Does Ankalaev beat Poatan if he decides to wrestle early?

[Shay Brennan]

I mean, the guy was taken down by Adesanya, Jiri and Blachowicz.
Ankalaev is much better at wrestling than all of them.

The problem is that he usually doesn't wrestle in the early rounds.

If he does decide to strike with Pereira, he will just get leg kicked a dozen times before it effects his movement, ruins his defense and that's where landing that left hook becomes easier for Poatan.


Considering that he took down and controlled Blachowicz, who is a much better grappler than Poatan, and did that with compromised legs, then I wouldn't be surprised if Ankalaev choked him.

Also, how does Potan's age factor into all of this?

How does this fight play out?
Who will you be rooting for?

 

[ThaiSexPills]

I Hope Alex flatlines him. I don’t want to see a boring, crutch sniffing draw machine get that belt over one of the most exciting fighters in UFC history. Not a chance.

We have a highly active, exciting and likeable champ and I’d like if it stayed that way

 

[HHJ]

It isnt certain, though obviously a good idea. It isnt his only weapon though. The guy is an excellent counterstriker. He could catch Poatan like Izzy caught him. He 100% has that kind of quickness/reflexes.

 

[Arm Barbarian]

Depends on what he can do with it, if he can keep him down, etc.

 

[Shay Brennan]

It isnt certain, though obviously a good idea. It isnt his only weapon though. The guy is an excellent counterstriker. He could catch Poatan like Izzy caught him. He 100% has that kind of quickness/reflexes.

Yeah but the differance is that this fight would be at LHW.
Alex's chin looked much better against Jiri, now that he doesn't have to cut so much weight.

 

[justmark]

No. If he decides to wrestle early he will get tired or get caught with something like a knee or an uppercut. He needs to settle in and understand the rhythm, and mix it up.

 

[15089371]

I don't think the calf kicks will be as effective, people always adapt once they get their leg gets kicked to oblivion. Ankalaev is his toughest matchup at 205, and pretty much the best guy in there on paper. Ankalaev has to wrestle and certainly will do that, on the feet anybody gets knocked out against Poatan. I think the most likely event is Ankalaev prolly subbing Alex in the later rounds or ground and pound him, but Alex is game, will still give him a hard time trying to get him down and will always have that fight changing left hook which he'll carry until the late rounds.

 

[Ayreon]

Yes of course.

Just one fact goes in advantage of Pereira, Ankalev suffers leg kicks: even a fighter with an extremely low IQ like Jonny Walker was landing a lot of low kicks before getting flatlined as usual.

Alex can count on them kicks but I think Ankalev would take him down asap and drown him with lay&pray, ending with a brutal ground and pound.

 

[Flower2dPeople]

 

[BJJ4Tone]

I mean, the guy was taken down by Adesanya, Jiri and Blachowicz.
Ankalaev is much better at wrestling than all of them.

The problem is that he usually doesn't wrestle in the early rounds.

If he does decide to strike with Pereira, he will just get leg kicked a dozen times before it effects his movement, ruins his defense and that's where landing that left hook becomes easier for Poatan.


Considering that he took down and controlled Blachowicz, who is a much better grappler than Poatan, and did that with compromised legs, then I wouldn't be surprised if Ankalaev choked him.

Also, how does Potan's age factor into all of this?

How does this fight play out?
Who will you be rooting for?

I would pick Ankalaev.
I just re-watched Pereira v Blachowicz... If Jan could have that much success against Pereira, I think Ankalaev could/would do even better. Jan got tired AND made some bad strategic choices. I think Ankalaev would not make those same errors.

 

[Skarsgard]

I would pick Ankalaev.
I just re-watched Pereira v Blachowicz... If Jan could have that much success against Pereira, I think Ankalaev could/would do even better. Jan got tired AND made some bad strategic choices. I think Ankalaev would not make those same errors.

You think the guy with the lowest fight IQ in the division wouldn't make those errors?

 

[HHJ]

Yeah but the differance is that this fight would be at LHW.
Alex's chin looked much better against Jiri, now that he doesn't have to cut so much weight.

It doesnt matter. Thats the money punch. If he doesnt knock him out with it, he can still fuck his whole world up catching him comin in like that

 

[omawho402]

I believe Magomed will beat Alex on the feet. He has underrated striking and power.

 

[HHJ]

I believe Magomed will beat Alex on the feet. He has underrated striking and power.

Its a good style vs style matchup. Alex is pretty active and aggressive and Ank likes to hang back and catch guys comin in

 

[Domitian]

Can Ankalaev effectively wrestle for 5 whole rounds? He's never won a fight by sub, but he's won 10 fights by KO/TKO. He has the best wrestling in the division but it's either a cardio issue or he just likes to knock his opponents out. He went to decision in a 5 round fight with Thiago Santos and only attempted 2 takedowns. I see either Poatan or Ankalaev getting KO'd instead of some 5 round lay n pray fest.

 

[omawho402]

Its a good style vs style matchup. Alex is pretty active and aggressive and Ank likes to hang back and catch guys comin in

Plus, I don't think Alex is as invincible as people think. He doesn't have one shot and you're sleeping power like a Francis or Rumble.

If Alex rocks Magomed, then Magomed should have enough wits about himself to go get things tied up and to the ground. He has a solid chin.

 

[HHJ]

He doesn't have one shot and you're sleeping power like a Francis or Rumble.

He actually does have that.

Its a "different" kind of KO power than those guys have.

His kind of power is like Deontay Wilder's.

Of course he's not gonna just ko you as soon as he touches you, or w every punch but that left hand of his he sometimes flicks out and the guys just die and it doesnt even look like a hard punch sometimes. He even looks like he didnt know it was going to do that.

That is a danger all his opponents are going to have to deal with. That kind of power can knock anyone out.

 

[omawho402]

He actually does have that.

Its a "different" kind of KO power than those guys have.

His kind of power is like Deontay Wilder's.

Of course he's not gonna just ko you as soon as he touches you, or w every punch but that left hand of his he sometimes flicks out and the guys just die and it doesnt even look like a hard punch sometimes. He even looks like he didnt know it was going to do that.

That is a danger all his opponents are going to have to deal with. That kind of power can knock anyone out.

I guess I just don't see it. He has power and technique for sure, but I don't think nearly as much as people make out. Hopefully we really get this fight next instead of Jiri.

 

[KOPPE]

Ankalaev is a striker first, who learned grappling after. He prefers striking and uses grappling in plan B. He has zero submissions and prefers to strike.

 

[fortheo]

Maybe, but he doesn't have much of a submission game at all and I'm not sure if he'd be able to finish poatan with gnp.....and every round begins on the feet