Diego Sanchez will never be a contender unless...

[Winbot]

He needs to learn to throw a fucking jab. He is getting caught on the way in because he is stepping in and then throwing, even with a weak jab on the way in he would open up a lot more opportunities for landing the big punches he obviously likes. The way he fights now he is just asking to get tooled by faster opponents who know how to move. If you want to walk into a guy you need to give him a reason not to just light you up the second you step into range and Diego either doesn't know how to do that or, just doesn't care.

Personally I think he got into his striking habits because his opponents early on were so worried about getting taken down that they were a bit more shy with their punches.

 

[sourdiesel209]

NO


NO


NO


A street fight is messy and chaotic. A backyard brawl is messy and chaotic. Professional fighters at the highest levels are not messy or chaotic.

The nature of fights is messy and chaotic... When the punches are flying and adrenaline flowing, apart from a few rules, there is not much difference, you still have someone that wants to hurt in front of you... Im not saying fights at the elite lvl are sloppy or not technical

 

[NAKMUAY18]

True story!
You can be using the cleanest technique in the world, but if the other guy is pushing you and grinding up against up against you, pulling your hands down, kneeing your thigh, it's not an easy fight.

Some guys hit the pads and look like they could be world champs, but get them sparring against somebody that pressures them and bully's them and won't quit and they fall apart. Being a tough mother fucker is one of the x factory's in fighting.

 

[NAKMUAY18]

And who won the fight by a clear margin, the brawler or the boxer?

Yes, this time but it's not always the case.
Wandy's basically a slightly refund brawler and he was smashing cats for years (like the way I brought Leben into that!). On paper Bisping is way more technical than Wandy, but........

Personally I'm way more technical that I am a brawler, but I'm just pointing out that everything is not black and white. There are degrees of everything, not only a brawler or only a boxer

 

[a guy]

YES


YES



YES


I think a lot of ppl in this forum overly fixate on technique and theory and forget that in essence its a fist fight, a messy chaotic enviorment... Probably bcuz most ppl here havent stepped in the ring xD

Even tho he didnt win, I got mad respect for Diego, a true warrior, hes like Rocky, just keeps coming

People (myself especially) fixate on technique because its the most important thing. Being tough and game are fantastic and are enough to beat more technical fighters sometimes, but that doesn't mean the wild, crazy fighters can't use good or even great technique. Look at Matt brown, Velasquez, Condit, Tj grant and guys like that. They're all gritty and tough as shit, but also highly skilled fighters.

Heart, chin, relentless pace and incredible toughness are all great in a fighter. Throw legitimate technique on top of that and you get guys like the killers I mentioned.

 

[devante]

True story!
You can be using the cleanest technique in the world, but if the other guy is pushing you and grinding up against up against you, pulling your hands down, kneeing your thigh, it's not an easy fight.

Some guys hit the pads and look like they could be world champs, but get them sparring against somebody that pressures them and bully's them and won't quit and they fall apart. Being a tough mother fucker is one of the x factory's in fighting.

i have to agree..technique is very important, gifted or no, tough or no, smart or no; if you have solid technique you can get farther than you can w/none, just a fact. The best brawlers have some sort of refined tech, that separate them from the regular tough guys/etc.

but there is something to be said for being able to actually fight, alot of guys (as u stated) hit pads, bags or do fine in light sparring or against guys who are tech; but the first time they face real pressure, get hit hard, have to deal w/high volume or a really physical guy they fold up.

if you don't have a certain amount of phys and mental durability you can't compete at high levels in striking-grappling, you just can't and it has been proven time and time again.

even mayweather, when he spars TRAINS TO FIGHT, he is tech about it; but he gets in there and bangs it out w/dudes.. My reasoning for why he does that, is because he is being prepared if/when he has to fight, that he can go at a high pace, that he can mentally be prepared to have to fight and physically be prepared for having to dish out (receive)punishment. And in the few spots floyd has had to really fight, or has gotten rocked or been in a competitive fight; he has never folded up, gotten his confidence shaken or started shutting down. Its because he has been trained to be ready for that...

at some point..most people who spar or fight are in a position where they have to show they can/will fight; once people see that you can't or aren't willing to fight, then guys are gonna attack you in that area any and everytime ou fight or spar.

everyone can learn tech, refine tech, improve technique, add tech, use tech; not everyone has the physical and especially the mental durability to fight..

how many technicians have gotten handled by guys who were just bigger/tougher/ stronger..sakio bika isn't tech, neither is sam soliman; but they have routinely beat better boxers. Jorge linares is a great boxer, but due to a lack of durability has been stopped by lesser opposition.. Sergio martinez isn't a brawler, but when he gets hit he doesn't fold up and when guys try to run him over; he has shown himself willing able to exchange w/guys.

you can't be only tech and compete at the highest levels, you can't be all athleticism and compete at the highest levels, you can't be all heart or toughness and compete at the highest level. At some point your lack of the other things comes into play...

 

[NAKMUAY18]

Woohhhhhh, this could be one of those topics where everybody agrees.........
Quick Nuke, cause an argument!

 

[aries]

Yes, this time but it's not always the case.
Wandy's basically a slightly refund brawler and he was smashing cats for years (like the way I brought Leben into that!). On paper Bisping is way more technical than Wandy, but........

Personally I'm way more technical that I am a brawler, but I'm just pointing out that everything is not black and white. There are degrees of everything, not only a brawler or only a boxer

Oh for sure but other things being more equal then technical beats brawling. Bisping doesn't hit hard, has a terrible habit of pulling back with his chin in the air. His head movement isn't exactly good. So defensively I don't think he's that technical. Wandy on the other hand hits like a sledge hammer. Look what happened when Wandy fought a good technical striker like Cung Le.

And it doesn't matter if you are really technical if your opponents can just walk through your strikes. Pauli Malinaggi springs to mind. If he could crack his career would have looked quite different.

Power wise Gilbert and Diego are more equal. Cardio wise they are fairly even. Speed is a little on the side of Gil but the main thing separating them is that Gil has more refined striking.

 

[Bay Area]

Woohhhhhh, this could be one of those topics where everybody agrees.........
Quick Nuke, cause an argument!

Nuke would agree with you on this.

That's because he is a scrappy.

Maybe a little too scrappy for his own good.

 

[sourdiesel209]

Nuke is the kind of person that thinks all you need is perfect technique...

Reality is a punch is a punch, what if that last uppercut from sanchez KOed gil, who would be the better fighter then?? It has happened tons of times in other fights

Also some ppl can hit hard without any technique.... Dont get me wrong I love improving my technique, but at the end of the day its a fight not a kata contest

 

[aries]

^ one thing Diego does throw well is that uppercut. And why did it work? Because Gil didn't expect it or see it coming. Any success Diego had in that fight as far as striking went was when he threw something unexpected, like his kicks or that uppercut. Honestly if Diego or his coaches can't watch that fight back and recognise the only times he had any success and why then he'll never improve.

 

[Babba]

I agree with this, mental resilience and toughness is something that needs to be trained too.

 

[Gavster]

He relies on his aggression, cardio and strength too much.
When he was backpedaling, his technique looked better but he just doesn't throw with the hip turns and his roundhouse kicks are thrown like front kicks. He burns through adrenaline throwing haphazard strikes.

I don't like him, somewhat due to his complete mental wall against anything going on around him, looking disappointed after they announce he's beaten yet thinking he won the rest of the time. Its mostly his fight style where he grinds out a win with crap technique and if he wins, he beats guys by being active but never really threatening.

^ Great call on his work ethic, high floor and low ceiling.