Gus has improved his wrestling with Phil Davis, why hasnt Phil improved his striking?

I don't understand.

 

Gus is more talented.

 

He has. Just not enough to beat the top guys.

 

Phil is the least explosive athletic explosive athlete I've ever seen.

 

Striking is harder to improve than wrestling

 

Phil Davis is a wrestler at heart, and doesn't have the true fighting spirit to implement his striking in a fight where the other guy can hit you back if you mess up a new technique.

I'm sure he probably looks like a beast on the pads, but its different when someones hitting you back.

 

I think it's his camp. The way he strikes doesn't fit the way he wrestles. No reason for him to be bouncing around on the outside throwing head kicks. Not everyone can be Dominick Cruz.

 

This. He has improved, just not as much.

 

phil has improved his striking, just not enough for the elite

 

Since Phil's very first UFC fight we've been saying he has awesome wrestling but just wait for his striking game to develop!!!

Hasn't happened. If it were going to happen I think it would have by now.

 

Phil looks like the same fighter as when he joined the UFC, and I'm not talking about physical appearance.

 

Gus' wrestling AND striking looked superb when he fought Jones.
Davis' wrestling AND striking looked lacking when he fought Rumble.
That's some weird MMAth, I know, but things don't look good for Phil.

 

Skill can be taught, but competency also requires talent, which cannot be.

 

He was competitive with Machida on the feet. I don't think he hasn't improved. I think he will win a decision over Bader tomorrow.

 

Phil loads up on every shot and still seems to lack power

 

I've been asking this same question to myself since the rumble fight

 

Gustafsson had pretty decent wrestling from the beginning. Even in the Davis fight he was making him work hard for everything.

Davis' striking has gotten better, though. It was just that bad and just about everyone in the top of the division is better than him at it.

 

I remember back when Davis burst onto the scene. His striking was always "right there" and was supposedly going to "come together" and he'd be force

but it never really happened

 

Phil has improved his striking by training with Gustafsson. Most notably his striking defense which is very underrated.

Plus Gustafsson improved his wrestling from also training with Swedish national wrestlers I believe.

 

Yea his striking almost looks exactly like it did when we first saw him. Pretty good kicks and nothing else.