Does Dos Anjos struggle with pressure fighters?

[legkicktko]

Prior to his fight with Colby, I thought Dos Anjos was one of the very best fighters in the world. In fact, I still fully believe that. However, today I rewatched his last fight and seeing his lack of footwork and ability to circle away from Colby's very predictable approach (we all knew what he was going to try to do) was a big surprise to me. He backpedaled straight back to the cage every time Colby came forward. He never circled, he never side stepped, in fact, it looked like it was his instinct to use ringcraft at all. Dos Anjos is a guy known for his kicks, but he's also come to be known for excellent boxing. That said, his boxing was rendered completely ineffective, even against an inferior striker with questionable defense in Colby.

I looked at RDA's resume and I was thinking.... There is an argument to be made that he is very susceptible to pressure fighters, especially when they wrestle him. A different way of looking at it might be to say that most if not all of his best performances are against guys who stand at range and prefer to strike. Here are his last nine fights.

1. Colby Covington (loss)
2. Robbie Lawler (Can be a pressure fighter, but didn't pressure RDA at all, possible due to torn knee)
3. Neil Magny (not a pressure fighter at all)
4. Tarec Saffedine (nope)
5. Tony Ferguson (high pressure style) (loss)
6. Eddie Alvarez (pressure style) (loss)
7. Donald Cerrone (doesn't pressure at all)
8. Anthony Pettis (doesn't pressure at all)
9. Nate Diaz (nope)

This doesn't include his fight with Khabib, which it looks like Colby took a page out of Khabib's performance against Barboza to stifle the kicks of RDA.

This is not a "He lost so he sucks" thread. It is just food for thought. I think there might be an argument in favor of the idea that RDA is/has always been susceptible to pressure. In addition, if one explores this, it seems like he's also had the good fortune of fighting a lot of guys who don't pressure him. Nonetheless, world class fighter. Thoughts?

 

[dc007]

He's a great pressure fighter who got out pressured by Colby and the other guys that beat him.

 

[KootenayKid]

Guys like Aldo, RDA, and Barboza are powerful and technical on the offensive but are stiff and immobile, especially moving backwards.

 

[legkicktko]

Guys like Aldo, RDA, and Barboza are powerful and technical on the offensive but are stiff and immobile, especially moving backwards.

It's very interesting because take a guy like Cowboy....

Cowboy isn't championship material, but he's had long win streaks in the UFC. He won 8 straight at LW. You could make a strong argument that Cowboy is terrible moving backwards as well. However, he's had really good fortune of fighting guys that don't have that style. Who was the last Colby or Khabib type of fighter that Cowboy faced? He's constantly fighting strikers and it greatly favors him.

It really elucidates how important matchups can be.

Meanwhile guys like RDA and Barboza arguably have tougher matchups for their style.

 

[It Just Is]

Meanwhile guys like RDA and Barboza arguably have tougher matchups for their style.

Well Barboza has good TDD, but he isn't good off his back and he struggles when pressured by any pressure fighter, but a pressure grappler is even worse for him because defending TDs from a guy who doesn't stop is tiring and forces his hands down.

RDA is actually a pressure fighter. He just got out pressured by superior grappling, same thing happened against Khabib. There's levels to this shit. RDA did good, he didn't crumble, but he was on defense the entire time, so he couldn't mount any offense. He hasn't found a way to neutralize grapplers superior to him.

 

[krelianx]

He's a great pressure fighter who got out pressured by Colby and the other guys that beat him.

This.

 

[Cylence]

No, but he does struggle with better fighters.

I had him over Colby before the fight, but I thought it was clear who the superior fighter was. I took Ferguson before their fight, and thought the same thing.

I think he would probably smoke Alvarez in a rematch, but that's just my opinion, and it's hard to argue with a first round KO. I just think that if they fought ten times, Alvarez wouldn't win more than two or three.

I also think he would smoke Gaethje with his superior technique, and Gaethje is a high pressure fighter.

 

[BjPenn2017]

Guys like Aldo, RDA, and Barboza are powerful and technical on the offensive but are stiff and immobile, especially moving backwards.

I wouldn't stick Aldo in that group. Aldo put on a counter striking clinic and won his second fight against Frankie basically moving backwards the whole time, his footwork is MUCH better. He does both well.

RDA and Barboza you're right on the money though, they like to be the bull and when they have to be the matador you see the flaws in their game.

 

[fortheo]

He doesn't like fighting going backwards. That much is clear.

 

[KootenayKid]

I wouldn't stick Aldo in that group. Aldo put on a counter striking clinic and won his second fight against Frankie basically moving backwards the whole time, his footwork is MUCH better. He does both well.

RDA and Barboza you're right on the money though, they like to be the bull and when they have to be the matador you see the flaws in their game.

Good point, that was a great performance. I still think he has similar problems sometimes with tensing up and ripping hard shots when the situation probably called for more free flow and head movement, Mendes goaded him into that a bit but he pulled through. Holloway made him pay for it. I still agree that he's on another level than RDA and Barboza though.

 

[ClosetVitorFan]

I think Dos Anjos should quit Mma and open up a restaurant called "Dos Nachos" the best nachos in town. I think it could go far.