How much did the Alvarez title fight change your opinion on Conor's TDD

[Squish II]

Alvarez couldn't keep down Pettis, another FW.

 

[Dionysos]

So we all saw Conor get taken down repeatedly against Mendes, and on the ground Conor didn't have any offense off his back. At that time, it looked like Conor had been exposed badly against wrestlers given that Mendes came in on short notice. Yes, Conor won, but there was a lot of doubt after that fight.

Then Conor lost against Nate, another short-notice replacement. People at that point figured that Conor lacked TDD, a meaningful ground game, and a gas tank. You know, hype train totally derailed, etc etc.

However, Conor came back against Nate and fought a smart technical fight and proved he had the gas tank to beat an extremely durable and strong cardio fighter in Nate, and knocked Nate down 5 times in the 1st 2 rounds.

The shocker for me was how easily Conor dispatched Eddie, partly because Eddie has solid wrestling and clinch work and has used it successfully in the past, e.g. against Pettis.

Do you buy the rumors that Conor had some sort of leg injury against Mendes and that compromised his TDD? Or do you think Conor has simply improved and/or is healthier now?

I don't think there is much debate that Conor has elite striking for an MMA fighter. He timing, distance management, and accurate strikes are all legit.

Ofc, there's the argument that even if Conor was injured against Chad and has been working on his TDD, Khabib is on a whole different level.

People who thought he had bad TDD are idiots who've never actually watched a McGregor fight and are just parroting whatever other idiot sherbros say because he fought 189 injured against the best wrestler in the division on 2 weeks notice. No wonder you were so shocked.

 

[Danespina]

I think it's been a huge focus of his for the past few years and he's getting better and better at it.

I think this too. Constant improvement.

Stuffed a couple takedowns against Mendes.
Most vs. Diaz.
All vs. Alvarez

 

[Danespina]

People who thought he had bad TDD are idiots who've never actually watched a McGregor fight and are just parroting whatever other idiot sherbros say because he fought 189 injured against the best wrestler in the division on 2 weeks notice. No wonder you were so shocked.

Some of these are high level.

 

[Mattitude V1]

It just confirmed my belief that Conor has much better take down defense than many have speculated.

And perhaps more importantly, it is very difficult to even attempt a take down without putting your consciousness at risk.

This. Only Mendes and Diaz have scored TDs on him. Mendes is the best wrestler at FW and McGregor had a bum wheel. Diaz got him down in the final seconds of a fight after he was exhausted.

His TDD isn't as awful as people seem to have thought. It's not great tho.

 

[lifelessheap]

Agree with this 100%.

If Mendes had his regular gas tank, he would have kept Conor on the ground for all 5 rounds and beat him up.

What was even more surprising in that fight was how often short-armed Chad was able to land on Conor cleanly, although Conor did show in that fight that he has a solid chin.

Chad had 1.2 rounds of cardio because he got kicked in his fucking diaphragm and his lungs got shut off. Rewatch the fight.

 

[Codpiece]

I think it's been a huge focus of his for the past few years and he's getting better and better at it.

I think so, though I do feel it's always been OK.

He obviously wasn't prepared against Mendes, who is an amazing wrestler. It' hard to get much out of that since Mendes is so good and since we know Conor had a knee injury during his training.

Alvarez isn't a Mendes-calibre wrestler, but he's no slouch. Conor fended him off with ease.

 

[fortheo]

No, but it did make me think Alvarez's wrestling might not actually be that good.

His set ups were certainly not there that night. He was like a deer in headlights.

 

[Bingo]

It's pretty proven. Pettis has good TDD and he was getting him down.

Conor's ability to manage distance is a TDD within itself.

Pettis is my favourite fighter but he has some of the worst TDD at 155 pounds. What are you talking about sir

 

[fortheo]

People who thought he had bad TDD are idiots who've never actually watched a McGregor fight and are just parroting whatever other idiot sherbros say because he fought 189 injured against the best wrestler in the division on 2 weeks notice. No wonder you were so shocked.

When did he fight Edgar?

 

[Gluhov]

eddie just fought a miserable fight. I don't know what the fuck he was doing in there.

he ate a massive left early. never recovered

 

[BLACKWOLF]

Mendes has better wrasslin' than Eddie, guy gets overlooked because he got beaen by Aldo twice and got flash KO'd by Edgar

 

[Kemeticsoul]

eddie just fought a miserable fight. I don't know what the fuck he was doing in there.

Getting beat on by the better fighter and athlete.

 

[PutUpYourDux]

Pettis is my favourite fighter but he has some of the worst TDD at 155 pounds. What are you talking about sir

60% TDD on FightMetric.

 

[Thepaintbucket]

Why can't it be all those factors?

Eddie Alvarez has solid wrestling. What he doesn't have is a powerful takedown game as someone like GSP or Jon Jones. Neither does Nate Diaz. Some fighters have better takedown abilities than others. Eddies a durable guy who is very well rounded but does not excel at one skill set greatly in my opinion

Conor seemed to improve after losing to Diaz. He definitely tightened up his attacks more. So less energy being spent on flashy moves and harder to takedown. Also, he's more aware of an incoming takedown and better prepared to defend.

How many wrestling specialist has Conor fought at FW? Not very many I suppose.

 

[omawho402]

Conor's TDD was on point! Bad night for anyone who can't take him down

 

[thisISjoel]

Welcome to sherdog, where if you win you're fighting a can and if you lose you were never good anyway.

 

[SOAzmayesh]

Obviously not, I mean every McGregor opponent has been a can except Aldo and that was a complete fluke.

 

[SamboPunch]

It changed. In the span of a few months his TDD became better than Shogun's and Matt Brown's were their whole career.

Because he stuffed Eddie's takedown and then never had to deal with another attempt? OK dude. lol

 

[Myrddin Wild]

I knew he would be obsessing on it & show improvements... just like he did with Nate's boxing. I waz very stoked to see him stuff those TD's. Conor'z getting better. That's f*cking scary.