Here's my reading...

[Luffy]

Anakalev is simply a nastier fighter for Alex than Tom would be if they fight (which I'm pretty sure they will). Ankalaev, whose style is a headache for any fighter wins minutes by denying exchanges, Tom wins moments by blitzing straight lines and banking on speed at size. For elite fighters like Alex, the low-mistake calculated southpaw (who's 21-1 btw) who forces you to lead with counters and then taxes every lead with counters in precise ways IS the tougher fighter than the big HW sprinter who actually gives openings to kick and counter. Ank's whole game is designed to take the air out of any fighter (much like JJ's)... Southpaw stance, disciplined feet and striking and a lead hand quick "trigger" that fires the second you show him the read of the movements (see how he'd very precisely and smartly counter when Alex would use his weapons). Ankalaev lives on "small wins" — feint, stepping outside the lead, making fighters reset, then touching them clean when they try to get back into the center position... A hugely smart calculated and space aware fighter. Every time Alex tried to tax the lead leg, he'd answer with highly precise checks, pull-twos or that lead hook that very precisely fires the moment as the fighters make their movement. It's a low variance, but like Alex, a deep, maddening game that builds on, and it forces Alex Pereira to solve a very tough puzzle for 25 minutes... Not to mention his toughness, his chin is one of the best ever...

Plus, his better grappling and smarter usage of it.... He doesn't need long top riders, it's tough for very good TDD like Pereira whose grappling is quickly improving. Ankalaev just needs to get the fighters on the fence grabbing them (as soon as he's grabbing them he's wrestling, not dancing, boxing) make Alex adjust, work on positions... And burn 1 minute of the round while landing cleaner shots (if the grappler is poor then he can land devastating strikes, but since Alex hasn't just a good TDD but also a very good grappling, Ankalaev can't really get so meaningful strikes but win by controlling the area, as he is still a better grappler than Alex, though the difference isn't big)... Under modern scoring, damage rules but "who got to their fight more often" is still an optic for razor close fights...

... And Big Ank is a master of that... He's excellent at stealing the "geometry" of a round, deciding where exchanges happen, how many, and who has to initiate, much like JJ — that methodical style that if faced against elite opposition, gets close wins, ""boring"" as ppl say... If against not elite, it's a mauling, like vs Johnny Walker, Cutelaba... And that's also much like the style Alex Pereira operates with, which makes them elite fighters currently in a top 3 pfp imo.

Tom on the other hand gives you more to work with... He's big, quick (in relative of HWs which ppl ignore) and he starts all hot and quick... Though the striking entries are linear and the stance is bouncy... That means orthodox low kicks is there early and often. As an analogy, you don't need to chop a tree down in one swing, just dull it and watch it falling slowly. Once the bounce becomes flat, it's where fighters who appear quicker, but lack the depth of an elite striker, or the awkwardness but very calculated striking of a DDP, his shots imo have an overall tendency to get way more readable and easier to decipher... Which falls into elite strikers like Pereira best weapons — cross over the jab, left hoot on the reset, short elbows off the frame. Even if Tom takes Alex down, which may not happen as Alex has stopped TDs from someone who is better at wrestling so unlikely, but even if, "getting TD" # "keeping"... Alex has shown upgraded grappling more and more (which Volkov who was as good as Gane on the ground lacks) — posts, head position, limping legs out, which turns takedowns into resets, and into frames for Alex to knee like vs Jan. Not to mention for big guys, that energy spent there is huge.

Minutes > moments... Tom's aura lives in 1-7, Alex's, Ank's, JJ's threats are proven vs elite competition in minutes 10-25. Against Ankalaev, you don't get that same optic... He calculates to take possessions out of the fight, keeping fighters honest with his elite frame lead hand and left, doesn't overcommit enough to hand elite fighters the chase easily... Against Tom, there's absolutely an easier picture — every exit may be a kick, every kick (which he didn't face as HWs don't have those skills) makes the next attempt slower, and slower = cleaner counters. Minutes > moments especially over 5 rounds against elite competition like Alex, Ank and JJ have shown constantly. The "but Tom is big and wrestles him" is just casual size bias, not a real tape read and analysis of the striking level... Wrestling with wide shoots like a rugby tackle are just cardio exchanges against an already proven TDD elite LHW who punishes those... Meanwhile, the "Ank is boring so he's easier" take is the way casuals look while it's the opposite... Boring here means disciplined, calculated and highly precise — exactly what makes opponents into elite ones like a JJ, an Alex as well... It makes it tougher to build reads and land meaningful fighting ending strikes...

