Abus Magomedov lost because he gassed himself out

[Sticko]

Obviously in hindsight fighting Sean Strickland in a 5-round main event in just his second UFC appearance was too much too soon. Abus has an inflated record with wins over a bunch of cans and nobodies, but I'm not here to say he was never any good. On the contrary he has some legit skills.

The issue is he doesn't know how to pace himself. He threw a bunch of kicks in the first round which takes a lot of energy. Then he tried to wrestle, briefly taking Strickland down, but couldn't hold him there. I noticed a big change in Abus's body language as soon as they returned to their feet.

Then in the second round he became a punching bag as he lacked the energy to keep Strickland at range with those teep kicks.

Abus hasn't seen a third round in over 4 and a half years. Not since October 2018, when he fought two decisions in the same day, a 2-round majority draw against Gusan Umalatov and a 3-round unanimous decision win over Sadibou Sy, the Swedish Denzel Washington, in PFL's playoff tournament. While today's version of Sadibou Sy has developed good anti-wrestling and won the 2022 PFL welterweight tournament, in 2018 he was a lanky middleweight kickboxer susceptible to takedowns and lay and pray.

Both Sadibou and Abus were somewhat tired from having already fought two rounds earlier that day. In round 1 they kept it standing. In round 2 they kickboxed for two minutes, then Abus got a takedown and quickly slid into full mount, but despite attacking with ground and pound and an arm-triangle, couldn't quite find the finish over the next three minutes. In round 3 Abus got a takedown with over 4 minutes left and quickly took the back, attacked with a RNC, and then eventually slid into mount. Sadibou actually reversed him with 1:30 left, and had Abus turtled up for a moment. Then they scrambled and returned briefly to their feet before Abus landed one last explosive takedown to salt things away with both fighters absolutely gassed.



So again, the last time Abus saw a third round at all was over 4 and a half years ago, when he couldn't find a finish despite getting into dominant positions against an opponent who frankly offered little on the ground. He might have thought he was prepared to go 25 minutes against Strickland, but he wasn't.

I think Abus can have a nice future in the UFC middleweight division and beat some quality opponents, but he needs to address his pacing and cardio.

 

[Enigma87]

I agree he will be at a lot of other UFC fighters. He threw a few good kicks and gassed out in 4 minutes. He was never going to beat a fighter like Strickland minus a lucky first round KO, which he was never close to doing

He wasn’t fighting Stolzfus this time and it showed quickly

 

[linvillegorge]

He gassed in about four minutes throwing some low kicks. It wasn't like it was some frantic, chaotic pace. Then Strickland started putting the pace on him and he just wilted. Turned into a punching bag. I just don't think he was ready for that type of stage. Probably had an adrenaline dump and folded. We'll see how he responds to it.

 

[Sticko]

He gassed in about four minutes throwing some low kicks. It wasn't like it was some frantic, chaotic pace. Then Strickland started putting the pace on him and he just wilted. Turned into a punching bag. I just don't think he was ready for that type of stage. Probably had an adrenaline dump and folded. We'll see how he responds to it.

Wasn't just low kicks though, there were teeps and some high kicks too. Not the craziest pace but high enough that it would've been tough to do that for 25 minutes.


Like I said i noticed the change in body language after he tried to wrestle. Agree that he may have had an adrenaline dump.

 

[linvillegorge]

Wasn't just low kicks though, there were teeps and some high kicks too. Not the craziest pace but high enough that it would've been tough to do that for 25 minutes.


Like I said i noticed the change in body language after he tried to wrestle. Agree that he may have had an adrenaline dump.

It wasn't near the type of pace that should've come anywhere close to gassing out a pro fighter in fighting condition. Strickland treated him like a heavy bag and barely broke a sweat.

 

[flektarn]

I mean, he gassed out after one round. I've seen heavyweights do that but no one in lower weight divisions no matter what they're throwing. He doesn't have a lot of fights at bigger promotions even though he's 25-4 or whatever the number is.

 

[Sticko]

I agree he will be at a lot of other UFC fighters. He threw a few good kicks and gassed out in 4 minutes. He was never going to beat a fighter like Strickland minus a lucky first round KO, which he was never close to doing

He wasn’t fighting Stolzfus this time and it showed quickly

Joe Pyfer vs Abus might actually be a really interesting fight. Abus beat Stoltzfus, Pyfer lost to him on DWCS but by fluky injury TKO. Doubt the UFC wants to risk their prospect though.

 

[Van Daz]

I expect such a Tank from Abbott, but now days you need more. Probably refilled with wrong fuel type?

 

[Sticko]

I mean, he gassed out after one round. I've seen heavyweights do that but no one in lower weight divisions no matter what they're throwing. He doesn't have a lot of fights at bigger promotions even though he's 25-4 or whatever the number is.

It does happen even at lower weight classes. Look at Rodolfo Vieira vs Anthony Hernandez or Leonardo Santos vs Clay Guida. Granted, Santos was like 40 but he gassed himself out treating Guida like a punching bag.

 

[AmonTobin]

It was an appropriately aggressive first round with steady and rather effective output but it still didn't strike me as a frenetic pace by UFC standards to account for total exhaustion. I'm assuming a pro fighter knows how to pace themselves and knows their own bodies well enough to moderate their stamina. I think he had a massive and unexpected adrenaline release in R1 and came out completely depleted for R2.

 

[Pechan]

Yeah I mean, every one that throws kicks usually gasses in 5 minutes.

 

[nonoob]

Not meant as an insult, he was just not ready for Strick's stricklin'.

 

[HaulParris]

Strickland was the better fighter.

 

[fightfan70]

this just goes to show that records mean nothing.

 

[The Eagle]

Never trust a Dagestani from Germany. Knew he was a fraud.

 

[Fjord]

That looked like a really dirty eye poke in the first round. Then he completely gives up in the second round. Not really sure how long he’s going to be in the ufc.

 

[legcramp]

Big fight, main event headlining throwing flashy kicks and adrenaline dump while getting peppered in the face constantly. is normal.

 

[TCE]

So basically the premise of this thread is Abus isn't a 5 round fighter.

Cool story, bro.

I do agree though, dude's barely a one round fighter.

 

[TITS]

That was weird how he just turned away to the left like he was walking out the door and then Strickland just clocked him and finished him.

 

[laleggenda27]

He lost because he had no business fighitng a top 10 opponent, and he most certainly had no business in a main event. Yes, he obviously gassed (in under 2 rounds, which is embarrassingly amateurish). But he never belonged in that position in the first place.