Does anyone else find the disregard for Pereira as a competent grappler irritating?

[OldBoy91]

Just to throw this bit here as well: people say Jiri is a striker, Jan is a striker. Well, Ankalaev is also a striker. I don’t remember him ever winning by sub. Not saying he is bad at it, but if Alex defeats him, I fully expect the narrative to change into “no good grapplers in the division”.

Ankalaev is a high level wrestler, but yeah he isn't exactly a sub threat. His ground attack is like a LHW version of Blaydes. He's content to sit in his opponents guard and landing strikes. No real attempts to pass or look for subs. He is much more adept at KEEPING people down than either Jiri or Jan are though.

The question with Poatan fighting him is more about if he can keep it on the feet, more than whether he can avoid being subbed or get a sub himself.

Ankalaev on top of him laying in punches will likely be the gameplan. That's what he did to Jan when he was losing the striking battle, that's what he was doing to Paul Craig before the last second triangle finished him off.

 

[Luthien]

Going to be hilarious when Ank dives for a leg and gets stuffed and then has that :O face - I'm about to get knocked dead aren't I?

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

He's been working with Glover for years. He doesn't need to work on his striking as an already world class striker. He will likely have brought plenty of top grapplers in to work with, as well as being overseen by Glover. So many mma commentators are speaking as if we just disregard him as a grappler, especially a defensive one. They say things like "if he gets taken down, he'll get chocked out easy" etc.

I don't understand how people can disregard an elite guy like this. Just because we haven't seen his grappling doesn't mean he'll easily get taken down and choked out by Jones or Aspinall, or even Ankalaev as soon as they get their hands on him. I don't know, it's just something that has been bothering me with mma "experts" currently.

Yep, his defensive grappling is highly underrated. He doesnt have great sweeps or even get ups bur his TDD is pretty good and people generally cant do anything to hin in the ground.

 

[TheMadHatter]

I dont think his grappling is terrible, but he definitely is not winning a grappling exchange with jones, aspinall, or ank. The small sample size we have seen of his grappling, especially against Jan was not impressive.

 

[TheMadHatter]

I think Glover's gym is in a small town next to a bigger city. Lol Alex should go to ATT like Glover.

Seriously though world champion shouldn't do the general classes. You see how everyone is somewhat smaller than him and he is gooning them from top position.

you are correct, very small town area. Right in a strip mall. Awesome gym, I went there to train leg locks with Dean Lister and the fight team. Poatan was not present however. Which makes me think he doesnt care for grappling all that much.

 

[filthybliss]

I mean what grapplers has he faced? and has he submitted anybody yet? I think its just a matter of him being unchallenged in that facet.

 

[blewgums]

I don’t even know who she is.

 

[RedDevilFan]

He's been working with Glover for years. He doesn't need to work on his striking as an already world class striker. He will likely have brought plenty of top grapplers in to work with, as well as being overseen by Glover. So many mma commentators are speaking as if we just disregard him as a grappler, especially a defensive one. They say things like "if he gets taken down, he'll get chocked out easy" etc.

I don't understand how people can disregard an elite guy like this. Just because we haven't seen his grappling doesn't mean he'll easily get taken down and choked out by Jones or Aspinall, or even Ankalaev as soon as they get their hands on him. I don't know, it's just something that has been bothering me with mma "experts" currently.

It is said because it is true and many people, and fighters have said he is a novice on the ground including Masvidal. This is from his current fights with Adesanya and others.

If it bothers you then you need to watch a new sport. The problem with sherdog is that posters live through the fighters they cheer for and personalize everything said about them. Nothing is written in stone but there is a reason Alex wants to train with Jones in wrestling.

 

[sonofjay817]

He's been working with Glover for years. He doesn't need to work on his striking as an already world class striker. He will likely have brought plenty of top grapplers in to work with, as well as being overseen by Glover. So many mma commentators are speaking as if we just disregard him as a grappler, especially a defensive one. They say things like "if he gets taken down, he'll get chocked out easy" etc.

I don't understand how people can disregard an elite guy like this. Just because we haven't seen his grappling doesn't mean he'll easily get taken down and choked out by Jones or Aspinall, or even Ankalaev as soon as they get their hands on him. I don't know, it's just something that has been bothering me with mma "experts" currently.

So far I'm unaffected. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

I think Chael, Felder, Bisping, DC, and Smith all agreeing that Hill was a far superior striker in every way was much, much worse.

 

[ILove4MinutesHyuna]

Jan had 3-8 take downs vs Alex 7:32 control time and 8 ground strikes
Jan had 3-5 take downs vs Izzy 7:06 control time and 16 ground strikes

Alex did as well Izzy against Jan but it was only 3 rounds im guessing over 5 rounds Jan wins.

This didn't happen at all lol.

He took Izzy down and then the round ended 5 seconds later. He wasn't "immediately swept" lol. he wasn't swept at all. And in the next round he had a kick caught, and then Izzy pulled him into double unders and dragged him down.