I'm not saying Tom would be an easy match up at all, he's very dangerous early and has real finishing power, only that it's easier for elite opponents, specially Alex Pereira, than Ank, since he creates that chaos Alex can exploit. Ank removes this chaos and makes wins (whoever is elite enough to win vs him) on small, precise margins while punishing the fighters for forcing them... It's always a headache. Not to say Tom isn't very good to me, he is... But if you ask me who's tougher for Alex, both Ankalaev and JJ would be, for sure, and to me those 3 are the best at it right now (Pereira, Ankalaev and JJ)... Precise hunters who don't overcommit but are very calculated and tricky... And if fighting one another, fights may look boring because they are chess players, not head hunters.

All my opinion ofc.

 

[rollthedice]

Bratha, you need 2-3 years dagestan and forget. Too much thread, not enuff train

 

[TCE]

You make a lot of threads seemingly talking about the same topic over and over.

I think you need to take a break, relax and enter the real world for a few hours.

 

[Luffy]

You make a lot of threads seemingly talking about the same topic over and over.

I think you need to take a break, relax and enter the real world for a few hours.

Answer I'd expect from a casual.

 

[TCE]

Answer I'd expect from a casual.

It's true though, dude.

Helax.

 

[Pierce 34]

Have you seen my buddy Ron in the unemployment line? Tell him I said hi

 

[Leinster Rugby]

Answer I'd expect from a casual.

 

[Luffy]

View attachment 1107745

No attention. I want smart answers, people sharing their opinions, not memes. If I wanted attention, I'd post a one liner troll thread like I did sometimes, not a full-on analysis

 

[markantony20]

Anakalev is simply a nastier fighter for Alex than Tom would be if they fight (which I'm pretty sure they will). Ankalaev, whose style is a headache for any fighter wins minutes by denying exchanges, Tom wins moments by blitzing straight lines and banking on speed at size. For elite fighters like Alex, the low-mistake calculated southpaw (who's 21-1 btw) who forces you to lead with counters and then taxes every lead with counters in precise ways IS the tougher fighter than the big HW sprinter who actually gives openings to kick and counter. Ank's whole game is designed to take the air out of any fighter (much like JJ's)... Southpaw stance, disciplined feet and striking and a lead hand quick "trigger" that fires the second you show him the read of the movements (see how he'd very precisely and smartly counter when Alex would use his weapons). Ankalaev lives on "small wins" — feint, stepping outside the lead, making fighters reset, then touching them clean when they try to get back into the center position... A hugely smart calculated and space aware fighter. Every time Alex tried to tax the lead leg, he'd answer with highly precise checks, pull-twos or that lead hook that very precisely fires the moment as the fighters make their movement. It's a low variance, but like Alex, a deep, maddening game that builds on, and it forces Alex Pereira to solve a very tough puzzle for 25 minutes... Not to mention his toughness, his chin is one of the best ever...

Plus, his better grappling and smarter usage of it.... He doesn't need long top riders, it's tough for very good TDD like Pereira whose grappling is quickly improving. Ankalaev just needs to get the fighters on the fence grabbing them (as soon as he's grabbing them he's wrestling, not dancing, boxing) make Alex adjust, work on positions... And burn 1 minute of the round while landing cleaner shots (if the grappler is poor then he can land devastating strikes, but since Alex hasn't just a good TDD but also a very good grappling, Ankalaev can't really get so meaningful strikes but win by controlling the area, as he is still a better grappler than Alex, though the difference isn't big)... Under modern scoring, damage rules but "who got to their fight more often" is still an optic for razor close fights...

... And Big Ank is a master of that... He's excellent at stealing the "geometry" of a round, deciding where exchanges happen, how many, and who has to initiate, much like JJ — that methodical style that if faced against elite opposition, gets close wins, ""boring"" as ppl say... If against not elite, it's a mauling, like vs Johnny Walker, Cutelaba... And that's also much like the style Alex Pereira operates with, which makes them elite fighters currently in a top 3 pfp imo.

