Eddie Bravo: The biggest difference between Tony and all of Khabib's other opponents

I think Khabib will end up holding position and doing the bare minimum to not get stood up. Boring ass decision.
But I'm hoping Tony can slice him with some elbows and make things interesting.
 
mkess101 said:
Yeah, but Khabib has grown his brand enough that he has some leverage now. Dana can't make him fight Conor or GSP. Khabib can basically tell Dana that it's Tony next, and Dana is then backed into a corner and he'd have to make this fight. What's he going to do, strip Khabib LOL? Not a chance. Khabib is growing the UFC in places nobody else has so far. They want him happy. Obviously if Tony wins that puts a big dent in that and that may be what Dana fears...that he now has a 36 year old champ that will never be hugely marketable (and only has a couple years left in his prime anyway-at the most). The thing is, even if Tony beat Khabib there's still a path that's lucrative for the UFC. They'd likely make Conor vs Tony next, which of course would sell huge. Then they'd make Khabib vs winner of Gaethje/Cowboy as the #1 contender fight. Likely Khabib smashes either of them and Tony slices up Conor. Then you have a rematch of Tony vs Khabib that would be huge.

In short, Dana lowballing Tony in an effort to keep him away from the title fight seems shortsighted. Even if Dana's worst case came true and Tony was the champ, the division still moves along and is compelling with big fights.
Click to expand...

I agree on that, but Dana gonna offer some shitty contracts to Tony, Tony gonna refuse them, after that we have or Conor or GSP, I'm sure Khabib will refuse conor, he doesn't deserve it, it leaves us with gsp who said just after the Poirier fight (nice timing) that he's ready.
The only thing Khabib can do is refusing fights, he can't force UFC to offer real good fight contracts to his opponents and he can't force his opponents to sign bullshit contracts.
The only thing we are sure, is that we will not have khabib-conor next.
 
I said this in another thread and I'll say it in this one: Tony will not get pressured on his feet backwards towards the fence and get taken down like all other KN opponents do.

His footwork is just too good. He's constantly dancing, bouncing, feinting, switching stances, side steping...all NONSTOP for 25 mins if need be. If he does get taken down it'll more than likely be in the middle somewhere and Khabib's best friend (the cage) won't be there to help him. Let's also not forget how slippery TF can be. And like we've discussed through 8 pages of this thread, if he does happen to get taken down close to the fence he's not going to freak out and expend all energy trying to get stand up for 3 minutes. He'll embrace the position and do work.
 
Last edited:
toutadixballes said:
I agree on that, but Dana gonna offer some shitty contracts to Tony, Tony gonna refuse them, after that we have or Conor or GSP, I'm sure Khabib will refuse conor, he doesn't deserve it, it leaves us with gsp who said just after the Poirier fight (nice timing) that he's ready.
The only thing Khabib can do is refusing fights, he can't force UFC to offer real good fight contracts to his opponents and he can't force his opponents to sign bullshit contracts.
The only thing we are sure, is that we will not have khabib-conor next.
Click to expand...

Yeah I hear you, Khabib can't force them to pay Tony a fair amount, technically. But he does have leverage. If he tells them it's Tony and nobody else, he's forcing their hand. He's almost making them pay Tony more, right? It's not like Tony is going to demand millions like Khabib is getting now. Khabib got $6m for his fight with Dustin I think. He'd get at least that to fight Tony. If they offered Tony just $1m he'd take it almost for sure. And that fight will sell and be a big ppv, I guarantee it (and the UFC knows it too).

Let's put it this way: If Khabib says to Dana "Tony is next, pay him what it takes to get this fight made. He won't be demanding insane money and you know it." What can Dana really do? Can't make Khabib fight anyone else. Not Conor, not GSP, not winner of Gaethje/Cowboy. He can strip Khabib, but c'mon. That's not happening. He's basically backed into a corner at that point, or he risks losing every shred of credibility the division and even the organization has. Over what, a few hundred thousand dollars for a guy who's done nothing but win to earn his shot?

Within reason, Khabib has given himself a lot of leverage and if he wants Tony next, he can almost force it to happen. Even from a pay standpoint for Tony (within reason).
 
mkess101 said:
Yeah I hear you, Khabib can't force them to pay Tony a fair amount, technically. But he does have leverage. If he tells them it's Tony and nobody else, he's forcing their hand. He's almost making them pay Tony more, right? It's not like Tony is going to demand millions like Khabib is getting now. Khabib got $6m for his fight with Dustin I think. He'd get at least that to fight Tony. If they offered Tony just $1m he'd take it almost for sure. And that fight will sell and be a big ppv, I guarantee it (and the UFC knows it too).

Let's put it this way: If Khabib says to Dana "Tony is next, pay him what it takes to get this fight made. He won't be demanding insane money and you know it." What can Dana really do? Can't make Khabib fight anyone else. Not Conor, not GSP, not winner of Gaethje/Cowboy. He can strip Khabib, but c'mon. That's not happening. He's basically backed into a corner at that point, or he risks losing every shred of credibility the division and even the organization has. Over what, a few hundred thousand dollars for a guy who's done nothing but win to earn his shot?

