much more challenging to be relentless with poor defense against a precise counter striker who is infinitely more technical though.
To me I feel a 170 version of Nate Diaz is a tougher style matchup than Tony
I question if Tony would be able to walk through those shots that Nate did and keep coming.
Even Nate didn't beat him by dragging it into deep water so there's no guarantee, tho it is obviously his best shot.
That version of Conor and also the one that fought Alvarez beats Tony in easier fashion than he did Nate. Tony's defense is going to end up with him being stopped eventually, it just requires an opponent who's able to truly capitalize on those holes.
Whether that version of Conor ever shows up again remains to be seen so it could all be empty words.
Tony is without question a beast though but he's definitely not winning these fights on technique at all. Just pure heart, cardio, volume and craziness.. Eventually the glaring holes he's leaving will be capitalized on in a far deeper way than cowboy is able to
Tbh I'm simply not convinced he's a puncher at 155, at all. We only have evidence of 2 fights in the UFC lightweight division, Kebab where he didn't even manage to sting him or earn his respect in the 3rd round, and Eddie which was a good performance but one where imho he didn't even look that powerful.
He outclassed Eddie, but none of the shots looked particularly brutal or hard, it's not like he KHTFO with 1 punch - he just overwhelmed him with good precise combos, good timing, distance management, and accuracy. And this was against a guy who doesn't have the best chin, looked extremely shook like he didn't want to even be in there, and just got decimated by a random 145 pounder.
Bear in mind I am objective with Conor's ability as a fighter, I've picked all his fights correct apart from the Nate rematch. Even Aldo, I was confident he'd win.
At 145 I didn't even think he was a huge puncher, but at that weight he punches just about hard enough, that combined with his reach, accuracy, timing, poise and better basic boxing/countering ability than the opposition - he was a force to be reckoned with at that weight. And "da left hand" was a legit weapon against the manlets at 145.
At 155 I'm not remotely convinced. He is 1-1, with his sole win being against Eddie, who is effectively 1-3 since fighting Conor.
If he brutally KO'd Eddie with 1 punch - Emmett Vs Johnson style - and maybe hurt and discouraged Khabib, I would think the fight was closer to 50/50, that he would have the power to either hurt and TKO Tony, or at least discourage him enough to stifle his pressure.
As it stands, I don't think "da left hand" is anything to worry about at all at 155. I think Tony will take it no problem, also bear in mind that Tony will be pressuring him constantly, damaging him constantly, smothering his offence, and hurting him. It's not like it's going to be easy for him to just pick Tony off, as he's being smothered and battered with a variety of weird strikes and elbows that are hard to predict. By the 2nd round he'd be done, gassed out and have the fight beaten out of him. Tony would get an easy submission in 3.
Honestly picking Conor over Tony, the same Conor who is 1-1 at 155 and hasn't won a fight since 2016 and the same Tony who is on a brutal 12 fight win streak at 155, is sheer madness. As mad as picking Nate over Usman.