Do you think khamzat has gotten better since the Burns and Usman fights?

[GolovKing]

Or Dricus is really this awful at wrestling?

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

I think he got better for sure. You can only learn and grow and mature. (Until your body gives up) Especially through difficult adversity.
Khamzat 31, the guy is certainly getting better.

 

[188912345]

Of course.

He also had a much easier stylistic matchup, and was healthier this camp, and didn't injure his hand, and he had a year+ preparing for 5 rounds.

 

[Rampage_Jackson]

Not sure if he has gotten better or not because he didn't have to show anything with Dricus amateurish grappling level. Styles make fights.

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

Not sure if he has gotten better or not because he didn't have to show anything with Dricus amateurish grappling level. Styles make fights.

You don't think you would work on certain aspects of your game since those tough fights with Usman and Burns?

 

[YourBoss]

A bit yes. Better weightclass for him (rather than WW against Burns), smarter pacing, and slightly improved cardio, peaking on fight night by considering recovery.

 

[Rampage_Jackson]

You don't think you would work on certain aspects of your game since those tough fights with Usman and Burns?

I assume most every serious fighter is in the gym working toward improving in one area or another more often than not. I'm just saying who knows what he's improved because last night we didn't see anything that would have required him to be better than he was in previous fights.

 

[Tito Tapped]

Clearly those fights made him better but he has not reached his final form yet.

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

I assume most every serious fighter is in the gym working toward improving in one area or another more often than not. I'm just saying who knows what he's improved because last night we didn't see anything that would have required him to be better than he was in previous fights.

I hear yah.

Although, I think his domination of Dricus on the ground was new and otherworldly at times. So that was fresh new Khamzat I never seen do that in a 5 round fight. Where people thought he'd gas in the later rounds.

 

[KO Shotz]

Absolutley. He had a gas tank in this fight. But during the lil time they were on the feet he didn't look any better than before.

 

[Left Hook Lacy]

Styles make fights.

 

[NoStoneUnturned]

I think this harkens back to the days where "styles make fights" was very true. DDP's grappling is terrible and he ran into someone in Khamzat who could expose it. I mean damn, how many crucifixes?

I didn't know who to pick before hand, but I didn't see that level of ass whooping coming.

 

[Rampage_Jackson]

I hear yah.

Although, I think his domination of Dricus on the ground was new and otherworldly at times. So that was fresh new Khamzat I never seen do that in a 5 round fight. Where people thought he'd gas in the later rounds.

I never really questioned his gas tank. I always felt the people touting that were grasping for straws just rooting against him. "DDP is going to drag him into deep waters" crowd have to feel like muppets today

 

[NoStoneUnturned]

I hear yah.

Although, I think his domination of Dricus on the ground was new and otherworldly at times. So that was fresh new Khamzat I never seen do that in a 5 round fight. Where people thought he'd gas in the later rounds.

One commentator, maybe DC, can't remember, and I'll paraphrase: DDP's wresting is so bad and his guard is non-existent so Khamzat basically spent no energy. I sort of agree. I know Khamzat was working, but good god, how much time did DDP spend in Crucifixes? Ugh..

 

[GolovKing]

One commentator, maybe DC, can't remember, and I'll paraphrase: DDP's wresting is so bad and his guard is non-existent so Khamzat basically spent no energy. I sort of agree. I know Khamzat was working, but good god, how much time did DDP spend in Crucifixes? Ugh..

You barely ever see people in crucifixes these days. I thought it was one of those techniques that got phased out due to the higher skill levels we see in mma these days and people knowing how better to defend it

 

[GolovKing]

Of course.

He also had a much easier stylistic matchup, and was healthier this camp, and didn't injure his hand, and he had a year+ preparing for 5 rounds.

I'm just surprised his wrestling defense was this bad. I just figured with him being the first guy I saw take down and submit Izzy and the video of him vs the Gracie team he would have been a better grappler than he was. I didn't get to see the fight he had vs Brunson though. Did he struggle with Brunson's wrestling as well?

 

[188912345]

I'm just surprised his wrestling defense was this bad. I just figured with him being the first guy I saw take down and submit Izzy and the video of him vs the Gracie team he would have been a better grappler than he was. I didn't get to see the fight he had vs Brunson though. Did he struggle with Brunson's wrestling as well?

He definitely struggled vs Brunson, and he had previously shown questionable decision making in grappling sequences, but he usually muscled himself out of it.

He had shown some decent offensive wrestling and grappling in his fights, but defensive wrestling/grappling is a whole different skillset.

 

[pātrēärkē]

Smarter. He didn't avoid fighting in those ones

 

[Kompromat]

He looked better overall for sure in terms of cardio, pacing and executing a gameplan. But he looked quite bad in the last minute of a fight. Not sure if he was gassed or just complacent - getting tagged 3 times (when all you have to do is just coast to victory defensively), taken down, mounted, put in rnc position, weird after such dominant performance - looked like a low iq moment and he forgot the fight is still on. Youd never see Khabib in such situation.

 

[Ayreon]

He improved BIG time

He learned to stick to the fucking gameplan. Against Burns he could end the fight in R1 by jabbing the nose out of the brasilian, but he choosed to brawl instead, losing a ton of brain cells.