Within reason, Khabib has given himself a lot of leverage and if he wants Tony next, he can almost force it to happen. Even from a pay standpoint for Tony (within reason).
Click to expand...

Yeah he could maybe.

But I'm not sure the antagonism they have between them will push Khabib to give him so easily the title shot, they really don't like each others, Tony talked too much shit for years. I hope the legacy thing is important enough to push even more for it, but Khabib did his job by saying multiple times that he deserves it.
Last reaction from Ferguson at Ariel was "December in las Vegas defend or vacate, I don't have to call for the shot they already said I'm the legitimate contender"
Well it's not how it works buddy, at the end of the day, Khabib can fuck him big time.
 
toutadixballes said:
Yeah he could maybe.

But I'm not sure the antagonism they have between them will push Khabib to give him so easily the title shot, they really don't like each others, Tony talked too much shit for years. I hope the legacy thing is important enough to push even more for it, but Khabib did his job by saying multiple times that he deserves it.
Last reaction from Ferguson at Ariel was "December in las Vegas defend or vacate, I don't have to call for the shot they already said I'm the legitimate contender"
Well it's not how it works buddy, at the end of the day, Khabib can fuck him big time.
Click to expand...

I don't think they really hate each other. I think there's some natural animosity just from them being the top 2 for a long time (in reality even if Conor had the belt for a bit) and the cancelled fights, etc. This isn't a Conor situation where Tony is saying personal shit about Khaib's family (or vice versa).

Khabib could refuse Tony and screw him over for sure, but that really dents his legacy, like you said. He'd forever be looked at as the undefeated champ who ducked the only real threat to him in the division. And Khabib I cannot imagine abiding that. I don't know how hard he'll push for Tony to be next, but I have to imagine it will be some.
 
toutadixballes said:
Guys try to get up because of the pressure.
If he want to stay on the ground he will be destroyed. Khabib will not give him space to throw elbows and shit, and will pressure him constantly.
Technically, welcoming Khabib on the ground is the worse gameplan, there is levels to this shit.
Click to expand...

have you seen Khabib do that to any fighter similar to Tony.

the thing that make Tony special is his cardio and creativity, sure the first two rounds might not go his way, but he will keep the same pace that i don't think Khabib can keep up.
 
Oliveira vs Khabib is actually the true war between BJJ and Wrestling.
 
Pem123 said:
have you seen Khabib do that to any fighter similar to Tony.

the thing that make Tony special is his cardio and creativity, sure the first two rounds might not go his way, but he will keep the same pace that i don't think Khabib can keep up.
Click to expand...

There is only one Tony and only one Khabib.
So no.
And I'm sure Khabib can keep up, he wrestlefucked Poirier for 3 rounds in an arena where everybody was suffocating because of the heat, and everybody was saying here that Dustin will outcardio him.

There is a stupid narrative on sherdog that Khabib doesn't have cardio to go five rounds cause he boxed with Conor on the third and boxed iaquinta in the last two.
If you watch again the iaquinta fight, he landed the most strikes in the last round.
 
IRENICUS said:
Tony's BJJ is overrated imo, Lee mounted him in the first round while fresh.
However his striking attack, mainly elbows from his back are often overlooked. Those were what beat Lee on the ground the sub came as a result of the many elbows he ate.
Click to expand...
Lee has failings. When he is fresh though is an excellent grappler, especially from the top
 
i mean, werdum caught cain off his double, it's possible khabib is open to the same move by a very skilled bjj practitioner and if anyone is gonna do it it's tony.
 
Soul On Ice said:
He's gonna get smeshed

usa_today_10334424.0.jpg
Click to expand...
Weird picture to post along with your comment, since he won that fight by submission.
 
toutadixballes said:
There is only one Tony and only one Khabib.
So no.
And I'm sure Khabib can keep up, he wrestlefucked Poirier for 3 rounds in an arena where everybody was suffocating because of the heat, and everybody was saying here that Dustin will outcardio him.

There is a stupid narrative on sherdog that Khabib doesn't have cardio to go five rounds cause he boxed with Conor on the third and boxed iaquinta in the last two.
If you watch again the iaquinta fight, he landed the most strikes in the last round.
Click to expand...

I don't believe in that narrative as well, but when you fight Tony is a different pace and pressure that Tony can put on you.

this fight will be different fight than what we have seen from both Tony and Khabib.
 
Why do we assume Khabib is going to be in fergusion's guard for Tony to elbow him? It could be more like what he did to Truijillo, more upper body takedowns which lead to side control/ hip control
 
That would get Tony murked, but what do I know. If he thinks it's a good idea to let Khabib attain top control...
 
Pem123 said:
I don't believe in that narrative as well, but when you fight Tony is a different pace and pressure that Tony can put on you.

this fight will be different fight than what we have seen from both Tony and Khabib.
Click to expand...
Yep that's why it has to happen.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
1,236,676
Messages
55,433,755
Members
174,775
Latest member
kilgorevontrouty

Share this page

Back
Top