Tom on the other hand gives you more to work with... He's big, quick (in relative of HWs which ppl ignore) and he starts all hot and quick... Though the striking entries are linear and the stance is bouncy... That means orthodox low kicks is there early and often. As an analogy, you don't need to chop a tree down in one swing, just dull it and watch it falling slowly. Once the bounce becomes flat, it's where fighters who appear quicker, but lack the depth of an elite striker, or the awkwardness but very calculated striking of a DDP, his shots imo have an overall tendency to get way more readable and easier to decipher... Which falls into elite strikers like Pereira best weapons — cross over the jab, left hoot on the reset, short elbows off the frame. Even if Tom takes Alex down, which may not happen as Alex has stopped TDs from someone who is better at wrestling so unlikely, but even if, "getting TD" # "keeping"... Alex has shown upgraded grappling more and more (which Volkov who was as good as Gane on the ground lacks) — posts, head position, limping legs out, which turns takedowns into resets, and into frames for Alex to knee like vs Jan. Not to mention for big guys, that energy spent there is huge.

Minutes > moments... Tom's aura lives in 1-7, Alex's, Ank's, JJ's threats are proven vs elite competition in minutes 10-25. Against Ankalaev, you don't get that same optic... He calculates to take possessions out of the fight, keeping fighters honest with his elite frame lead hand and left, doesn't overcommit enough to hand elite fighters the chase easily... Against Tom, there's absolutely an easier picture — every exit may be a kick, every kick (which he didn't face as HWs don't have those skills) makes the next attempt slower, and slower = cleaner counters. Minutes > moments especially over 5 rounds against elite competition like Alex, Ank and JJ have shown constantly. The "but Tom is big and wrestles him" is just casual size bias, not a real tape read and analysis of the striking level... Wrestling with wide shoots like a rugby tackle are just cardio exchanges against an already proven TDD elite LHW who punishes those... Meanwhile, the "Ank is boring so he's easier" take is the way casuals look while it's the opposite... Boring here means disciplined, calculated and highly precise — exactly what makes opponents into elite ones like a JJ, an Alex as well... It makes it tougher to build reads and land meaningful fighting ending strikes...

I'm not saying Tom would be an easy match up at all, he's very dangerous early and has real finishing power, only that it's easier for elite opponents, specially Alex Pereira, than Ank, since he creates that chaos Alex can exploit. Ank removes this chaos and makes wins (whoever is elite enough to win vs him) on small, precise margins while punishing the fighters for forcing them... It's always a headache. Not to say Tom isn't very good to me, he is... But if you ask me who's tougher for Alex, both Ankalaev and JJ would be, for sure, and to me those 3 are the best at it right now (Pereira, Ankalaev and JJ)... Precise hunters who don't overcommit but are very calculated and tricky... And if fighting one another, fights may look boring because they are chess players, not head hunters.

All my opinion ofc.

Please tell me you didn’t write this entire thesis and not just prompt chatgbt

 

[Leinster Rugby]

No attention. I want smart answers, people sharing their opinions, not memes. If I wanted attention, I'd post a one liner troll thread like I did sometimes, not a full-on analysis

I've met children less seeking of attention than you. You're desperate for it mate.

If you claim you don't want attention then I challenge you to shut the fuck up for a month and stop making the same shit threads over and over.

But we both know that's not going to happen.

 

[sonhow]

You make a lot of threads seemingly talking about the same topic over and over.

I think you need to take a break, relax and enter the real world for a few hours.

I might be going out on a limb but his favorite fighter might be Alex Perreira?!?

 

[Tweak896]

I would expect Ankalaev to be Aspinall's hardest test for TDD, probably would be forced to stand with him. Speed is probably same or Ank faster. Aspinall more power obviously, but Ank more technical. This is a good fight, just hard to sell name value wise.

If Ank can stack his championship accolades then I could see it down the road. Defend against Jiri/Rountree winner, and then Reyes/Ulberg winner. LHW could be put on ice for a little after. Still it's a good matchup. Aspinall is going to be out of new opponents if he gets through Gane and Almeida.

 

[Deadwing88]

 

[mkess101]

I might be going out on a limb but his favorite fighter might be Alex Perreira?!?

Before his retirement (and Luffy's temporary ban) it was a cornucopia of Jon Jones threads. Alex is the benefactor of Jon retiring, he now gets the majority of Luffy's attention.

