Alex The Mauler's most dangerous opponents to date w/ stats

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According to the popular site Cage Rank, after Saturday night, Alex will have faced two of the Top 5 Pound-for-Pound best knockout artists in the sport and done it back-to-back. He fought Jimi 'Poster Boy' Manuwa in his last fight (knocking him out) and will be fighting Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson this Saturday. Both of these men are well known for their considerable power and crushing knockout ability. Manuwa is ranked the #3 knockout artist P4P, while Rumble is ranked #5 on their list:


It needs to be noted that I've found their projected winners results for future fights to be pretty lame. For example, they have Aldo beating McGregor with an 84% certainty, which is pretty ridiculous. But, if you're a bit curious or skeptical about the Pound-for-Pound lists in particular that's been posted up top (ie., why isn't McGregor on the list?! IDK) then here's how their points-based metric system works, the core of which has supposedly been successfully used in Chess and Tennis over the years for providing rankings...

http://CageRank.com/about
About CageRank

CageRank analyzes MMA fighter stats and previous match-ups to rate fighters and predict the outcomes of potential fights. Historically, we have predicted the outcome of fights correctly 64% of the time, and we are continuing to improve our model.

How We Rate Fighters

We assign each fighter a CageRank (a numeric rating) using the standard Elo Rating System (with k = 100 for those playing along at home). CageRanks are then used to predict fight outcomes. The fighter with the higher CageRank is given a higher probability of winning a fight. A difference of 400 points in CageRank translates rougly to a 10x better chance of winning. For example, we'd expect a fighter with CageRank 2100 to beat a fighter with CageRank 1700 over 90% of the time. Elo has been used for Tennis and Chess for many years, and appears to be a good fit for MMA, which is also a head-to-head contest.

Offense and Defense Ratings

In addition to an overall fighter rating, we use an Elo-like approach to evaluate a fighter's skill in striking, takedowns, knockouts, submissions, and finishing fights fast (before decision). For each of these categories we maintain an offense and defense rating that changes over time similarly to CageRank. For example, a fighter gains points in knockout offense if he knocks out another fighter, and loses points in knockout defense if he or she is knocked out. At the same time, the winner also gains points in knockout defense, since they weren't knocked out. The number of points exchanged is based on how good his opponent was at delivering and avoiding knockouts. A fighter won't gain much for knocking out a person who often gets knocked out, but will gain a lot from knocking out someone who is rarely knocked out.

 
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Damn, this made me excited to watch Manuwas next fight.
 
Bisping's (T)KO ratio was pretty impressive fighting lower competition, as well. Two of Manuwa's stoppages in the UFC had nothing to do with his power, the other was a doctor's stoppage. Manuwa is heavy handed and is gifted with respectable speed, but this isn't a fighter who has done much of anything past the regional level to be regarded as one of the best KO artists in MMA.
 
Gus is a kryptonite for every power-puncher. He has very good speed and footwork. He uses hit & run tactics so his opponents rarely capitalize. His ability to close distance, make a combination and get on the outside is second to none. We have seen all of his previous foes to struggle with this, I don't think against Rumble it will be any different.
 
Bisping's (T)KO ratio was pretty impressive fighting lower competition, as well. Two of Manuwa's stoppages in the UFC had nothing to do with his power, the other was a doctor's stoppage. Manuwa is heavy handed and is gifted with respectable speed, but this isn't a fighter who has done much of anything past the regional level to be regarded as one of the best KO artists in MMA.

Oh I know. I didn't want to "offend" some people and call Manuwa a great win because at this point he isn't. He's still a dangerous guy though and that was Alex's last fight. I don't know why Cage Rank has Manuwa on the P4P list, let alone so high to be honest. Not sure what they're going by exactly but we don't know their algorithms and how they factor the numbers in. Though one could ask, they list their contact info for all of the social media and e-mail. Diabate is dangerous as well but I only put him in to make an even 6 to give a half-dozen UFC caliber guys.

I remember when Bisping was tearing it up back then. I was fan of that version of Bisping.
 
Yea, I've never understood the people complaining about his opponents.

Thiago Silva is a beast. Sure, Lyoto and Rashad was too much for him... But the question is, how many of the other guys in LHW would be able to beat them?

Shogun was a fair step up in competition IMO. I actually thought it would be very tough for Gus, cause in Shogun's last three fight he had KO/TKO'd Griffin and Vera + had a FOTY with Hendo.

And then noone believed in him against Jones. A lot of people thought JJ would dominate, but instead Gus gave him his toughest fight to date.
 
So Manuwa crushing some cans means he's one of the most dangerous strikers in all of MMA? He looked hopeless against Gus. Rumble hasn't beat many high level fighters either. When a decent talent is can crushing its easy to look good compared to elite fighters who only fight other elite fighters.
 
Thiago's been called the "scariest fighter in MMA" and his signature throat slash fight celebration move has often been imitated but never duplicated.


 
Yea, I've never understood the people complaining about his opponents.

Thiago Silva is a beast. Sure, Lyoto and Rashad was too much for him... But the question is, how many of the other guys in LHW would be able to beat them?

Shogun was a fair step up in competition IMO. I actually thought it would be very tough for Gus, cause in Shogun's last three fight he had KO/TKO'd Griffin and Vera + had a FOTY with Hendo.

And then noone believed in him against Jones. A lot of people thought JJ would dominate, but instead Gus gave him his toughest fight to date.

In the Thiago highlight I posted it shows him hurting Rashad and walking him down. That fight was in his hands but he was too content to just sit back and let him recover. Rogan couldn't believe it himself as he watched it happen.

So Manuwa crushing some cans means he's one of the most dangerous strikers in all of MMA? He looked hopeless against Gus. Rumble hasn't beat many high level fighters either. When a decent talent is can crushing its easy to look good compared to elite fighters who only fight other elite fighters.

No, his physical power, explosiveness and solid hand speed in combination with his above average striking skills make him dangerous. Who said that he was beating great or elite opponents? I never did, not once. Cage Rank has him in their top p4p list as a knockout artist along with Rumble. I think it's interesting because Alex just fought Manuwa and has Rumble next. I don't know the details of how they came up with him in that list but I linked to it, just click on the image. It's on their homepage.
 
Thiago's been called the "scariest fighter in MMA" and his signature throat slash fight celebration move has often been imitated but never duplicated.



LOL. Good thing my speech writer wrote that! I'll have to tell 'her' you disapproved. :icon_lol:
 
I like Manuwa, i'd like him against Rumble if he loses to Gus.
 
Today I learned that every single fighter Gus ever fought was a dangerous killer.

Jones' murderers row is looking like a bunch of kittens now.
 
Today I learned that every single fighter Gus ever fought was a dangerous killer.

You learned wrong then. I'm only listing the dangerous opponents in the UFC that Gustafsson has fought thus far. Aren't you fan folk the ones always talking about Jones' "murderer's row" all the damn time? :icon_lol: Calling the kettle black I see. Not surprising from you.
 
Manuwa would KO Rumble.
 
Manuwa would KO Rumble.

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