Adesanya Looked Good (and I am not a Fan)

Edward Henry Greb

The Pittsburg Windmill
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Just came back from a 5-day trip to Vegas.

Missed the fight (live), but watched Adesanya x Imavov after-the-fact.

Don't know why everybody thinks Adesanya is "washed." He actually look good against Imavov, and was winning, on almost every level, "until he wasn't":

Captureb.jpg

The simple fact is, Adesanya he got caught by a younger, (likely) hungrier fighter.
The other truth is Imavov = a tough guy, with nerves of steel, and a heavy punch.

If you actually watch the fight, Adesanya was in control almost the entire time.
Even when Adesanya got caught by an Imavov uppercut @ 1:14 of the 1st Round, Adesanya responded by a left-right uppercut against the cage, both of which clipped Imovev, but they had no effect.

At the end of the day, I concur with many that Adesanya's reflexes may be on the decline, but his skillset is not.

Adesanya looked good in there, was (mostly) in control, even handled the grappling — and controlled-back — but he got caught.

If I saw any weakness in Adesanya, it was perhaps in his reflexes, but also (and always) trying to "pose for the crowd" ... acting like a "model" instead of a fighter.

At the end of the day, Imavov was simply the tougher man, who could take what Adesanya threw, while Adesanya does not have that same level of actual toughness.

Imavov simply caught Adesanya, and finished him, despite being behind on virtually all of the other stats.

Adesanya does NOT need "to retire" ... what he needs to do is stop posing ... let go of his ego ... and stay alert.

He does NOT have Pereira's punch to fall back on, or his technical tightness.

Adesanya relies on speed and reflexes. If those are waning, he needs to be more alert and defensively sound.

Historically, big punchers will last longer in the rankings (as Pereira has proven), while "fast" but feather-fisted fighters, spiral down the drain more quickly (as Izzy's latest record is proving).

That said, is he still has plenty to offer, but he needs to "get over himself", gain some humility, if that's even possible for him.

But I think he actually looked good in his last fight — until he didn't.

Fast, athletic fighters — when that's all they have to offer (like Roy Jones Jr.) — always go down hard, and embarrassingly.

Especially, when their reflexes were basically all they had.
 
He was doing very well in his last fight, too. I think he can beat DDP, Imavov, or anyone else. But I'll be worried about his durability standing, even if he's fighting Eric Spicely next. I think he should retire, especially because he's made a lot of money.

I don't think he's gonna get back to the title. And he just lost as the headliner in a Fight Night event, so I don't think there are any Superfights out there that could make him big money. So, he'd have to roll the dice against at least two Caio Borralho types just to get back to the guys who have been hurting him and handing him losses, while getting progressively older and slower.

In conclusion, I wish him luck against Jake Paul next summer.
 
Right, but that's how it starts....fighters start getting beaten by fighters who have no business beating them...its the little things...Look at any fighter on decline, theyre ok, doing what they do until boom. Thanks for the analysis
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Just came back from a 5-day trip to Vegas.

Missed the fight (live), but watched Adesanya x Imavov after-the-fact.

Don't know why everybody thinks Adesanya is "washed." He actually look good against Imavov, and was winning, on almost every level, "until he wasn't":

View attachment 1081518

The simple fact is, Adesanya he got caught by a younger, (likely) hungrier fighter.
The other truth is Imavov = a tough guy, with nerves of steel, and a heavy punch.

If you actually watch the fight, Adesanya was in control almost the entire time.
Even when Adesanya got caught by an Imavov uppercut @ 1:14 of the 1st Round, Adesanya responded by a left-right uppercut against the cage, both of which clipped Imovev, but they had no effect.

At the end of the day, I concur with many that Adesanya's reflexes may be on the decline, but his skillset is not.

Adesanya looked good in there, was (mostly) in control, even handled the grappling — and controlled-back — but he got caught.

If I saw any weakness in Adesanya, it was perhaps in his reflexes, but also (and always) trying to "pose for the crowd" ... acting like a "model" instead of a fighter.

At the end of the day, Imavov was simply the tougher man, who could take what Adesanya threw, while Adesanya does not have that same level of actual toughness.

Imavov simply caught Adesanya, and finished him, despite being behind on virtually all of the other stats.

Adesanya does NOT need "to retire" ... what he needs to do is stop posing ... let go of his ego ... and stay alert.

He does NOT have Pereira's punch to fall back on, or his technical tightness.

Adesanya relies on speed and reflexes. If those are waning, he needs to be more alert and defensively sound.

Historically, big punchers will last longer in the rankings (as Pereira has proven), while "fast" but feather-fisted fighters, spiral down the drain more quickly (as Izzy's latest record is proving).

That said, is he still has plenty to offer, but he needs to "get over himself", gain some humility, if that's even possible for him.

But I think he actually looked good in his last fight — until he didn't.

Fast, athletic fighters — when that's all they have to offer (like Roy Jones Jr.) — always go down hard, and embarrassingly.

Especially, when their reflexes were basically all they had.
 