Don't know if you realize this, but Kickboxers and MT strikers do know how to catch kicks and get people down, especially off of kick catches.



Jan being primarily a striker doesn't mean he isn't a good grappler. He has the same amount of Subs as he does KOs. And if Jan is not a good grappler and still outgrappled Izzy easily, then everyone else who tried and couldn't outgrapple Izzy must be shit as well.

The reality is Alex has shown pretty good defensive on the mat, which is clearly all he focuses on. He looked good defensively against Michalidis, he survived Izzy, who is not some bum grappler despite being a striker, and he survived Jan, who is a good grappler.

That's what we've seen so far, and it's seemed good enough.

Jan had 3-8 take downs vs Alex 7:32 control time and 8 ground strikes
Jan had 3-5 take downs vs Izzy 7:06 control time and 16 ground strikes

Alex did as well as Izzy against Jan but it was only 3 rounds im guessing over 5 rounds Jan wins. They both are elite level kickboxers who would get wrestle fucked by someone of the same ilk in wrestling. Alex lucky he joined UFC after DC and Jones left.

 

[Flower2dPeople]

Jan had 3-8 take downs vs Alex 7:32 control time and 8 ground strikes
Jan had 3-5 take downs vs Izzy 7:06 control time and 16 ground strikes

Alex did as well Izzy against Jan but it was only 3 rounds im guessing over 5 rounds Jan wins.



Jan had 3-8 take downs vs Alex 7:32 control time and 8 ground strikes
Jan had 3-5 take downs vs Izzy 7:06 control time and 16 ground strikes

Alex did as well as Izzy against Jan but it was only 3 rounds im guessing over 5 rounds Jan wins. They both are elite level kickboxers who would get wrestle fucked by someone of the same ilk in wrestling. Alex lucky he joined UFC after DC and Jones left.

Jan was more miserable in Utah's altitude than Pereira. Rds 4 and 5 would be Costa/Luke, Houston/Kimbo hilarity.

 

[dipstickjimmy]

He's been working with Glover for years. He doesn't need to work on his striking as an already world class striker. He will likely have brought plenty of top grapplers in to work with, as well as being overseen by Glover. So many mma commentators are speaking as if we just disregard him as a grappler, especially a defensive one. They say things like "if he gets taken down, he'll get chocked out easy" etc.

I don't understand how people can disregard an elite guy like this. Just because we haven't seen his grappling doesn't mean he'll easily get taken down and choked out by Jones or Aspinall, or even Ankalaev as soon as they get their hands on him. I don't know, it's just something that has been bothering me with mma "experts" currently.

I am sure it has improved however your basis that he has been working on it so it should be good doesn't track. Michael Jordan took 2 full years to work on his baseball skills and yet he would never be competent to compete with MLB level players.

How long does Aleksandr Karelin need to train his striking to win a kickboxing match with Alex?

 

[RedDevilFan]

Glover isn't just handing out belts.

His BJJ is quite sound
but wrestling is his technical weakness.

It certainly isn't his striking or jujitsu.

 

[blaseblase]

Just to throw this bit here as well: people say Jiri is a striker, Jan is a striker. Well, Ankalaev is also a striker. I don’t remember him ever winning by sub. Not saying he is bad at it, but if Alex defeats him, I fully expect the narrative to change into “no good grapplers in the division”.

Narrative? It's the obvious truth. There are no good grapplers in the division other than Ank. 10 years ago we had Jones, DC, Rumble, Glover, Bader, Davis, and Cory Anderson all in their prime in the same division. And let's add on Gus, who grapplefucked Jan with ease. It's undeniable the current division is short on grappling talent.

 

[World eater]

Narrative? It's the obvious truth. There are no good grapplers in the division other than Ank. 10 years ago we had Jones, DC, Rumble, Glover, Bader, Davis, and Cory Anderson all in their prime in the same division. And let's add on Gus, who grapplefucked Jan with ease. It's undeniable the current division is short on grappling talent.

It is the time of strikers dude. Rejoice!

 

[blaseblase]

It is the time of strikers dude. Rejoice!

I don't think the strikers are particularly better either. The guy who is considered the second best striker has the game plan of blocking punches with his face.

 

[World eater]

I don't think the strikers are particularly better either. The guy who is considered the second best striker has the game plan of blocking punches with his face.

He is a gift from the gods and this time I’m not even joking. He might not be a great martial artist, but he is a great warrior. Hopefully he gets that belt back and we see more unorthodox violence.

 

[blaseblase]

He is a gift from the gods and this time I’m not even joking. He might not be a great martial artist, but he is a great warrior. Hopefully he gets that belt back and we see more unorthodox violence.

Jones, Rumble, Gus, DC >>>

The Homer Simpson defense can only thrive in this specific era of LHW.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

Jan was more miserable in Utah's altitude than Pereira. Rds 4 and 5 would be Costa/Luke, Houston/Kimbo hilarity.

Costa vs Luke was a lot more action then people seem to remember.