After the epicness of TJ vs Cody, let's look at Cruz vs TJ & analyze why Cruz is a threat to TJ

PROlogic

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Cruz prefers to fight from the outside. He will fient to off set. Set traps. He's always doing work, over loading an opponents sensory, and he's extremely patient. He's very intelligent and as tough as they come.

When they fought, one of the biggest things TJ had trouble with was getting Cruz to bite on anything and or getting Cruz to step in and box

Cruz was simply working his game from outside

It forced TJ to to have to go on the lead against Cruz to get anything done

And Cruz simply either stepped off and evaded, countered, or level changed into TDs or TD attempts

And another thing is that it's Cruz's game to misdirect to set up takedowns

Cruz will persue TDs against TJ. And even if he doesnt get them, it's another thing to get TJ to think about

Cruz will fake the shot and strike up top too

Cruz brings more dimensions into the fight against TJ then Cody did against TJ.

In the same way TJ is a bad matchup for Cody, Cruz really is a bad matchup for TJ.

The same way Cody needed to have the right gameplan to beat TJ, TJ needs to have the right gameplan himself to beat Cruz.

Cruz/Cody/TJ are the greatest love triangle in MMA lol

But there are things where you can look at that fight, and see what successes TJ had that he could potentially follow up on

Leg kicks

TJ can leg kick Cruz, and then when Cruz is off balance from kicks, rush/pursue with punches and combinations I.e off balancing an opponent and striking when off balance

Also if he wants to beat Cruz he has to find ways to get Cruz to lead (Which is a difficult task based on his style and the fact that Cruz knows everything TJ is trying to do)

Cody willingly leading and stepping into boxing range with TJ was already giving TJ half the battle

Cruz is too patient and too defensively minded for TJ.

And even if TJ hurts Cruz, you know Cruz will stay composed, and look to be making the necessary adjustments to come out on top.

Cruz isn't a hothead

Regardless, Cruz/Cody/TJ are all utterly amazing, and we are in such awesome awesome times to be able to see them competing vs each other in their primes

I would actually love to see TJ vs Cruz 2

IF TJ beats Cruz, TJ is the undisputed GOAT of 135lb without question
 
Cruz prefers to fight from the outside. He will fient to off set. Set traps. He's always doing work, over loading an opponents sensory, and he's extremely patient. He's very intelligent and as tough as they come.

When they fought, one of the biggest things TJ had trouble with was getting Cruz to bite on anything and or getting Cruz to step in and box

Cruz was simply working his game from outside

It forced TJ to to have to go on the lead against Cruz to get anything done

And Cruz simply either stepped off and evaded, countered, or level changed into TDs or TD attempts

And another thing is that it's Cruz's game to misdirect to set up takedowns

Cruz will persue TDs against TJ. And even if he doesnt get them, it's another thing to get TJ to think about

Cruz will fake the shot and strike up top too

Cruz brings more dimensions into the fight against TJ then Cody did against TJ.

In the same way TJ is a bad matchup for Cody, Cruz really is a bad matchup for TJ.

The same way Cody needed to have the right gameplan to beat TJ, TJ needs to have the right gameplan himself to beat Cruz.

Cruz/Cody/TJ are the greatest love triangle in MMA lol

But there are things where you can look at that fight, and see what successes TJ had that he could potentially follow up on

Leg kicks

TJ can leg kick Cruz, and then when Cruz is off balance from kicks, rush/pursue with punches and combinations I.e off balancing an opponent and striking when off balance

Also if he wants to beat Cruz he has to find ways to get Cruz to lead (Which is a difficult task based on his style and the fact that Cruz knows everything TJ is trying to do)

Cody willingly leading and stepping into boxing range with TJ was already giving TJ half the battle

Cruz is too patient and too defensively minded for TJ.

And even if TJ hurts Cruz, you know Cruz will stay composed, and look to be making the necessary adjustments to come out on top.