He was doing very well in his last fight, too. I think he can beat DDP, Imavov, or anyone else. But I'll be worried about his durability standing, even if he's fighting Eric Spicely next. I think he should retire, especially because he's made a lot of money.

Well, I don't like Adesanya, so I would personally like to see him get the shit knocked out of him the next several fights.

I think his speed + reflexes + experience will always make him put up a good fight ...

But I agree, his lack of toughness (especially his fragile ego) will always make him "pose" (wasting movement) and "second-guess himself" the moment he gets hit.

Personally, I believe he deserves a Tony Ferguson exit ... for all of his ego, drama, and lack of humility.

Karma = A Bitch

I don't think he's gonna get back to the title. And he just lost as the headliner in a Fight Night event, so I don't think there are any Superfights out there that could make him big money. So, he'd have to roll the dice against at least two Caio Borralho types just to get back to the guys who have been hurting him and handing him losses, while getting progressively older and slower.

Concur — and, importantly, I also think Adesanya has "lost his aura" — which will make him even easier to defeat.

Fighters who may have "given him respect" in his prime will be hungry to exploit him, now.

In conclusion, I wish him luck against Jake Paul next summer.

I always wish Israel Adesanya "luck" ... in every fight ... all bad 😈

.
 
Wear and tear in the body is real and time catches all the greats. He still has the skills but the body is starting to fade.

If he sticks around he will just tarnish a legacy and take more damage.

He’s made his cash. I would like to see him just ride off and retire.
 
Wear and tear in the body is real and time catches all the greats. He still has the skills but the body is starting to fade.

If he sticks around he will just tarnish a legacy and take more damage.

He’s made his cash. I would like to see him just ride off and retire.

We agree and disagree.

All great fighters fade; some great fighters are humble and tolerable (these I like to see bow-out gracefully).

Adesanya is a perverse egomaniac, whom I'd like to see get his ass kicked until the very end, like Tony Ferguson.

That said, he looked good against Imavov — until he didn't.
 
he didn't look bad, i agree. everyone wants to go off the deep end with the exaggerations after fights.

i mean it's worse because he's on a losing streak, but he was holding his own before the big shot landed and the only reason it landed (IMO) is that he was still distracted by the eye poke and stopped worrying about the range for long enough for it to land. i mean how many times have you seen izzy stand there like that, he's made a career out of staying out of harm's way. that had nothing to do with speed or age.
 
He's got hit hard and stunned in the first round too.

Got decked against Strickland, DDP. He's literally getting knocked silly in every fight

He might look good while that's not happening.. but it's irrelevant. He's washed.

Dude went 20 ufc fights with only being in trouble once and now it's happening to him every other round. It's over.
 
he didn't look bad, i agree. everyone wants to go off the deep end with the exaggerations after fights.

i mean it's worse because he's on a losing streak, but he was holding his own before the big shot landed and the only reason it landed (IMO) is that he was still distracted by the eye poke and stopped worrying about the range for long enough for it to land. i mean how many times have you seen izzy stand there like that, he's made a career out of staying out of harm's way. that had nothing to do with speed or age.

Well said
 
He was better until he wasnt.

Nobody mentioning how heavy he was breathin at the end of the first? You could see him take many deep breaths like its the end of the 3rd but it was only 4min in the fight..
 
He was better until he wasnt.

Nobody mentioning how heavy he was breathin at the end of the first? You could see him take many deep breaths like its the end of the 3rd but it was only 4min in the fight..

Breathing heavy = a sign of fear

Didn't notice, but will revisit ...
 
It’s just time. Whether from damage or just becomes lackadaisical from previous success, it comes to every fighter eventually. As Hagler said, hard getting up to train when sleeping on silk sheets etc. I think it was Hagler
 
You're only as good as your last fight in MOST cases. Its a cardinal rule.

They all get caught especially if your career is long. Izzy got parried nicely then melted last night. Shit happens.

On to the next
 
Wear and tear in the body is real and time catches all the greats. He still has the skills but the body is starting to fade.

If he sticks around he will just tarnish a legacy and take more damage.

He’s made his cash. I would like to see him just ride off and retire.
We agree and disagree.

All great fighters fade; some great fighters are humble and tolerable (these I like to see bow-out gracefully).

Adesanya is a perverse egomaniac, whom I'd like to see get his ass kicked until the very end, like Tony Ferguson.

That said, he looked good against Imavov — until he didn't.
not a fan of Izzy either.

But in general I would like to see it become the norm fighters accepting that it’s over and walking away early instead of late.

But seeing Izzy get more humble pie isn’t a bad thing.
 
Some guys, even while being highly highly skilled, need a certain kind of motivation to be at their peak. IA seems like one of those. I think he's reached the top of the mountain, had let downs and come back, but is a motivation guy. Randy Couture just wanted to fight the guy he thought would give him the biggest challenge. thats what got him up. Not everyone is like that.
 
I had to rewatch both sequences but I'm sure he got caught similarly as in the SStrickland fight, trying to counter with a hook, he isn't as fast and his reflexes aren't as good as they used to be, happens with that style sadly, its how we get Anderson getting touched by fucking Bisping.
 
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