How did Yan learn to wrestle?

[Superzorro]

I don’t think he did. He’s always been a complete fighter with solid takedown defense. I think in Merab being so desperate to get Yan down, he made a lot of mistakes and left himself open without expecting any push back in those areas. Those trips are really effective when people are expecting you to strike.

People also underestimate how much of a role cardio (or his opponents lack thereof) plays in Merab’s takedowns. They’re not very skillful or well timed.

 

[mister piscadinha]

is there any russian, orthodox or muslim, who cant wrestle?


volkov and shara maybe the only ones

 

[mister piscadinha]

btw, he outgrappled sterling hard in their first fight

and sterling is GOOD good at grapplin'

 

[Deathmask]

The question is
How did Payton learn to wrestle so quicky?

He spent more time on top instead of his usual bottom.

 

[bjjwar]

This was the stupidest thing I’ve read here today. Congratz, that’s at least something!

He attempted 78 takedowns in both fights and struggled to barely close 13 of them. 0-16 vs Aldo. Sorry you're tight, he's not mediocre, he's beyong atrocious...

 

[DreyDay]

Some videos with Dagestani training partners just dropped. They said they were making hard drills with Petr, spamming >10 takedowns every round

 

[DrawK]

Yes he's a good wrestler but also his style and skills were able to shut down Merab's entire game. Yan with his tight defense had nothing to fear in regards to Merab's stand up spam. This let him be able to anticipate and immediately react to takedowns before Merab could even get to step 2. Also, his jab and short combos and only kicking at opportune times didn't allow Merab to get takedowns while Yan was striking.

 

[markantony20]

Yan has always been able to wrestle but that performance was outstanding

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

Someone taught him.

 

[Popocatepetl]

Did someone send him 2-3 years to Dagestan and forget? This is the first time Ive seen a striker close the wrestling gap on a caucasus wrestler and even outwrestled him at times! WTF.

Props to Yan but isnt he training from Thailand or some shit? How tf did he do it?

How did he learn how to wrestle?
Is this a serious question?

The guy stuffed 38 takedown attempts in the first fight, its not like he just found a fucking magic bean for this fight ffs.

That gif of him slamming Sterling on the head is VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL to the one he got on Merab last night

Needs more Goldberg.

It was impressive.

I just think he still plays around too much. He should take it more serious in there imo.

He's a kid having fun, remember those days old man?
He looked real good in there, hopefully he plays a similar style throughout his career.

The Caucus isn't the only region with phenomenal wrestling.

Karelin is the GOAT of Greco-Roman wrestling and he's a regular Slavic Russian.

Karelin was anything but regular.

He wants that booty...

Not this one though

Cruz tweeted him saying, "you'll win if you just stop the takedowns" and Yan went, "Oh fuck, I  knew there was something I forgot to do last time."

He stopped 38 the first time, it certainly wasn't a lack of effort on his part tbf.

Tiger muy thai is littered with wrestlers from the caucuses, and Yan trained there for a long as time

I love how people are acting like he found wrestling in a bag somewhere in his attic, like he hasn't always had the skills.

Even after stuffing 38 takedown attempts in their first fight.
Sherdog will sherdog I guess.

 

[Here's Johnny!]

The question is
How did Payton learn to wrestle so quicky?

He didn't he fought a shot former flw champion

 

[ChiggerNuts]

Someone taught him.

Rocky Balboa?

 

[fortheo]

Tiger muy thai is littered with wrestlers from the caucuses, and Yan trained there for a long as time

 

[HHJ]

Sometimes it backfires to dismiss every "excuse" a fighter makes after a loss.

Clearly, he was truly injured in their first fight.

This time he was healthy and also had the benefit of having been in there with Merab before, knowing what worked and what didn't work.

Brilliant performance.

I also think he did have to make adjustments. Merab is just no an easy night at the office for anyone. It helped Yan to fight him the first time to know what he needed to work on in the second, injured or no.

 

[HHJ]

never rewatched it

lol well there's good reason for that lol

 

[Titan1980]

Probably one day at a time with a desire to become the best. Getting a little better each day.

 

[Dagestanaev]

He has 2 hands now. Plus Merab is Eastern Orthodox so not blessed with that inbred power like the Khabib types.

This guy got banned for this ?

 

[BjPenn2017]

I honestly think Yan is a hot and cold fighter, some nights he shows up and he’s world class and other nights he just doesn’t show up at all or does the bare minimum to win.
His fights and rematches with Merab and Aljo I think highlight this, he has also maintained the same style he’s always had.

 

[HHJ]

other nights he just doesn’t show up at all or does the bare minimum to win.

No, this I do not agree with at all.

 

[laleggenda27]

1. Yan has always had good mma wrestling.
2. Merab isn't a "caucus wrestler." He's a judo guy who adapted to mma.