 

[Luthien]

Your face when people think that you are trolling, but you are actually a 300 IQ wizard

@HI SCOTT NEWMAN @Luffy

 

[mkess101]

I would expect Ankalaev to be Aspinall's hardest test for TDD, probably would be forced to stand with him. Speed is probably same or Ank faster. Aspinall more power obviously, but Ank more technical. This is a good fight, just hard to sell name value wise.

If Ank can stack his championship accolades then I could see it down the road. Defend against Jiri/Rountree winner, and then Reyes/Ulberg winner. LHW could be put on ice for a little after. Still it's a good matchup. Aspinall is going to be out of new opponents if he gets through Gane and Almeida.

There's nothing I've seen in Ank's striking that says he's as fast as Aspinall with his hands. He's absolutely more defensively sound, that's not up for debate. But as for speed (just talking hand speed obviously), the 2-1-2 that Aspinall rocked Pavlovich with is faster than anything I've ever seen Ank throw. And obviously there's the added benefit that when Aspinall does land, nobody seems able to survive it.

 

[Tweak896]

There's nothing I've seen in Ank's striking that says he's as fast as Aspinall with his hands. He's absolutely more defensively sound, that's not up for debate. But as for speed (just talking hand speed obviously), the 2-1-2 that Aspinall rocked Pavlovich with is faster than anything I've ever seen Ank throw. And obviously there's the added benefit that when Aspinall does land, nobody seems able to survive it.

I get it, but there's also perception of relative speed, which comes from opponents. We can truly only guess and Ank is fighting LHW's against each other vs Aspinall against lumbering HWs. Now who knows how fast Ankalaev looks if he packs on some weight to be a HW. But I think if you take clips of Ank's fastest moment's and compared to Tom's, they'd probably be similar. To me he looked sharp against Pereira. I'm going to look for gifs and come back to this reply for side by side.

 

[mkess101]

I get it, but there's also perception of relative speed, which comes from opponents. We can truly only guess and Ank is fighting LHW's against each other vs Aspinall against lumbering HWs. Now who knows how fast Ankalaev looks if he packs on some weight to be a HW. But I think if you take clips of Ank's fastest moment's and compared to Tom's, they'd probably be similar. To me he looked sharp against Pereira. I'm going to look for gifs and come back to this reply for side by side.

For sure, and I'm trying to take that into account. Essentially remove the opponent in front of the guy and just look at the punches thrown. Do I think Tom is "way way faster" than Ank? Probably not, no. But faster and hitting with that type of power while being ~30 lbs heavier (in the cage) is a huge thing in a fight.

 

[Tweak896]

For sure, and I'm trying to take that into account. Essentially remove the opponent in front of the guy and just look at the punches thrown. Do I think Tom is "way way faster" than Ank? Probably not, no. But faster and hitting with that type of power while being ~30 lbs heavier (in the cage) is a huge thing in a fight.

Man this is hard to find Ank's combination in realtime speed, but I could for Aspinall/Pavlovich, so I put the slowmo's together. Let me know if you end up finding something better, I give up. I'm hoping UFC slowmo is equal for every replay. It looks about accurate.

Here's the realtime version:

Edit: Found a twitter link. Looks like it's pretty similar in speed, maybe even Ank is faster.

 

[Luffy]

Please tell me you didn’t write this entire thesis and not just prompt chatgbt

Huh? I don't even use AI for a long while. Even if I did why'd I use it for writing and making prompts for an argument? I mean, you must not be used with texts with more than two paragraphs, but that's because nowadays people can't read past 10 lines.

I've met children less seeking of attention than you. You're desperate for it mate.

If you claim you don't want attention then I challenge you to shut the fuck up for a month and stop making the same shit threads over and over.

But we both know that's not going to happen.

Well, you're giving me the attention, if you think that's what I'm seeking. Duh. So why don't you shut up and "stop giving me the attention I'm seeking", as per you? Lulz what a dummy.

Your face when people think that you are trolling, but you are actually a 300 IQ wizard

@HI SCOTT NEWMAN @Luffy

Lulz idk if you're being sarcastic or not but I wish... I have some fancy glasses with dark lens though that generally hides my eyes like this character from one piece ppl think I use them to sound "cool" but it's because I'm shy, don't want strong eye contact hehe

I might be going out on a limb but his favorite fighter might be Alex Perreira?!?