Cruz isn't a hothead

Regardless, Cruz/Cody/TJ are all utterly amazing, and we are in such awesome awesome times to be able to see them competing vs each other in their primes

I would actually love to see TJ vs Cruz 2

IF TJ beats Cruz, TJ is the undisputed GOAT of 135lb without question



Cruz hasn't fought in how long? There's more deserving guys out there.
 
Cruz's leg is getting worked like no other if they rematch.

TJ caught on at the end of the fight and Dom could barely walk.

TJ will remove all doubt if they rematch.
 
This is simple....Cruz is a threat to TJ, because TJ is a clone of Cruz.
 
This is simple....Cruz is a threat to TJ, because TJ is a clone of Cruz.

TJ & Cruz have no similarities. TJ is more technical, has the ability to finish fights & doesn't throw looping punches like Cruz.
 
Cruz's leg is getting worked like no other if they rematch.

TJ caught on at the end of the fight and Dom could barely walk.

TJ will remove all doubt if they rematch.

TJ is a very intelligent fighter and he has Duane Ludwig coaching him.

So it's almost guaranteed that they are going to look at that first fight, see the success they had with leg kicks, and build on it.

It's going to be up to Cruz to adjust. We will be in for a treat. 2 masterminds in highspeed chess vs each other

Btw, I talked about how if TJ wants to have real success against Cruz he has to find ways to get Cruz to lead

Leg kicks are also the answer to that

Hack away at Cruz with kicks and force Cruz to have to close distance past the kicks.

Then when it's in boxing range it favors TJ

because contrary to what most people claimed, TJ is actually his best from boxing range (mid-range to close range)
 
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TJ is finishing fights and is more aggresive.That's not a clone of Cruz.
Yes, to say they are clone is a bit of a stretch. Agreed.

But for every difference between them they are some similarities (mostly in footwork/how they set traps)

Which is why TJ really wasn't his most effective against Cruz with his usual tricks and was forced to lead against Cruz for most of the fight

(which Rogan keeps miscategorizing as "but for some strange reason TJ stood flat footed in front of Cruz" without understanding how Cruz was forcing TJ to lead)

However TJ is a better boxer then Cruz, more aggressive with better combinations and has way more pop on his punches . Hence why TJ beats Cody.

While Cruz can't beat Cody because Cody is confident vs Cruz, fights composed and patiently vs Cruz, has better footwork and boxing, has no trouble getting Cruz to lead and rushing into his well timed combinations etc

Yet Cruz has the style to beat TJ because of his patience, composure, outside fighting, more defensive approach and mix ups with takedowns etc

Cruz/TJ/Cody really is the most interesting and dynamic triangle in MMA

They all can beat each other with the right gameplans


All 3 are amazing and we are lucky to be able to watch them competing vs each other in their primes

If TJ beats Cruz then he puts himself at the top of the triangle plus becomes undisputed goat of 135

I think at some point we still will see Cody vs TJ 3
 
Cruz will beat TJ 9/10 times and Cody will beat Cruz 9/10 times. That's just how it is. Only because Cody has a glass chin and Cruz doesnt have power behind his punches.
 
Cruz needs to retire before further tarnishing his legacy. I lost the count on how many times he blew his knee. If Conor supposedly can't even run after tearing his ACL once, imagine what this guy must be going through...
 
This is simple....Cruz is a threat to TJ, because TJ is a clone of Cruz.
They don't fight alike. They move similarly, but fight very different.
 
Cruz will not be the same when he comes back imo, the beating he took off Cody is the type of beating that an old legend takes, and the downslide of their career begins.

It happens to everyone.

TJ will finish him this time.
 
Yes, to say they are clone is a bit of a stretch. Agreed.

But for every difference between them they are some similarities (mostly in footwork/how they set traps)

Which is why TJ really wasn't his most effective against Cruz with his usual tricks and was forced to lead against Cruz for most of the fight

(which Rogan keeps miscategorizing as "but for some strange reason TJ stood flat footed in front of Cruz" without understanding how Cruz was forcing TJ to lead)

However TJ is a better boxer then Cruz, more aggressive with better combinations and has way more pop on his punches . Hence why TJ beats Cody.

