probably do a full gif breakdown of it.
Izzy is going to have a much tougher time next time around, for a couple of reasons.
1: Alex won't make the same mistake he did going for the trip that Izzy reversed to get the TD in round 3. The next fight will be purely kickboxing with clinching.
2: Alex made key adjustments towards the later rounds, he will come in with a better game plan that reflects those changes.
Handfighting is something that is relatively new to Pereira, you can't handfight the same way in kickboxing.
For instance, he started backing Izzy up right away, but only started going to the body to counter the hand fighting that Izzy did in the second and third round, and really started going to the body in the 4th and 5th. Izzy won't be able to handfight the same way, which was a key part of Izzy's defense while backed to the cage. He also started to go for the legs while Izzy was backed up to the cage and trying to handfight.
Other adjustments include the use of the jab and straight when Izzy was backed to the cage. He also started to figure out Izzy's movement patterns towards the end there, which was how he got the finishing sequence (Izzy's legs being compromised was also a reason).
Adjustments Izzy can make:
Utilize more body kicks, those were working. Leg kick less and body kick more, as the leg kicks were being checked and that limited Izzy's movement potential.
Handfight more in open space, not just when he is already backed up to the cage. He desperately needs to avoid being backed up to the cage, because Pereira will capitalize better than he did last time. Handfighting in open space can slow that process down significantly, and doing it in open space is less likely to get hit to the body and the legs in comparison to doing when you are right on the cage.
Use the jab more, and double up on it occasionally. If I could give one criticism of Izzy it would be that I find his jab is rather one dimensional. He only throws it from a particular stance and while relatively stationary (He does step in but not very far). If he used more of an in and out darting jab it would serve him better against Pereira, who like to frame with his hands which can leave him open to a darting jab or double jab.
His jab was working as is against Pereira, so with a few adjustments I think it can be even more useful. The few times he threw a solid darting jab at 4:11 in the third round and 3:47 and 3:21 in round 4 they landed cleanly.
Also using the body jab more, the few times he threw it it was effective and landed. Not a damaging strike, but keeps the activity and the range finding going on.
This all being said, it will be possible for Izzy to win in a rematch, but I think it will be significantly harder than the last time.
These are my initial thoughts, at some point I will probably do a full gif breakdown of it.
