Dont sleep on Holly Holm, she could be the Buster Douglas of MMA.

Hesitation, footwork, and annoying jabs are the best recipe to frustrate Ronda. Test her aerobic conditioning and her patience. She doesn't seem like a patient woman, and I don't know whether or not she can chase for periods of time - its a different cardio. Does she shoot for takedowns, or just from the clinch - that's a big difference, too. Jones had a hard time with Gusto, and it was based on not clinching while eating jabs - he got desparate and started shooting, and his shot is not that practiced compared to his clinchwork.

I think this is a good matchup. There is literally no good matchup, but this is a style makes fights '?'

How exactly will hesitation help in that scenario? If Holm had amazing footwork, a fast and sharp jab that she could shoot out at every opening, that's another story.
But you add hesitation in the mix and shes mostly a deer in headlights providing ronda a perfect set up.

Not to mention holm hasn't demonstrated great footwork or even a great jab in UFC so far. She's looked pretty bad at creating and maintaining distance with her so called boxing skills.

I feel like people have this image of a highly skilled striker that they are projecting on holm. While in reality she hasn't displayed those skills in MMA.
 
Seriously though, this thread is borderline retarded. There is absolutely no KO threat in this fight which will ultimately result in Rousey charging her recklessly and mauling her to the ground like always. WMMA.

This is exactly what I have been saying. Without the threat of a KO, there is nothing to keep Rousey honest. Holm isn't going to outpoint Rousey over 5 rounds.
 
Seriously though, this thread is borderline retarded. There is absolutely no KO threat in this fight which will ultimately result in Rousey charging her recklessly and mauling her to the ground like always. WMMA.

Believe it or not, fighters are people. You don't always need to land a KO punch. Sharp jabs in the nose will change someone's route of attack, eventually. If you're fighting a Mark Hunt, it will take a long time to change their mind or break their confidence. If you're fighting a regular guy, it can take literally one. I assume Ronda is somewhere in the middle of that spectrum.

They aren't robots, and confidence is a real thing in all sports. You can watch a world class golfer play like a 10 handicap for a few holes when the pressure's on, he makes a bad shot, and he starts to doubt in himself, and gets rattled. Fighting's like that but with physical pain thrown in for good measure.

And charging for takedowns like Ronda does takes a ton of gas. You can't just keep spamming it. We only see the end result, unfortunately. Cain will get his first or second TD, then get on top, catch his breath, and begin the beating. The guy on the bottom gasses worse than the guy on top, usually, all other things being equal, especially if he's worried about getting hit, and is getting hit. So, when Cain goes for his next TD, its even easier. It gets easier every time. We think its a 100% type thing, because he never misses after the first one or two. But, if they keep getting stuffed, HE gasses. Going for a TD is harder than stopping one, but once you get it you can rest. Ronda ALWAYS gets her first TD, but her opponents give it to her. I'm not expecting Holm to stop several, but each one she avoids, the next one gets a little easier, and Ronda loses that threat, and confidence.
 
How exactly will hesitation help in that scenario? If Holm had amazing footwork, a fast and sharp jab that she could shoot out at every opening, that's another story.
But you add hesitation in the mix and shes mostly a deer in headlights providing ronda a perfect set up.

Not to mention holm hasn't demonstrated great footwork or even a great jab in UFC so far. She's looked pretty bad at creating and maintaining distance with her so called boxing skills.

I feel like people have this image of a highly skilled striker that they are projecting on holm. While in reality she hasn't displayed those skills in MMA.

Well, you're right. I was kind of just using that poster's words. Not charging in with one-two-three-four combos is what I meant to say. Hesitation should maybe be 'caution'. If you come in blitzing, the better wrestler WILL get you. If you throw jabs, and get out laterally, the wrestler MIGHT get you.

I'm not on the Holm Train here, there just isn't another matchup that even peaks my interest, is all.
 
This may be true. However, as soon as Tyson lost, and I remember this clearly, everyone from media to friends at school automatically came up with reasons/excuses, whether they'd seen the fight or not. Its normal - an 'unbeatable god' vs someone without a big name, and the lesser known wins - gotta be a fluke, or an explanation (Anderson/Weidman?)

But, watch the fight, and the commentary, and if you were old enough to watch it with people - fucking nobody was saying, "Tyson looks like shit, or like he hasn't trained" "Tyson's gonna kill him, here it comes" was more like it. There was a subdued confusion that grew as rounds went by, and then Tyson DID start to look like shit, until dropping Douglas the round before Douglas beat him. Douglas showed more heart in getting up there than he did the rest of his career, and it was probably due to his mom dying. Tyson looked worse and worse as the fight went on, but THAT WAS TYSON. It was rare that his fights went deep, but when they did, he always at least showed signs of wilting. He was used to getting people out early, having them fear him, and physically he trained to get them out early. once a fight goes past 15 minutes, the anaerobic/sprint-type athelte's slow down more than the skinny Diaz types. Throw in a weak/spoiled mentality, and things get interesting.

I buy that Tyson didn't take it seriously enough. But I suggest that Douglas fought above himself, and that Tyson was a different guy if you could get him into deep water. Rousey may possibly be the same. I said this all about Lesnar years ago, and was ridiculed. He was more ridiculously mentally weak than I imagined. I said this all about Jones v Gusto, and I was wrong there - he really has guts.

Until its proven, its a question mark. Good matchup UFC. I wouldn't throw a cent on Holm, but its more interesting than watching some broad who's just going to run straight into the Lion's Den, without the tools to deal with the lion.