While Cruz can't beat Cody because Cody is confident vs Cruz, fights composed and patiently vs Cruz, has better footwork and boxing, has no trouble getting Cruz to lead and rushing into his well timed combinations etc

Yet Cruz has the style to beat TJ because of his patience, composure, outside fighting, more defensive approach and mix ups with takedowns etc

Cruz/TJ/Cody really is the most interesting and dynamic triangle in MMA

They all can beat each other with the right gameplans


All 3 are amazing and we are lucky to be able to watch them competing vs each other in their primes

If TJ beats Cruz then he puts himself at the top of the triangle plus becomes undisputed goat of 135

I think at some point we still will see Cody vs TJ 3
Agreed.Cruz's herky-jerky movement is used to avoid punishment. While he was champ his strikes landed was a paltry 30%. Far lower than any other champ. Explains why he's been a decision machine.

TJ on the other hand uses footwork to set up effective offense rather than simply fighting defensively. He also has the ability and aggressiveness to finish elite fighters unlike Cruz.

They both have good grappling, speed, and footwork so they are similar in that sense. However one guy fights not to lose and the other fights to finish his opponent and has the power to do so.
 
Cruz will beat TJ 9/10 times and Cody will beat Cruz 9/10 times. That's just how it is. Only because Cody has a glass chin and Cruz doesnt have power behind his punches.
No, its not even close to being because of those reasons

I've covered it thoroughly throughout this thread
 
Cruz will beat TJ 9/10 times and Cody will beat Cruz 9/10 times. That's just how it is. Only because Cody has a glass chin and Cruz doesnt have power behind his punches.
No, its not even close to being because of those reasons

I've covered it thoroughly throughout this thread
 
Cruz opted to take one of the most boring fights in BW title history in Faber III instead of giving TJ a rematch.

Fuck Cruz I'm sure TJ will make Cruz get at least one win against a solid contender before he gives him a rematch.
 
TJ beats Cruz second time around.....likely a TKO finish. First fight was very close and that was in early 2016. Since then TJ has got gotten even better and Cruz has fought twice and been out for a year n half. By the time this fight would happen he'd be out two years after another injury. He's not going to look the same IMO
 
TJ beats Cruz second time around.....likely a TKO finish. First fight was very close and that was in early 2016. Since then TJ has got gotten even better and Cruz has fought twice and been out for a year n half. By the time this fight would happen he'd be out two years after another injury. He's not going to look the same IMO
 
TJ & Cruz have no similarities. TJ is more technical, has the ability to finish fights & doesn't throw looping punches like Cruz.

Yet TJ lost their fight. Also, they are similar:

I'm stealing from this guy if you want to read more about the similarities and differences between TJ and Cruz.

https://strikingthoughtssite.wordpr...inick-cruz-styles-and-holes-exposed-part-1-2/



They both take three stances: orthodox, Southpaw, and neutral, and they'll switch between all three.

They're both practically never stationary, constantly switching stances in open space back and forth, thus making it difficult for the opponent to gauge which side the power hand will come from. They use stance switching to manipulate the angles of attack.

shuffle-comps.gif



They both use a very similar feinting game.

couch-feint-similar.gif


Reading their opponents reactions and then attacking if the opponent doesn't react.


They both use shifting attacks

cruz-and-tj-similar.gif


Both use darting fairly often

cuz-and-eddie-dart.gif



tj-dart-4.gif



If you can't see alot of Cruz in TJ, then I don't know what to tell you. Even he himself said he based a lot of his game off of Cruz because he had to imitate cruz for years in the gym. There were also very few guys doing this at a high level at the time, that combined with the fact that TJ fully admits to imitating Cruz makes the similarities between their styles hard to miss. But as I said before, TJ made his own style out of it.
 
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