Cody Garbrandt's head movement is nonexistent

[Torrid]

TJ is really able to get strong kicks up high out of nowhere - that really limits the amount of ducking your want to do with your head.

I'm not saying head movement isn't great for MMA or anything, but against the guy he was fighting and the exchanges he was getting in, I don't think head movement would have been the cure-all for what was happening. If anything he was finding a lot of success working on the outside so, moving his entire body after an exchange would probably be better than just his head in this instance.

 

[fortheo]

This. You beat me to it.

The difference between Cody and TJ is that TJ is constantly moving his head off line when he throws. Cody’s head movement is great when he’s just defending, but non existent when he throws. Plus he keeps his chin up.

Yep. And he never brings his lead hand back to protect his face when he's swinging in the pocket.

Look at TJ in this exchange in contrast to Cody. TJ gets off the center line with each right hand, he starts sort of in a philly shell defense, then starts to cover up more conventionally after throwing. He's just much more defensively sound in the pocket. Cody on the other hand is straight up, chin up, and lead hand not coming back to guard his face.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

Honestly, this gif is a great example of how TJ isn't "Cruz 2.0" like a lot of people seem to suggest, just cuz they both move a lot. Look at all of Dom's punches after the 2 jabs. It's wide, looping, flailing shit with zero body behind it. His success is more rooted in style than technical skill (not to say he doesn't possess any). He tries to hit people with punches they can't see while trying to be extremely evasive himself, neutralizing their attacks and retaliating when they think he's just dodging. Technically speaking, the way he throws his punches is absolute ass compared to TJ's straights, which is why Cody could see right through them. Also, Dom circles and evades a lot because it plays into his defensive style, while TJ bursts forward on angles. The drawback of that for TJ is how many times it's created a collision and risks dropping him, but the kids got a good chin.

Styles make fights. This rock-paper-scissors between the three of them seems most likely to end if TJ can close the tight gap on Dom and find his target more often. The other two ways would be Dom taking advantage of Cody's weakened chin, which seems unlikely given his lack of power-punching, or Cody finally getting the KO on Dillashaw, which he showed he could do, but after 2 quick KO's back to back, it's unlikely they'll be back together soon.

 

[7 others]

He did so well against Cruz but got crushed twice...

 

[TheVenom]

He actually has good head movement but In this fight it was non existent
Terrible performance, no idea what he was thinking playing rock em sock em in the pocket like that

TJ upsets him. I don’t know why, but he loses it against TJ. We KNOW Cody had head movement. Still, when he felt he could hurt TJ he threw caution to the wind. TJ is the last person you can get wreckless with, as Cody should have learned in the first fight.

TJ must live in Cody’s head. I suspect TJ had Cody shook before they even stepped into the cage.

 

[Willek]

TJ threw the same punch 3 times in a row and finally connected.

 

[DaleBoca]

It is douchey moments like this that makes TJ victories so much sweeter.

 

[ArtOfDrowning]

Notice how he is focused on evading. He is not throwing back. When he stands and trades that is when his head doesn't move.

Tj and his team picked on this and made him brawl.

 

[ArtOfDrowning]

TJ threw the same punch 3 times in a row and finally connected.

Cody threw the same punch 3 times in a row, didn't connect and ate a huge punch.

 

[Mixfight]

He actually has good head movement but In this fight it was non existent
Terrible performance, no idea what he was thinking playing rock em sock em in the pocket like that

Maybe these ufc guys just ain't as good as you thought they were you cub Swanson fan you.

 

[moreorless87]

To be fair a lot of the time Cody is basically waiting to counter opponents as they move in, not really a situation were you naturally move a lot.

Its more the moments were he gets aggressive that he ends up looking too upright and I think that's always been an issue, just one previous opponents couldn't deal with.

 

[Vergilius]

I was watching the coaches' corner commentary and I noticed at the end of TJ's version, one of the coaches says something to the effect of, "Every time he throws, he leaves his head right there."

So I went back and rewatched it and they were absolutely right. If fact, Cody has very little head movement at all. He moves his body, not his head. This is the exact opposite of TJ.

I'm frankly a bit surprised no one else, especially Cruz, hasn't capitalized on it. I know his 1st amateur fight ended fast with Cody laid out (look it up). I'm just shocked a person with no head movement got the title. I guess his offensive weapons covered up his defensive deficiencies.