As a fighter, as in mma, it's Jon Jones. Honestly I think Alex is a bigger threat than Tom is, I wish JJ faces Tom, as facing someone perceived as a bigger threat (might be but I really think it's not quite) and winning plus retiring would be better. With Alex vs JJ I like Alex Pereira but I've followed JJ for a long time, I just have an unsettling feeling of a final boss from Alex... Like vs Izzy, it's kinda unsettling. I kinda think it'd be cool to see them clashing but I just don't want either of them to lose. But if it's JJ the one to lose, as I think it's kinda a legit 50/50... I just wouldn't like it. I wish him retires fighting Tom, winning (which I think he totally can) and that's it. I don't want him to push more.

I would expect Ankalaev to be Aspinall's hardest test for TDD, probably would be forced to stand with him. Speed is probably same or Ank faster. Aspinall more power obviously, but Ank more technical. This is a good fight, just hard to sell name value wise.

If Ank can stack his championship accolades then I could see it down the road. Defend against Jiri/Rountree winner, and then Reyes/Ulberg winner. LHW could be put on ice for a little after. Still it's a good matchup. Aspinall is going to be out of new opponents if he gets through Gane and Almeida.

I don't think that's really gonna happen. Ankalaev has no intentions of going to HW. If anything, he's speaking about Alex possibly going to HW next, saying "Alex is running". Ank had posted about facing Alex again on Ramadan next year for some reason, and Ali said "Alex going to HW is running away". Alex Pereira has been posting pictures weighing 243 lbs, he has teased a HW move for a long while. Ank has not, he's in LHW. He wants to fight Alex mostly. Other than that, he'd only go to HW if it were to fight Alex in case Alex wins the rematch (which I think is more likely) for a trilogy lol. But Alex is going to HW after the rematch vs Ankalaev anyways.

I think Ankalaev would have a harder time tho because he isn't naturally ~243 lbs like Pereira is... So the size can be a bit too much, but in terms of game management, layers of striking, smart entries both in striking and wrestling, Ankalaev is better than Tom. I think he's a little like JJ, well rounded, gamer, knows how to dominate or win close fights when the opponents are elite, has that grit and toughness, so as an opponent, I favour Ank vs Tom same way I'd for JJ vs Tom, a 3-2 or so... But Ankalaev said he wouldn't try HW. He only said that once when Alex Pereira was teasing a move up before facing him lol

Man this is hard to find Ank's combination in realtime speed, but I could for Aspinall/Pavlovich, so I put the slowmo's together. Let me know if you end up finding something better, I give up. I'm hoping UFC slowmo is equal for every replay. It looks about accurate.

Here's the realtime version:

Edit: Found a twitter link. Looks like it's pretty similar in speed, maybe even Ank is faster.

Ankalaev is faster. He has quicker hands than Tom does. Plus, he has a big punching power too. Look at him KO'ing Johnny Walker or Ion Cutelaba or the opponents he KO's. Heavy power shots,especially his left hand. Ankalaev is a very hard power puncher. Like, very hard. As is Khalil Rountree, also a very strong power puncher. The thing is that Alex is very tough and knows how to soften punch's impact better than any fighter maybe, because he's an absolutely elite kickboxer who has fought elite ~240 lbs kickboxers... He knows how to roll with the pinches and has a natural toughness. And his chin becomes better the more he moves up weight classes (for example, was never KO'd at LHW unlike in MW vs Izzy)... Not dehydrating is very big for chin and natural toughness, which Alex already excels on. Even fighting compromised vs Ank, that was the only stance Ankalaev rocked him, outside that the striking was still favourable to Alex overall...

That part vs Sergei was also when Sergei had been wobbled tho. Tom had hit him right below the ear before that, right before Sergei threw his left hook there. Tom was kinda hurt and retreated but Sergei was on shaky legs from the hit right before the TKO. Just looking at Tom hitting him before this frame, the first stance, it's visible Tom is not a striking specialist... He closed his eyes and swung a hard overhand in desperation before eating the softened check hook... Pretty similar to the reactive strike Hill tried to land on Pereira, tho Pereira slipped right through it and connected his left hook fully, which would have KO'd Tom in that stance, for example. That's why Alex can explore this striking deficit Tom has — lot of speed, but not that technical striking, hands movements quick but defensive gaps... Lethal against an elite counter striker like Alex Pereira, exposed to a counter check hook easily...