does Umar lack heart or was it lack of experience?

[TerraRayzing]

Relatively speaking, of course. Islam proved that he can keep moving forward in the first Volk and the Dustin fight even if he is tired but Umar was visibly exhausted, couldn't maintain a good poker face and he looked defeated, especially in the championship rounds. He beat Cory in a five round fight but he was mostly dictating the whole thing and was never pressured like he was this time.
Or was it just a lack of experience, against the worst fucking guy possible in Merab?
I like Umar tho. I can see him becoming champion as he is young but curious to see, now that he lost his 0, whether he will get better like Islam did or will this sorta damage him moving forward.

 

[Simple Southerner]

Lack of experience. He's a fighter he's got heart he ain't no pussy

 

[Leinster Rugby]

A lack of cardio relative to a guy who's a frickin machine

 

[Beastslayer47]

Umar is elite. He just needs to work on his cardio for a 5 rounder. I knew going into this fight that he may have cardio issues because you can see him breathing heavily as he speaks during his post fight interviews against previous opponents

 

[Dreyga_King of Sherbums]

Nope, he just wasn’t good enough

Send these Dagestani’s to Georgia for 2-3 years to learn how to wrestle and forget

 

[Tatra]

He had 18 fights. How much experience does he need?

 

[TerraRayzing]

He had 18 fights. How much experience does he need?

This was his second five round fight. This was the first time his cardio was tested.

 

[Koro_11]

Maybe he just fought a really good opponent who happens to be better than him.

 

[Tweak896]

Umar has great cardio, I think it was arrogance (he even said after he thought he was winning), the hand injury, and underestimating Merab's cardio. No excuses for him. But I think if he squeezed out 1 more round of cardio he could've easily won 3/5.

Merab just melted him. I think he was putting more effort in throwing strikes to do damage than he should. Umar looked destroyed in the 4th round on, gasping for air.

Umar needs to win at least 2 more for a rematch and Merab will be "old" by then anyways. Good fight.

 

[TerraRayzing]

Umar is elite. He just needs to work on his cardio for a 5 rounder. I knew going into this fight that he may have cardio issues because you can see him breathing heavily as he speaks during his post fight interviews against previous opponents

He also lacks the crippling grappling pressure of Khabib. Even if Khabib slowed down a little in the championship rounds, his opponents were always worse.

 

[TheMoa]

He lacked experience against better competition, Merab wasnt wrong when he was saying that Umar only beat Cory. Plus Merab is a cardio machine. Nothing to be ashamed of, he'll be back

 

[OldBoy91]

Neither. He was just unable to keep up for stretches of the fight with a guy who's cardio is so insane he could have easily gone another 5 rounds.

 

[13Seconds]

Heart had nothing to do with it. Merab broke his lungs

 

[Cheese_&_mma_lover]

He lacks heart

 

[Rektkid]

He wasn't beaten by skill. He just couldn't keep up with that human machine. You have to put Merab away, you can't keep up with him on cardio.

 

[TerraRayzing]

Heart had nothing to do with it. Merab broke his lungs

I was talking more about the optics tbh? There are fighters who, despite knowing they are losing and are dead tired, keep moving forward and maintain good composure and body language.
Umar looked exhausted and lowkey defeated but then again, he was up against Merab.

 

[Young Calf Kick]

Maybe he just fought a really good opponent who happens to be better than him.

First actually sensible take in this thread this far in. God MMA “fans” are such a fickle bunch of gossipy teens lmao

 

[AmonTobin]

No he fought a great fight but Merab humbled him. The only thing he may have been lacking was humility.

 

[xentreos]

Merab is an animal end of story. The pace he puts on is incredible, and honestly I thought on the feet he did well. Umar was the better striker but it's not like merab was fighting for his life trying to keep pace in the striking. His style sucks, and it can be boring but it's definitely to be respected

 

[mkess101]

Merab is one of one. Umar didn't just "get tired". What Merab does is intentional, it's weaponized cardio like we've never seen. It's a skill the same as boxing or wrestling or jiu-jitsu. And given Merab's success, it's probably the best skill someone can have.

It doesn't matter how skilled you are otherwise, if you're drowning than nothing else you've brought to the fight matters. And what Merab does is drown people.