Seriously, watch the fight and just pay attention to that one aspect. Also, the TAM coaching is garbage. Once Cody really started to get his ass kicked, they didn't even say anything. Like they knew it was inevitable and just accepted it.

He got countered. Can't move your head if you get countered while throwing a punch. The problem was his punches were too wide and he was loading up. Against Cruz, he was the one sliding out of the way and countering.

 

[moreorless87]

Maybe these ufc guys just ain't as good as you thought they were you cub Swanson fan you.

I do find it kind of amusing though that the guy who is actually making a case for potentially being "evolved" in Dillashaw was basically loathed by 90% of brand fanboys due to the UFC selling the silly "Dillasnake" playground hype rather than focusing on talent.

 

[moreorless87]

He got countered. Can't move your head if you get countered while throwing a punch. The problem was his punches were too wide and he was loading up. Against Cruz, he was the one sliding out of the way and countering.

That Cruz performance looks increasingly smart, some criticised it for not chasing Dom more when he was hurt.

 

[Noleggeisha]

Shit memory much? His defence against Dom was great.

 

[quantiqus]

I was watching the coaches' corner commentary and I noticed at the end of TJ's version, one of the coaches says something to the effect of, "Every time he throws, he leaves his head right there."

So I went back and rewatched it and they were absolutely right. If fact, Cody has very little head movement at all. He moves his body, not his head. This is the exact opposite of TJ.

I'm frankly a bit surprised no one else, especially Cruz, hasn't capitalized on it. I know his 1st amateur fight ended fast with Cody laid out (look it up). I'm just shocked a person with no head movement got the title. I guess his offensive weapons covered up his defensive deficiencies.

Seriously, watch the fight and just pay attention to that one aspect. Also, the TAM coaching is garbage. Once Cody really started to get his ass kicked, they didn't even say anything. Like they knew it was inevitable and just accepted it.

Except injured Cruz, who should have capitalised it?
Seriously, he mostly fought cans or mediocre fighters like Brimage, Briones, Augusto Mendes... Mizugaki, who is a veteran but not much of a record and Almeida, who was undefeated, but he is 1-3 in his last fights.

 

[Squintz]

I

TJ upsets him. I don’t know why, but he loses it against TJ. We KNOW Cody had head movement. Still, when he felt he could hurt TJ he threw caution to the wind. TJ is the last person you can get wreckless with, as Cody should have learned in the first fight.

TJ must live in Cody’s head. I suspect TJ had Cody shook before they even stepped into the cage.

Not only does he have elite head movement his defense and counter strikes are top notch. I say have/are instead of had/were cause I know he’s still got it. TJ is just a bad matchup skill wise and you can’t make fundamental mistakes against him. Factor in the fact that Cody lets TJ get to him mentally it’s game over.

Last night Cody telegraphed and wound up on his haymaker like he was throwing a pitch, kept his head on center line, forgot to bring his hand back to protect his chin after throwing, didn’t take his time and engaged in a fire fight early while forgetting the things I mentioned against a fresh TJ. I’ll dismiss last nights performance as an anomaly.

Avoids a high kick perfectly that TJ actually sets up quite nicely.

Got cocky and a minute later gets dropped by the same kick but with less heat and no set up this time which was the beginning of the end to a fight and personal battle he was dominating.

Advanced stuff here. Definitely not easy to pull off let alone execute to perfection.

Skillset and talent are still top notch. Mentally shaken vs TJ but he’ll be back.

 

[Ryoto Machida]

Shit memory much? His defence against Dom was great.

You know, you really should read the rest of the thread before you post. It's been established that Cody's head movement is great when he's playing defense, but when he starts fighting offensively he has numerous defensive liabilities such as leaving his head up, keeping his head on the center line, and failing to bring his hands back to his face. TJ exploited this because he happily engaged Cody in the pocket, Dom never did.

 

[Ryoto Machida]

Now I wonder, would Cody have been more effective had he adopted a more on-his-bike, potshotting style like Cruz, instead of electing to meet TJ in the middle when he came in with combos?

 

[JayE]

When he wants to be a boxer-puncher, he looks like perhaps the most skilled boxer in the sport. When he wants to be an idiot, not so much.