Tyson went from having a fantastic trainer/camp that cared about him to sleazebags and swindlers who didn't even care if he trained. Of course it was huge. The only thing I can do is give you some suggested reading, if you'd like.
 
Tyson went from having a fantastic trainer/camp that cared about him to sleazebags and swindlers who didn't even care if he trained. Of course it was huge. The only thing I can do is give you some suggested reading, if you'd like.

I know who Cus D'Amato was. I know the story. Thanks.
 
This is WMMA's version of Anderson vs. Forrest.

Forrest was tailor-made to get grinded and spit back out the other end. Anderson was a fast, precision-accurate counter-striker and Forrest was a slow brawler.

In the same vein, Holm is tailor-made to get annihilated by Rousey. Holm is a striker with no power and no ground game to speak of. She will pitter-patter for ten seconds to a minute before she is tossed and submitted.

Would not buy on PPV and might even skip on a Fox card if I had something remotely more interesting to be doing.

The key to beating Rousey is fighting long, circling away from the clinch, and landing POWERFUL shots with good technique. No power and she will just walk through the punches into the clinch like she always does.
 
Well you really don't, other than, "I watched it live and nobody expected it".

Ya, I do.

Watch his fight with James Tillis, if you have the time. Watch him fade and get frustrated in 1986, under Cus D'Amato. Watch Tillis win the last few rounds, and you'll start seeing the Tyson who lost to Douglas, Holyfield and Lewis. Tillis wasn't as good as the last two, and he didn't have an emotional edge like Douglas (who was always known for his talent, but not his heart), and he also only had 10 rounds to get it done.

Tyson was unbeatable under Cus D'Amato, partly because he was more disciplined, and partly because he was fighting easier competition than he was later on.
 
Well, you're right. I was kind of just using that poster's words. Not charging in with one-two-three-four combos is what I meant to say. Hesitation should maybe be 'caution'. If you come in blitzing, the better wrestler WILL get you. If you throw jabs, and get out laterally, the wrestler MIGHT get you.

I'm not on the Holm Train here, there just isn't another matchup that even peaks my interest, is all.

I agree with your strategy for taking Ronda into deep waters. Those holes exist in her game and the right fighter can exploit them. But I don't think Holms is that fighter.

I got high on Holm when I heard of her boxing background and saw some of her highlight KOs. But she has been the biggest disappointment since she came to the UFC. She may have the tools but she doesn't know how to use them, it might be a mental thing more than anything. But outside of Ronda that division really is dismal across the board. Meisha at least seems to have a solid mental game.
 
Holm's movement and just her understanding of striking which most girls dont have will give ronda a lot of trouble. It's just that 5 rounds is a long time to not get caught with something against a vicious finisher in ronda. holm is not going to run up to ronda like a dumbass or stand in one spot and exchange punches like a moron. She is going to move, throw smart shots and make ronda chase her. If she can keep it standing I could see her taking ronda deep in the fight maybe winning the fight until she gets caught.
 
Ronda will charge head first into Holly's jab, won't get even close to be hurt and will unleash some ugly and sloppy flurry that will be enough to overwhelm Holm. Holly won't even have the time to throw a single kick, which is by far her best weapon.
 
I agree with your strategy for taking Ronda into deep waters. Those holes exist in her game and the right fighter can exploit them. But I don't think Holms is that fighter.

I got high on Holm when I heard of her boxing background and saw some of her highlight KOs. But she has been the biggest disappointment since she came to the UFC. She may have the tools but she doesn't know how to use them, it might be a mental thing more than anything. But outside of Ronda that division really is dismal across the board. Meisha at least seems to have a solid mental game.

Ya, I don't mean to sound like I think Holm's gonna win, and I agree that she's looked bad so far- but that happens, too.

Meisha is mentally strong, but she just doesn't have the game. She's got no facet of the game where she can soundly beat Ronda, as far as I can see. And its been done to death already.

Holm isn't as good as Tate, but she may have an advantage in the one facet of the game we haven't seen Ronda tested properly in. Again, I don't think she does - but there's just fucking nobody else. If nothing else - Holm at least has the reach advantage. All the other girls are shitty boxers who come straight forward with little power - and they're short!
 
Ronda will charge head first into Holly's jab, won't get even close to be hurt and will unleash some ugly and sloppy flurry that will be enough to overwhelm Holm. Holly won't even have the time to throw a single kick, which is by far her best weapon.

Its the reach advantage + Ronda's inability to slip that gives me 'hope'. Ronda overwhelms people, kinda like old Wanderlei, but with an armbar, too. And none of those women hit hard enough to drop her. I agree Holm won't hurt her, and Ronda will go through it, but Holm could literally hold her hand on Ronda's head and move away, Ronda can't reach her to hit her, unless Holm fucks up, or Ronda learns how to roll under punches.
 
Holly Holm used to KO people, but she's either deteriorated physically/mentally since joining the UFC or it's a reflection that even her modestly skilled competition now is far better than her previous competition. Either way, Ronda is strong as an ox and has no need to fear Holm's pitter patter HYEUGH HYEUGH shots, so she'll just rush in like a berserker, trip/throw her, and end it with an armbar.
 
Basically, the division is made up of retards. Ronda is the strongest retard, and has an autistically blessed ground game, so she looks really, really good. She is really good in many ways, but there are tons of holes in her movement and striking.
 
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